Target Partners Online: A Complete Guide for Suppliers

Target Partners Online is the portal Target provides to support its vendors and suppliers.

It serves as a central hub for managing purchase orders, invoices, deductions, and performance reporting.

By streamlining these processes, the platform makes collaboration easier and helps strengthen partnerships across Target’s supply chain.

What is Target Partners Online?

It is Target’s supplier ecosystem, a homebase for vendors to access apps, reports, and documentation essential for their operations with Target. Key tools such as Synergy for disputing chargebacks, Greenfield for business intelligence, and apps for managing accounts payable, performance metrics, and purchase orders are all housed here.

Some key pain points the portal addresses include:

• Deduction Management: Deductions can erode profit margins if not managed well. Target Partners Online offers tools to dispute these deductions, streamlining the process.
  
  
• Order and Inventory Tracking: Ensuring that inventory levels and orders are correctly tracked and reported.
  
  
• Shipping and Logistics: Managing the movement of goods through the supply chain to ensure on-time delivery.

Top Apps on Target Partners Online

1. Vendor Management and Maintenance (VMM)

   • Purpose: Vendor account setup and maintenance
     
     
   • Description: VMM is the tool for creating and maintaining vendor profiles. Keeping account information up to date ensures seamless integration with Target systems and minimizes disruptions.
     
     
   • Example: If a vendor updates contact information or banking details, VMM is the place to make those changes, helping avoid payment delays.
     
     

2. Purchase Orders (PO)

   • Purpose: Order management and tracking
     
     
   • Description: The PO app allows vendors to view new and existing orders, confirm shipments, and track delivery progress. Staying on top of orders is critical for maintaining supply chain efficiency.
     
     
   • Example: When a vendor receives a large order, the PO app provides visibility from confirmation to shipment tracking, ensuring everything arrives on time.
     
     

3. Accounts Receivable Deduction Dashboard (ARDD)

   • Purpose: Financial tracking and deduction insights
     
     
   • Description: ARDD gives vendors a comprehensive view of deduction activity and payments received. It provides valuable insights into financial trends, helping improve cash flow management.
     
     
   • Example: By reviewing monthly deductions in ARDD, a vendor may spot recurring chargebacks for late deliveries and take steps to address the root cause.
     
     

4. Synergy (Vendor Dispute)

   • Purpose: Deduction management
     
     
   • Description: Synergy simplifies deduction management by giving vendors a structured way to review, dispute, and track target deductions related to trade agreements, shipments, or promotions. 
     
     
   • Example: If a shipping-related deduction appears, a vendor can use Synergy to review the details, gather documentation, and submit a dispute directly for faster resolution.
     
     
   • Integration with iNymbus: Vendors can enhance this process with iNymbus automation, which connects to Synergy to automatically dispute deductions and reduce manual work.
     
     
   
   
   

5. ShipIQ

   • Purpose: Shipping and logistics tracking
     
     
   • Description: ShipIQ provides real-time visibility into shipments, returns, and logistics. With accurate tracking, vendors can proactively manage supply chain challenges.
     
     
   • Example: A vendor shipping time-sensitive goods can use ShipIQ to confirm delivery to Target distribution centers and quickly address any transit issues.
     
     

6. Promotions Management

   • Purpose: Set up and manage promotions
     
     
   • Description: This app enables vendors to create, track, and monitor promotional campaigns within Target’s system, helping drive sales while ensuring compliance.
     
     
   • Example: A CPG brand running a holiday discount can use the Promotions Management app to set up the offer, track performance, and measure results.

List of all the apps on Target Partner’s Online

1. Accounts Receivable and Financial Management

• Accounts Receivable Deduction Dashboard (ARDD) - Manages vendor deductions.
  
  
• Accounts Receivable Invoice Dashboard (ARID) - Invoices management for vendors.
  
  
• Synergy – Vendor Dispute (SVD) - Manages financial disputes and claims.
  
  
• Target Vendor Income (TVI) - Vendor income contract management.
  
  
• Target Vendor Income Reports (TVIR) - Vendor income agreement reports.
  
  
• Supplier Business Planning (SBP) - Financial planning for Target and vendors.
  
  
• Joint Business Planning Reports (JBPR) - YTD performance and planning reports for vendors.
  
  
• Supplier Performance Management Dashboard (SPMD) - Shipping reliability and compliance reports.
  
  
• Risk Management (RM) - Vendor assessments by Risk and Compliance teams.

2. Order and Inventory Management

• Purchase Orders (PO) - Legacy purchase order information.
  
  
• Purchase Order Planning (POP) - Forecast reports for modern purchase orders.
  
  
• On Shelf Availability (OSA) - Provides On Shelf Availability insights.
  
  
• Item Cost Management (ICM) - Item cost management and collaboration tool.
  
  
• ItemHub (IH) - Central platform for end-to-end item information.
  
  
• Item Management (IMN) - Item data management paired with LaunchPad.
  
  
• Vendor IQ Dashboard (VIQ) - Customizable sales and inventory reporting.
  
