Define working with external vendors

Frequently, a large company sets up various departments as "internal vendors", which your department may buy services from. For instance, if you're preparing a presentation and you need 20 brochures printed and bound, your department may have to "buy" them from the company's print ship.

External vendors are separate companies that have no direct connection with your company.

Working with external vendors, then, is the same as working with any outside source.