Vendors are where an event meets the real world, and where the money and the risk concentrate. Good vendor management is not about being tough in negotiations, it is about leaving no ambiguity: who is delivering what, by when, for how much, and who to call when the truck is late.
Keep every vendor in one list
One record per vendor: company, your contact, what they are providing, the contract amount, the deposit paid, and the status. The instant this lives across email threads and someone's phone, you cannot answer a basic question like "who have we paid and how much is left?" under pressure.
Link vendors to the budget
Every vendor is a budget line, so keep them connected. When a contract amount changes, the budget should reflect it without you re-typing anything. Event70 keeps vendors linked to the event and the budget, so contracted amounts roll into your estimated-versus-actual view automatically.
Capture the day-of details early
The information you need on event day is not the information in the contract. You need the load-in time, the dock or door they use, the on-site contact's mobile, what they need from you (power, tables, parking), and their tear-down time. Collect it weeks ahead while everyone is responsive, not at 7am on the day.
Protect yourself on paper
Get the scope, the price, the cancellation terms and the deposit in writing for anything that matters, and track the deposit so you are not double-paying or forgetting a balance. Keep contracts, contacts and amounts on the event itself. See how Event70 ties vendors to the budget or start free.