How do vendor lead times work in EBMS ERP, and why do they matter?

In EBMS ERP by Koble (formerly Eagle Business Software), each vendor's Lead Time sits on the vendor's Terms tab, and an item can override it with Lead Days on its Purchasing tab. EBMS uses these to set the ETA Date on purchase orders. They matter for purchasing because your minimum has to cover what you sell while an order is on its way.

Where are lead times stored in EBMS?

EBMS keeps lead time in two places: a vendor-wide value on the vendor record and an optional item-specific value on the product record. Purchase orders can also carry their own dates.

• Vendor Lead Time. Open Expenses > Vendors, pick the vendor, and go to the Terms tab. Enter the average number of days from order to delivery in the Lead Time field.
• Item Lead Days. On the product record's Purchasing tab. Use it when a group of products ships on a different schedule from the rest of that vendor's line.
• Vendor defaults. Expenses > Options > Vendor Categories, select the vendor folder, click Edit Defaults, then the Terms tab. Defaults fill in only for vendors created afterwards, not existing ones.
• Purchase order dates. Each PO has an ETA tab with an Order ETA date and the Vendor Lead Days copied from the vendor, and each detail line has its own ETA Date.

How does EBMS calculate the ETA Date on a purchase order?

EBMS picks the most specific date it has. A manual ETA on a PO line wins, then the item's Lead Days, then the vendor's Lead Days. Changing the PO's Order ETA date opens a dialog that can reset selected lines to that date.

Set the vendor Lead Time for everyone, and add item Lead Days only for exceptions.

ETA dates are counted from the PO's Ordered Date. To have EBMS fill Ordered Date automatically, go to Expenses > Options, Invoices and P.O.s tab, and turn on "Default invoice ordered date to entry date". When a vendor confirms a new date, change the Order ETA date or use Process > Recalculate All ETA Dates on the PO to set or shift selected lines. ETA dates also show on linked sales orders, which helps your sales team answer "when will it be here".

Why do lead times matter for reordering?

Lead time is the gap you have to bridge with stock. If an item sells 30 a month and takes six weeks to arrive, you need about 45 on hand or on order when you reorder, plus a buffer, or you run out before the truck shows up.

This is where many EBMS setups go wrong. The ETA Date tells you when stock will arrive, but the purchasing page's Default Orders works from each item's Minimum and Maximum. So lead time protects you only if it is built into those levels.

• If you use Inventory > Utilities > Calculate Stock Level Settings, choose a "number of months supply" that covers the vendor's lead time plus a safety margin. A one-month supply for a vendor with a six-week lead time will run short.
• If you use the Advanced Inventory Management module, its Months Supply value plays the same role for predicted sales.
• Recalculate levels when a vendor's lead time changes, not just when sales change.

Our guide on how to set reorder points in EBMS walks through both tools.

What are the best practices for EBMS lead times?

Use real delivery times, keep them current, and fill the gaps. A blank or optimistic lead time quietly causes stockouts.

1. Measure, do not guess. Compare the Ordered Date on recent POs with when the goods were received. Use the typical time, not the best case.
2. Fill every vendor. Set Lead Time on the Terms tab for every vendor you stock from, and set it in Vendor Categories defaults so new vendors start with a value.
3. Use item Lead Days for exceptions. Imported items, special builds or a slow product line from a fast vendor.
4. Review quarterly. Vendor performance changes. Update the vendor record, then recalculate stock levels for that vendor's items.
5. Keep PO dates honest. When a vendor pushes a delivery, update the ETA so your team and customers see the real date.

A Primary Vendor on each item's Purchasing tab matters as much as the lead time, because it decides which vendor's PO the item lands on. See creating purchase orders by vendor.

How does ReorderOwl use lead times?

ReorderOwl, a purchasing agent for EBMS ERP, puts lead time directly into every order quantity instead of relying on a min/max set months ago.

For each item, it forecasts demand over the lead time plus your safety-stock days, adds the EBMS Minimum if you turn Minimums on, and rounds up to the order increment. It then subtracts what you have and what is already on order. Lead time is chosen in this order:

1. A one-time override you give for this run
2. Your rule for that vendor and warehouse
3. Your rule for that vendor
4. The vendor lead time stored in EBMS

It uses the vendor's lead time from EBMS. For an item that ships on a different schedule, give a one-time override when you run it. Vendor and warehouse rules are saved on the ReorderOwl side, so they do not change your EBMS records. If a vendor has no lead time, the Excel workbook leaves that item's Lead Time cell blank and marks it red, so the gap is easy to spot and fix. Safety stock is set in days of cover, 60 days by company default, with per-vendor rules if you need them.

Buyers ask in Slack or ChatGPT, review the workbook, and confirm. The POs are saved in EBMS, and nothing goes to a vendor until someone on your team sends it. See ReorderOwl for EBMS or the guide to automating EBMS purchasing.

Frequently asked questions

Where do I enter a vendor's lead time in EBMS?

Open Expenses > Vendors, select the vendor, and enter the days in the Lead Time field on the Terms tab.

Does item Lead Days override the vendor Lead Time?

Yes. Lead Days on the product record's Purchasing tab overrides the vendor's value. Only a manual ETA on the PO line overrides the item's Lead Days.

Do vendor defaults update existing vendors?

No. Defaults set under Expenses > Options > Vendor Categories apply to vendors created afterwards. Update existing vendors one by one on their Terms tab.

Does the EBMS purchasing page use lead time to suggest orders?

Default Orders works from each item's Minimum and Maximum. Build lead time into those levels by choosing a months-of-supply value that covers it when you calculate stock levels.

How can I update ETA dates on a whole PO?

Change the Order ETA date on the PO's ETA tab, or use Process > Recalculate All ETA Dates to set selected lines to a date or shift them by a number of days.

Sources

1. Estimated Time of Arrival (ETA) Date, Koble Systems, accessed 2026-10-01
2. Changing Vendor Information, Koble Systems, accessed 2026-10-01
3. Setting Vendor Defaults, Koble Systems, accessed 2026-10-01
4. Inventory Purchasing Page, Koble Systems, accessed 2026-10-01
5. Creating Purchasing Parameters, Koble Systems, accessed 2026-10-01
6. Stock Level Settings, Koble Systems, accessed 2026-10-01
7. Inventory Forecasting Management, Koble Systems, accessed 2026-10-01