  
• Vendor Management and Maintenance (VMM) - Manages vendor profiles on Partners Online.
  
  
• Spark (SPK) - Manages raw materials and product development.
  
  
• Allocation (ALLOC) - Allocation system data for vendors.

3. Product Development and Quality Assurance

• Factory Quality Index (FQI) - Monitors quality metrics from factories.
  
  
• Product Costing and Negotiations (PCN) - Costing and negotiations data
  exchange.
  
  
• Visual Defect Reporting (VDR) - Monitors defects in products.
  
  
• Factorial (FACT) - Links TCIN with factory data across item lifecycle.
  
  
• Tile - Automated Digital Assortments (TILE) - Automates digital assortment creation.
  
  
• Carbon Target Dashboard (CTD) - Tracks carbon footprint compliance.
  
  
• Target Packaging Program (TPP) - Packaging guidelines and resources for vendors.

4. Vendor Collaboration and Training

• CoVendor Partners System (COLAB) - Collaborative tools for Target vendors.
  
  
• Vendor Training Hub (VTH) - Training for Target vendors.
  
  
• Collaborator - R2Net (CLBR) - Vendor collaboration platform for Diamond Nexus.

5. Shipping and Logistics Management

• Advanced Shipping Notification (ASN) - Shipment tracking for Target’s network.
  
  
• Direct Store Delivery Performance (DSDP) - Metrics for Direct Store Delivery vendors.
  
  
• ShipIQ (SIQ) - Manages outbound shipments.
  
  
• Vendor Ready To Ship (VRS) - Shipment prep tool, best with IE8.
  
  
• Empty Trailers Report (ETR) - Trailer availability tracking at Target facilities.

6. Marketing, Promotions, and Compliance

• Vendor Offer Portal (VOP) - Submission platform for promotional offers.
  
  
• Roundel Kiosk (RIK) - Campaign performance data for Roundel clients.
  
  
• Roundel Media Studio (RMS) - Advertising performance tracking.
  
  
• In-Store Marketing System/RUBIX (ISMS) - Manages in-store marketing signage.
  
  
• Target Packaging Program (TPP) - Packaging guidelines and resources for vendors.

7. Data Management and Reporting

• Gallery - Virtual Assets Management (GAL) - Manages and shares 3D models of products.
  
  
• Item Taxonomy (TAXO) - Reports on item taxonomy and Merch Type Attributes.
  
  
• Responsible Sourcing Self-Assessment Dashboard (RSSD) - Responsible sourcing compliance results.
  
  
• Brand Cost of Goods Sold (BCOGS) - Performance tracking for Target’s Owned Brands.

8. Store and Distribution Support

• Store & DC Addresses (SDC) - Store and distribution center addresses.
  
  
• Adjacency Execution Guide (ADJ) - Floor plan guides for in-store displays.
  
  
• Unsaleables & Guest Returns (UNS) - Tracks guest returns and unsaleable items.
  
  
• Pegasus Sample Management Application (PEG) - Manages samples for marketing photography.

9. Retailer-Specific Tools

• LaunchPad (LP) - Item setup and data maintenance tool.
  
  
• Supplier Negotiation Platform (SNP) - Negotiation tool for National Brand vendors.
  
  
• Gallery - Virtual Assets Management (GAL) - Manages and shares 3D models of products.
  
  
• Gargantua External (GGAX) - CGI 3D asset workflow management.

Integrating Partners Online Apps with Other Tools

For maximum efficiency, many vendors connect Target Partners Online with external platforms, improving data flow and simplifying day-to-day operations. These integrations help suppliers save time, reduce manual work, and unlock deeper insights.

• Data Analysis Integrations: Suppliers often pair Partners Online with third-party analytics tools to get a clearer picture of performance. This allows vendors to move beyond raw data and generate actionable insights, such as identifying product sell-through rates or spotting trends that guide better business decisions.
  
  
• Deduction Automation with iNymbus: The iNymbus integrates directly with Synergy, automating deduction disputes from start to finish. This saves vendors significant time, reduces the risk of errors, and ensures faster resolution. By removing the burden of constant manual processing, vendor teams can shift their focus to more strategic, revenue-driving activities.

Best Practices for Using Target Partners Online

Using Target Partners Online effectively can make a significant difference in how you manage and streamline processes with Target. Here are some best practices:

1. Set up a Deduction Management Workflow

   • Use Synergy with iNymbus to establish an active deduction management process. This approach will minimize losses from invalid deductions and enhance your cash flow.
     
     

2. Stay Organized with Purchase Orders

   • Ensure that your team regularly checks the PO app to manage orders and shipments. This keeps everyone aligned and ensures orders are processed on time.
     
     

3. Leverage Insights from ARDD

   • Use the ARDD app to monitor deduction trends and gain financial insights. Regularly reviewing this data can help you identify areas where deductions are frequently incurred, allowing you to address root causes.

Resources For Suppliers/ Vendors

• List of all the apps on Target Partner’s Online (At the end of the article)
• List of all the Target Deduction Codes
• eBook on Target Deduction