Deactivate and Block Vendors
VaultAP provides two mechanisms for managing vendors you no longer want to process payments for: deactivating and blocking. Each serves a different purpose and affects invoice processing differently.
Vendor Statuses
| Status | Invoices Processed? | Risk Flags | Use Case |
|---|---|---|---|
| Active | Yes | Normal detection rules apply | Default status for all vendors |
| Deactivated | Yes, but flagged | DEACTIVATED_VENDOR flag added | Vendors you no longer do business with |
| Blocked | Yes, but flagged as high risk | HIGH_RISK_VENDOR flag added | Suspected fraud or confirmed bad actors |
Deactivating a Vendor
Deactivation is appropriate when you have stopped doing business with a vendor but want to keep their record and history intact. Invoices from deactivated vendors are still ingested and processed, but they receive a DEACTIVATED_VENDOR flag so your team can investigate why a supposedly inactive vendor is still sending invoices.
Open the vendor profile
Navigate to the vendor's profile page.
Click Deactivate
Select Deactivate Vendor from the actions menu in the top-right corner.
Confirm
Enter a reason for deactivation (optional but recommended) and click Confirm.
When to Deactivate
- The vendor relationship has ended and no further invoices are expected.
- You are cleaning up vendor records and want to mark inactive vendors without losing history.
- A vendor has been acquired or renamed and you have created a new record for them.
Deactivation is reversible. The vendor's invoice history, notes, and risk flag history are fully preserved.
Blocking a Vendor
Blocking is a stronger action intended for vendors associated with fraud or other serious concerns. Invoices from blocked vendors are automatically flagged as HIGH_RISK_VENDOR, which places them at the top of the review queue and requires Admin approval before payment can proceed.
Open the vendor profile
Navigate to the vendor's profile page.
Click Block
Select Block Vendor from the actions menu.
Provide a reason
Enter a reason for blocking. This field is required for blocked vendors and is recorded in the audit log.
Confirm
Click Confirm. The vendor status changes to Blocked immediately.
When to Block
- You have confirmed or strongly suspect fraudulent activity from this vendor.
- The vendor has been flagged by an external fraud database or regulatory body.
- Your internal investigation has determined the vendor should not receive payments.
Blocking a vendor does not stop their invoices from entering VaultAP. Invoices will still be ingested but are auto-flagged as high risk and require Admin approval. If you need to prevent invoice ingestion entirely, configure your upstream AP system to reject invoices from this vendor.
Reactivating a Vendor
Both deactivated and blocked vendors can be reactivated. Reactivation restores the vendor to Active status and removes the automatic DEACTIVATED_VENDOR or HIGH_RISK_VENDOR flags from future invoices. Previously flagged invoices are not affected.
To reactivate, open the vendor profile, select Reactivate Vendor from the actions menu, and confirm.
Reactivating a blocked vendor requires the Admin role and is recorded in the audit log. Ensure you have completed your investigation before reactivating.