How-To Guide
Some of VendFrend's most useful features aren't obvious at first glance. Here's how to find and use them.
On the Shows page, the colored status badge in the corner of every show card is tappable — it's not just a label. Tap it to cycle the show forward through its lifecycle: Interested → Applied → Accepted → Confirmed → Completed, then back to Interested.
Tapping anywhere else on the card opens the show's full detail page. Only the badge itself advances the status, so you won't change it by accident.
When you mark a show Completed, a reminder pops up offering to take you straight into a public Community Review for that show.
Where to find it: Shows page · each show card
In Studio, tap "Bulk Edit" to enter selection mode. Tap any product card to select it, or use "Select all visible" to grab everything in your current view. A sticky bar shows how many you've selected.
Tap "Edit Selected" to open the bulk-edit panel. Tick only the fields you want to change — price, cost per unit, reorder point, or quantity on hand — and enter one value for each. Every selected item gets that value.
Fields you leave unticked are left completely untouched, so you can update just the price across fifty items without disturbing their stock counts. Materials have the same flow for cost per unit and reorder point.
Where to find it: Studio · Products tab
Community Reviews are public, verified vendor experiences — so they're tied to a real show in your account, not free text. You can only review a show marked Completed or Cancelled in your Shows list, and you pick it from a dropdown.
Each review needs an Overall rating, your overall sales outcome (Deficit, Made Back Booth Fee, or Profitable) — or, for a cancelled show, how your booth fee was handled. You also describe what you sold (a short product type, 2–100 characters) and pick at least one factor that influenced your results.
The first time you publish, you'll acknowledge that reviews are public and reflect your genuine experience. No exact sales, revenue, booth fee, or expense numbers are ever shared — only your opinions and ratings.
Where to find it: Community page · Write a Review
VendFrend has two kinds of reviews, and they do different things. The Post-Show Review on a show's detail page is private — it's just your own ratings and notes, and it stays in your account.
A Community Review is the public one that helps fellow vendors decide whether a show is worth booking. It's verified against your completed show, appears on the Community page, and is what the completed-show reminder points you toward.
Fill in the private review anytime for your own tracking, and separately publish a Community Review when you're ready to share with others.
Where to find it: Show detail · Community page
During or after a show, turn on "Quick Sell" in Studio to reveal a Sell button on every product card — tap it to deduct units from quantity on hand without opening the full edit form.
Tap "Scan" to open a scanner that adjusts quantities by scanning product barcodes, handy for fast counts at the booth or back in the studio.
Both are quick ways to keep inventory honest without the full reconciliation flow; use the Reconcile tab for a formal physical count with shrinkage tracking.
Where to find it: Studio · Products tab
Any show with a booth fee shows "Owed" or "Paid" right on its card, so you can see at a glance what's still outstanding. The status is independent of the show's lifecycle — a show can be Confirmed with the fee Owed, or Completed with it Paid.
Toggle the fee between Owed and Paid in the show's overview so your dashboard totals reflect what's actually been paid. This keeps your season's booth-fee spend accurate even before a show is finished.
Where to find it: Shows · show card & overview
Customization Tips
VendFrend bends to fit how you work. Here's everything you can tailor to your craft — all found under the gear icon (Settings).
Pick a theme that matches your vibe
Settings · Appearance
Eight built-in themes change the whole app's colors — Studio Standard (default), Outdoor Market, Night Market, Expo Hall, Artist Alley, Convention Center, Halloween, and Holiday Show. Three are dark, great for low-light markets and evening setups.
Hide features you don't use
Settings · General
Toggle Studio (Inventory & Supplies), COGS Summary, and Profitability off to declutter your navigation. Everything stays in your account — turning a feature back on restores it instantly.
Turn optional modules on or off
Settings · Modules
Batch Production and Build Schedules are on by default; Booth & Marketing Expenses is off. Disabling a module hides it from navigation but preserves all your data, so you can try them out without commitment.
Make the app work for you
Settings · Accessibility
Eight options, all saved to your account across devices: Reduced Motion, High Contrast, Larger Text, Dyslexia-Friendly Font, Enhanced Focus, Screen Reader Optimization, Touch Accessibility (bigger tap targets), and Accessible Charts (data tables alongside charts).
Use "other" for your own categories & units
Products · Supplies · Expenses
If the built-in product categories, supply units, or expense types don't fit your craft, pick "other" when adding a record to enter your own. VendFrend adapts to what you make — nothing forces a fixed list.
Set your timezone
Settings · General
Choose your timezone so show dates, application deadlines, and dashboard date ranges line up with your local calendar.