diff --git a/tailbone/forms/widgets.py b/tailbone/forms/widgets.py
index ad9d9c31..3dac0a6a 100644
--- a/tailbone/forms/widgets.py
+++ b/tailbone/forms/widgets.py
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 ################################################################################
 #
 #  Rattail -- Retail Software Framework
-#  Copyright © 2010-2021 Lance Edgar
+#  Copyright © 2010-2022 Lance Edgar
 #
 #  This file is part of Rattail.
 #
@@ -247,6 +247,7 @@ class JQueryAutocompleteWidget(dfwidget.AutocompleteInputWidget):
     template = 'autocomplete_jquery'
     requirements = None
     field_display = ""
+    assigned_label = None
     service_url = None
     cleared_callback = None
     selected_callback = None
@@ -275,6 +276,7 @@ class JQueryAutocompleteWidget(dfwidget.AutocompleteInputWidget):
         kw['options'] = json.dumps(options)
         kw['field_display'] = self.field_display
         kw['cleared_callback'] = self.cleared_callback
+        kw['assigned_label'] = self.assigned_label
         kw.setdefault('selected_callback', self.selected_callback)
         tmpl_values = self.get_template_values(field, cstruct, kw)
         template = readonly and self.readonly_template or self.template
diff --git a/tailbone/static/js/tailbone.buefy.autocomplete.js b/tailbone/static/js/tailbone.buefy.autocomplete.js
index 53c41b40..ce0aece9 100644
--- a/tailbone/static/js/tailbone.buefy.autocomplete.js
+++ b/tailbone/static/js/tailbone.buefy.autocomplete.js
@@ -95,6 +95,22 @@ const TailboneAutocomplete = {
         }
     },
 
+    watch: {
+        // TODO: yikes this feels hacky.  what happens is, when the
+        // caller explicitly assigns a new UUID value to the tailbone
+        // autocomplate component, the underlying buefy autocomplete
+        // component was not getting the new value.  so here we are
+        // explicitly making sure it is in sync.  this issue was
+        // discovered on the "new vendor catalog batch" page
+        value(val) {
+            this.$nextTick(() => {
+                if (this.buefyValue != val) {
+                    this.buefyValue = val
+                }
+            })
+        },
+    },
+
     methods: {
 
         // fetch new search results from the server.  this is invoked
diff --git a/tailbone/templates/autocomplete.mako b/tailbone/templates/autocomplete.mako
index 7961d07c..8c84aedd 100644
--- a/tailbone/templates/autocomplete.mako
+++ b/tailbone/templates/autocomplete.mako
@@ -64,7 +64,7 @@
 
       <b-autocomplete ref="autocomplete"
                       :name="name"
-                      v-show="!assignedValue && !selected"
+                      v-show="!value && !selected"
                       v-model="buefyValue"
                       :placeholder="placeholder"
                       :data="data"
@@ -76,7 +76,7 @@
         </template>
       </b-autocomplete>
 
-      <b-button v-if="assignedValue || selected"
+      <b-button v-if="value || selected"
                 style="width: 100%; justify-content: left;"
                 @click="clearSelection(true)">
         {{ getDisplayText() }} (click to change)
diff --git a/tailbone/templates/batch/vendorcatalog/create.mako b/tailbone/templates/batch/vendorcatalog/create.mako
index 87d65c54..78b5b17d 100644
--- a/tailbone/templates/batch/vendorcatalog/create.mako
+++ b/tailbone/templates/batch/vendorcatalog/create.mako
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@
 
 <%def name="extra_javascript()">
   ${parent.extra_javascript()}
+  % if not use_buefy:
   <script type="text/javascript">
 
