---
created: 2026-04-10T09:23:46.394Z
title: Add manufacturer entity with brand details
area: database
files:
  - src/db/schema.ts
  - src/server/services/global-item.service.ts
---

## Problem

The manual item adding form doesn't include detailed manufacturer info. Currently `brand` is just a text field on items and globalItems. There's no structured manufacturer data (logo, website, country, description). Users can't select from existing manufacturers — they type freeform text which leads to inconsistencies ("Ortlieb" vs "ORTLIEB" vs "ortlieb").

## Solution

Create a `manufacturers` table with fields: `id`, `name` (unique), `logoUrl`, `websiteUrl`, `country`, `description`, `createdAt`. Add a `manufacturerId` FK on `globalItems` (and potentially `items`). Build a manufacturer picker component (like CategoryPicker) with search and inline create. Update the manual add form and catalog enrichment to use the manufacturer entity. This is a significant feature — likely needs its own phase.

Note: This would also improve the MCP agent seeding workflow — agents could create manufacturers first, then reference them when creating catalog items.