# Vendor Management Vendor Management allows organizations to track, assess, and monitor third-party vendors that interact with their business. This feature helps security teams maintain visibility into vendor risk by centralizing vendor records, security documentation, assessments, and external security events in a single location. It is designed to support both operational vendor tracking and compliance-driven vendor risk management processes.

Who can use this feature?

	All Account Owners and Security Admins
	Any End Users assigned as an owner to one or more vendors
	Available on the Free, Core and Business plans

## Key Features Monitor vendor-related security incidents and breaches using external data sources. Store and manage vendor documents such as NDAs, compliance reports, and certifications. Evaluate vendor security using manual reviews, attestations, or questionnaires. Assign data types to vendors to determine risk level and required controls. ## Vendor Assessment Methods WatchDog supports three different approaches to evaluating vendor security: Security teams answer structured questions based on publicly available vendor information. Organizations review vendor-provided compliance reports such as SOC 2 or ISO 27001. Vendors complete a questionnaire that is reviewed and stored within the platform. Each method provides flexibility depending on vendor maturity and available documentation. --- ## Vendor Data & Risk Classification Vendors are classified based on the type of data they access or process. Data types range from low-risk (public data) to high-risk (financial data, PHI, SPII). This classification helps determine: - Required security controls - Assessment depth - Ongoing monitoring requirements Selecting accurate data types is critical for proper risk evaluation. --- ## Vendor Lifecycle Vendor Management supports the full vendor lifecycle: - Vendor onboarding and creation - Risk classification and ownership assignment - Security documentation collection - Security assessment and review - Continuous monitoring through security events - Ongoing updates and document management This ensures vendors remain compliant and secure over time. --- ## Troubleshooting If a vendor cannot be added: - Ensure you have the **Account Owner** or **Security Admin** role - Verify all required fields such as **Name**, **Owner**, and **Accessed Data Types** are completed - For custom vendors, ensure a valid **Website** is provided If documents fail to upload: - Ensure the file type is allowed (executables and unsafe files are blocked) - Confirm required fields like **Document Type** are selected - Try re-uploading the file if the upload was interrupted If no security events appear: - Ensure the vendor has a valid **Website URL** configured - Some vendors may not have recent or publicly reported incidents - Events depend on external data sources and availability If you cannot complete an assessment: - Ensure you have access to the vendor record - Verify required documents or inputs are available - For questionnaires, ensure the vendor has returned the completed file