Set up VMI
5 min
To start using Optimizely's Vendor Managed Inventory (VMI), you must configure four areas:
- Admin Console - Enable VMI and assign user roles.
- Classic/Spire CMS - Set up the VMI link within the Mobile App and make any other changes to the VMI pages within the storefront using the out-of-the box Classic/Spire CMS widget configurations.
- Storefront - Create the VMI locations, add products to those locations, and assign users. The VMI administrator can also use the administrative screens to import/update inventory and place orders in the storefront.
- Mobile – Update inventory and place orders.
Steps to set up VMI
Enable VMI
- Go to the Admin Console > Administration > Settings.
- Search for Enable VMI or go to Order Management > Enable VMI.
- Toggle to Yes.
- Click Save.
Assign user roles
- Go to Admin Console > Administration > Website Users.
- Click Edit for the desired user.
- Select the VMI role(s) to apply.
- VMI_Admin – Sets up the locations, products, and any additional VMI users on the storefront. They can access the reporting, update inventory, and place orders if needed via the website.
- VMI_User – Uses the Mobile App to update the inventory and place orders for assigned locations.
- Click Save.
Alternatively, you can also upload a list of website users who should have a VMI role.
- Go to Admin Console > Administration > Website Users.
- Click Upload.
- Click Download Template if needed.
- Enter VMI_Admin or VMI_User in the Roles column.
- Select the file and import options.
- Click Import.
Add VMI to the Mobile App within the CMS
- Go to the Mobile CMS.
- Edit the main page for which the “Link List Widget will be present”
- Click Edit on Link List.
- Click Add to Add Vendor Managed Inventory as the Type.
- Click Save and click Publish.
Configure VMI pages within the Storefront if any changes are desired.
For Spire CMS:
- Go to the CMS and sign in as a user with VMI admin permission to see the VMI pages.
- Toggle to Vendor Managed Inventory.
- Use Basic/Common widgets for additional content and re-arrange existing widgets.
- Add a customer logo or other content (such as a banner or text copy) as needed.
- Configure the various tables to hide non-relevant data columns.
View configuring Spire widgets configuring Spire widgets for more information on setting up VMI in Spire CMS.
For Classic CMS:
- Go to the CMS and sign in as a user with VMI admin permission to see the VMI pages.
- Toggle to Vendor Managed Inventory.
- Use widgets for additional content and re-arrange existing widgets.
- Add a customer logo or other content (such as a banner or text copy) as needed.
- Configure the various tables to hide non-relevant data columns.
View Vendor Managed Inventory widgets for more information on the widgets included for Classic CMS.
Note for customized sites
If you do not see the header toggle to switch to Vendor Managed Inventory, your partner may need to apply some changes due to customizations preventing the header from seeing the new code.
See Customizations with VMI in the developer documentation for more information.