     var vendormap = {
@@ -50,6 +51,29 @@
 
     });
   </script>
+  % endif
 </%def>
 
+<%def name="modify_this_page_vars()">
+  ${parent.modify_this_page_vars()}
+  <script type="text/javascript">
+
+    ${form.component_studly}Data.parsers = ${json.dumps(parsers_data)|n}
+
+    ${form.component_studly}Data.vendorName = null
+
+    ${form.component_studly}.watch.field_model_parser_key = function(val) {
+        let parser = this.parsers[val]
+        if (parser.vendor_uuid) {
+            if (this.field_model_vendor_uuid != parser.vendor_uuid) {
+                this.field_model_vendor_uuid = parser.vendor_uuid
+                this.vendorName = parser.vendor_name
+            }
+        }
+    }
+
+  </script>
+</%def>
+
+
 ${parent.body()}
diff --git a/tailbone/templates/deform/autocomplete_jquery.pt b/tailbone/templates/deform/autocomplete_jquery.pt
index 1533cc2b..6e1a1e61 100644
--- a/tailbone/templates/deform/autocomplete_jquery.pt
+++ b/tailbone/templates/deform/autocomplete_jquery.pt
@@ -110,7 +110,8 @@
     <tailbone-autocomplete name="${name}"
                            service-url="${url}"
                            v-model="${vmodel}"
-                           initial-label="${field_display}">
+                           initial-label="${field_display}"
+                           tal:attributes=":assigned-label assigned_label or 'null';">
     </tailbone-autocomplete>
   </div>
 
diff --git a/tailbone/templates/forms/deform_buefy.mako b/tailbone/templates/forms/deform_buefy.mako
index 17ccf7d1..a26c946a 100644
--- a/tailbone/templates/forms/deform_buefy.mako
+++ b/tailbone/templates/forms/deform_buefy.mako
@@ -76,6 +76,8 @@
       template: '#${form.component}-template',
       components: {},
       props: {},
+      watch: {},
+      computed: {},
       methods: {
 
           ## TODO: deprecate / remove the latter option here
diff --git a/tailbone/templates/vendors/configure.mako b/tailbone/templates/vendors/configure.mako
index 0bcb4a9e..121617b2 100644
--- a/tailbone/templates/vendors/configure.mako
+++ b/tailbone/templates/vendors/configure.mako
@@ -6,11 +6,11 @@
   <h3 class="block is-size-3">Display</h3>
   <div class="block" style="padding-left: 2rem;">
 
-    <b-field message="If not set, vendor chooser is a dropdown field.">
-      <b-checkbox name="rattail.vendor.use_autocomplete"
-                  v-model="simpleSettings['rattail.vendor.use_autocomplete']"
+    <b-field message="If not set, vendor chooser is an autocomplete field.">
+      <b-checkbox name="rattail.vendors.choice_uses_dropdown"
+                  v-model="simpleSettings['rattail.vendors.choice_uses_dropdown']"
                   @input="settingsNeedSaved = true">
-        Show vendor chooser as autocomplete field
+        Show vendor chooser as dropdown (select) element
       </b-checkbox>
     </b-field>
 
diff --git a/tailbone/views/batch/vendorcatalog.py b/tailbone/views/batch/vendorcatalog.py
index 3668500a..dfd03ac9 100644
--- a/tailbone/views/batch/vendorcatalog.py
+++ b/tailbone/views/batch/vendorcatalog.py
@@ -30,15 +30,13 @@ import logging
 
 import six
 
-from rattail.db import model, api
-from rattail.vendors.catalogs import iter_catalog_parsers
+from rattail.db import model
 
 import colander
 from deform import widget as dfwidget
 from webhelpers2.html import tags
 
 from tailbone import forms
-from tailbone.db import Session
 from tailbone.views.batch import FileBatchMasterView
 from tailbone.diffs import Diff
 
@@ -139,13 +137,9 @@ class VendorCatalogView(FileBatchMasterView):
 
     def get_parsers(self):
         if not hasattr(self, 'parsers'):
-            parsers = sorted(iter_catalog_parsers(), key=lambda p: p.display)
-            supported = self.rattail_config.getlist(
-                'tailbone', 'batch.vendorcatalog.supported_parsers')
-            if supported:
-                parsers = [parser for parser in parsers
-                           if parser.key in supported]
-            self.parsers = parsers
+            app = self.get_rattail_app()
+            vendor_handler = app.get_vendor_handler()
+            self.parsers = vendor_handler.get_supported_catalog_parsers()
         return self.parsers
 
     def configure_grid(self, g):
@@ -160,24 +154,8 @@ class VendorCatalogView(FileBatchMasterView):
 
     def configure_form(self, f):
         super(VendorCatalogView, self).configure_form(f)
-
-        # vendor
-        f.set_renderer('vendor', self.render_vendor)
-        if self.creating and 'vendor' in f:
-            f.replace('vendor', 'vendor_uuid')
-            f.set_node('vendor_uuid', colander.String())
-            vendor_display = ""
-            if self.request.method == 'POST':
-                if self.request.POST.get('vendor_uuid'):
-                    vendor = self.Session.query(model.Vendor).get(self.request.POST['vendor_uuid'])
-                    if vendor:
-                        vendor_display = six.text_type(vendor)
-            vendors_url = self.request.route_url('vendors.autocomplete')
-            f.set_widget('vendor_uuid', forms.widgets.JQueryAutocompleteWidget(
-                field_display=vendor_display, service_url=vendors_url))
-            f.set_label('vendor_uuid', "Vendor")
-        else:
-            f.set_readonly('vendor')
+        app = self.get_rattail_app()
+        vendor_handler = app.get_vendor_handler()
 
