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Free new vendor setup form

Download a free new vendor setup form for Excel or as a CSV, with a filled example, or print it. The vendor fills in business details, tax documents, contacts and bank details; your team completes an internal block for the duplicate check, W-9 review, bank verification and approval.

Updated · Aequo editorial team

Download the new vendor form

The Excel file has two tabs: a blank form and the same form filled in for an electrical contractor, including the internal checks.

Download for ExcelxlsxDownload blank CSVcsvDownload filled examplecsv

Six sections: business information, tax and compliance documents, contacts, payment information, vendor certification, and internal use only. The form asks for a signed W-9 rather than a typed tax ID, and the example shows bank numbers masked. Opens in Excel, Google Sheets (File, Import), Numbers and LibreOffice.

Printable new vendor setup form

Two pages: the vendor's sections, then the internal checks and approval.

New vendor setup form

Please attach a signed Form W-9 (US) or W-8BEN / W-8BEN-E (non-US).

1. Business information

Legal business name (as on W-9)

DBA / trade name

Entity type

Business address

Remit-to address

Goods or services provided

2. Tax and compliance

Form W-9 attached (Y/N)

Certificate of insurance attached / expiry

Business license number

Small-business certification

3. Contacts

Sales contact (name, email, phone)

Billing / AR contact

Email for purchase orders

Email for remittance advice

4. Payment information

Payment method (ACH / check / wire / card)

Bank name

Account holder name

Routing number

Account number

Payment terms requested

5. Vendor certification

I confirm the information above is accurate and will notify the buyer in writing, from a known contact, before any change to bank details.

Name and title

Signature

Date

6. Internal use only

Requested by / department

Business reason

Expected annual spend

Duplicate check done (Y/N)

W-9 name and TIN checked

Bank details verified by phone (who, when)

1099 vendor (Y/N)

Approved by / date

Vendor ID assigned

Entered in system by / date

New vendor setup form from Aequo (free to use and adapt)

How to onboard a new vendor

Request, collect, verify, approve and set up, with a different person approving the vendor than the one who enters it.

  1. Request. The employee who needs the vendor submits a request with the business reason and expected spend, after checking the vendor is not already on the vendor list.
  2. Collect. Send the vendor sections 1 to 5 with a request for a signed W-9. Ask for bank details through a secure channel, not plain email.
  3. Verify. Check the W-9 name and taxpayer ID, search for duplicates by name, address, tax ID and bank account, and confirm bank details by calling a number you already hold.
  4. Approve. Someone other than the requester approves the new vendor in line with your approval matrix.
  5. Set up. A different person enters the vendor in the accounting system, assigns the vendor ID and files the form and W-9.

For the full walkthrough, including setting payment terms, default coding and 1099 status, read the vendor onboarding process.

The four checks that stop fake vendors

Most vendor fraud gets in at setup, so the internal block on this form is the part that matters most.

  • Duplicate check: search existing vendors by name, address, tax ID and bank account before creating a record.
  • Tax ID check: confirm the W-9 name and taxpayer ID match. Payers that file 1099s can use the IRS TIN Matching program.
  • Bank verification: call a number you already hold to confirm bank details, at setup and at every change.
  • Separation of duties: the requester, the approver and the person who enters the vendor should be three different people where your team size allows. Set who approves in an approval matrix.

Aequo AP

Collect W-9s without chasing spreadsheets

Aequo AP lets you request W-9s from vendors, stores tax IDs encrypted and masked on screen, and builds a 1099 summary. Revealing a full tax ID needs an owner or admin permission and is logged, and roles decide who can code, approve and sync bills.

Live with QuickBooks Online, Xero, FreshBooks and Zoho Books. Oracle NetSuite, Sage Intacct and Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central are in early access.

Start free trial Book a walkthrough

Frequently asked questions

What is a vendor onboarding form?

A vendor onboarding form, also called a new vendor setup form or vendor information form, collects everything you need before you can pay a new supplier: legal name and entity type, tax documents, contacts, remit-to address, bank details and payment terms, plus an internal section for approval and verification.

What documents are required for vendor onboarding?

For US vendors, a signed Form W-9. Foreign vendors give Form W-8BEN (individuals) or W-8BEN-E (entities) instead. Add a certificate of insurance for anyone working on your premises, a business license where your industry requires one, and a voided check or bank letter if you verify bank details that way.

What is the vendor onboarding process?

Request, collect, verify, approve, set up. Someone requests the vendor with a business reason, the vendor completes the form and W-9, AP checks for duplicates and verifies the tax ID and bank details, an approver signs off, and a different person creates the vendor record. Separating approval from setup is the key control.

What is a new vendor request form?

A new vendor request form is the internal half of onboarding: an employee asks for a supplier to be added and explains why, what it will supply and the expected spend. Section 6 of this template is the request and approval block; sections 1 to 5 go to the vendor.

Do I need an LLC to be a vendor?

No. Sole proprietors and individuals can be vendors. They complete a W-9 with their own name and either a Social Security number or an EIN. Sole proprietors and single-member LLCs are usually 1099 vendors, so collecting their W-9 matters more, not less.

How do you verify a new vendor's bank details?

Call the vendor on a phone number you got independently, such as from the signed contract or their public website, and confirm the routing and account number. Never use a number from the same email that sent the bank details. Repeat the check for every later change to bank details, because changed bank details are a common payment fraud.

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