         # filename
         f.set_label('filename', "Catalog File")
@@ -196,12 +174,75 @@ class VendorCatalogView(FileBatchMasterView):
             f.set_widget('parser_key', dfwidget.SelectWidget(values=values))
             f.set_label('parser_key', "File Type")
 
+        # vendor
+        f.set_renderer('vendor', self.render_vendor)
+        if self.creating and 'vendor' in f:
+            f.replace('vendor', 'vendor_uuid')
+            f.set_label('vendor_uuid', "Vendor")
+            use_dropdown = vendor_handler.choice_uses_dropdown()
+            if use_dropdown:
+                vendors = self.Session.query(model.Vendor)\
+                                      .order_by(model.Vendor.id)
+                vendor_values = [(vendor.uuid, "({}) {}".format(vendor.id,
+                                                                vendor.name))
+                                 for vendor in vendors]
+                f.set_widget('vendor_uuid',
+                             dfwidget.SelectWidget(values=vendor_values))
+            else:
+                vendor_display = ""
+                if self.request.method == 'POST':
+                    if self.request.POST.get('vendor_uuid'):
+                        vendor = self.Session.query(model.Vendor).get(
+                            self.request.POST['vendor_uuid'])
+                        if vendor:
+                            vendor_display = six.text_type(vendor)
+                vendors_url = self.request.route_url('vendors.autocomplete')
+                f.set_widget('vendor_uuid', forms.widgets.JQueryAutocompleteWidget(
+                    field_display=vendor_display, service_url=vendors_url,
+                    assigned_label='vendorName'))
+        else:
+            f.set_readonly('vendor')
+
         # effective
         if self.creating:
             f.remove('effective')
         else:
             f.set_readonly('effective')
 
+    def template_kwargs_create(self, **kwargs):
+        use_buefy = self.get_use_buefy()
+        app = self.get_rattail_app()
+        vendor_handler = app.get_vendor_handler()
+        parsers = self.get_parsers()
+        parsers_data = {}
+        for parser in parsers:
+            if use_buefy:
+                pdata = {'key': parser.key,
+                         'vendor_key': parser.vendor_key}
+                if parser.vendor_key:
+                    vendor = vendor_handler.get_vendor(self.Session(),
+                                                       parser.vendor_key)
+                    if vendor:
+                        pdata['vendor_uuid'] = vendor.uuid
+                        pdata['vendor_name'] = vendor.name
+                parsers_data[parser.key] = pdata
+            else:
+                if parser.vendor_key:
+                    vendor = vendor_handler.get_vendor(self.Session(),
+                                                       parser.vendor_key)
+                    if vendor:
+                        parser.vendormap_value = "{{uuid: '{}', name: '{}'}}".format(
+                            vendor.uuid, vendor.name.replace("'", "\\'"))
+                    else:
+                        log.warning("vendor '{}' not found for parser: {}".format(
+                            parser.vendor_key, parser.key))
+                        parser.vendormap_value = 'null'
+                else:
+                    parser.vendormap_value = 'null'
+        kwargs['parsers'] = parsers
+        kwargs['parsers_data'] = parsers_data
+        return kwargs
+
     def get_batch_kwargs(self, batch):
         kwargs = super(VendorCatalogView, self).get_batch_kwargs(batch)
         kwargs['parser_key'] = batch.parser_key
@@ -275,23 +316,6 @@ class VendorCatalogView(FileBatchMasterView):
 
         return kwargs
 
-    def template_kwargs_create(self, **kwargs):
-        parsers = self.get_parsers()
-        for parser in parsers:
-            if parser.vendor_key:
-                vendor = api.get_vendor(Session(), parser.vendor_key)
-                if vendor:
-                    parser.vendormap_value = "{{uuid: '{}', name: '{}'}}".format(
-                        vendor.uuid, vendor.name.replace("'", "\\'"))
-                else:
-                    log.warning("vendor '{}' not found for parser: {}".format(
-                        parser.vendor_key, parser.key))
-                    parser.vendormap_value = 'null'
-            else:
-                parser.vendormap_value = 'null'
-        kwargs['parsers'] = parsers
-        return kwargs
-
 # TODO: deprecate / remove this
 VendorCatalogsView = VendorCatalogView
 
diff --git a/tailbone/views/purchasing/batch.py b/tailbone/views/purchasing/batch.py
index a4dab2aa..8a015838 100644
--- a/tailbone/views/purchasing/batch.py
+++ b/tailbone/views/purchasing/batch.py
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 ################################################################################
 #
 #  Rattail -- Retail Software Framework
-#  Copyright © 2010-2021 Lance Edgar
+#  Copyright © 2010-2022 Lance Edgar
 #
 #  This file is part of Rattail.
 #
@@ -29,7 +29,6 @@ from __future__ import unicode_literals, absolute_import
 import six
 
 from rattail.db import model, api
-from rattail.time import localtime
 
 import colander
 from deform import widget as dfwidget
@@ -230,7 +229,8 @@ class PurchasingBatchView(BatchMasterView):
         super(PurchasingBatchView, self).configure_form(f)
         model = self.model
         batch = f.model_instance
-        today = localtime(self.rattail_config).date()
+        app = self.get_rattail_app()
+        today = app.localtime().date()
         use_buefy = self.get_use_buefy()
 
         # mode
@@ -265,9 +265,15 @@ class PurchasingBatchView(BatchMasterView):
         if self.creating:
             f.replace('vendor', 'vendor_uuid')
             f.set_label('vendor_uuid', "Vendor")
-            use_autocomplete = self.rattail_config.getbool(
-                'rattail', 'vendor.use_autocomplete', default=True)
-            if use_autocomplete:
+            vendor_handler = app.get_vendor_handler()
+            use_dropdown = vendor_handler.choice_uses_dropdown()
+            if use_dropdown:
+                vendors = self.Session.query(model.Vendor)\
+                                      .order_by(model.Vendor.id)
+                vendor_values = [(vendor.uuid, "({}) {}".format(vendor.id, vendor.name))
+                                 for vendor in vendors]
+                f.set_widget('vendor_uuid', dfwidget.SelectWidget(values=vendor_values))
+            else:
                 vendor_display = ""
                 if self.request.method == 'POST':
                     if self.request.POST.get('vendor_uuid'):
@@ -277,12 +283,6 @@ class PurchasingBatchView(BatchMasterView):
                 vendors_url = self.request.route_url('vendors.autocomplete')
                 f.set_widget('vendor_uuid', forms.widgets.JQueryAutocompleteWidget(
                     field_display=vendor_display, service_url=vendors_url))
-            else:
-                vendors = self.Session.query(model.Vendor)\
-                                      .order_by(model.Vendor.id)
-                vendor_values = [(vendor.uuid, "({}) {}".format(vendor.id, vendor.name))
-                                 for vendor in vendors]
-                f.set_widget('vendor_uuid', dfwidget.SelectWidget(values=vendor_values))
         elif self.editing:
             f.set_readonly('vendor')
 
diff --git a/tailbone/views/purchasing/costing.py b/tailbone/views/purchasing/costing.py
index d790fbc1..2f467feb 100644
--- a/tailbone/views/purchasing/costing.py
+++ b/tailbone/views/purchasing/costing.py
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 ################################################################################
 #
 #  Rattail -- Retail Software Framework
-#  Copyright © 2010-2021 Lance Edgar
+#  Copyright © 2010-2022 Lance Edgar
 #
 #  This file is part of Rattail.
 #
@@ -200,9 +200,19 @@ class CostingBatchView(PurchasingBatchView):
             form.set_default('workflow', valid_workflows[0])
 
         # configure vendor field
-        use_autocomplete = self.rattail_config.getbool(
-            'rattail', 'vendor.use_autocomplete', default=True)
-        if use_autocomplete:
+        app = self.get_rattail_app()
+        vendor_handler = app.get_vendor_handler()
+        use_dropdown = vendor_handler.choice_uses_dropdown()
+        if use_dropdown:
+            vendors = self.Session.query(model.Vendor)\
+                                  .order_by(model.Vendor.id)
+            vendor_values = [(vendor.uuid, "({}) {}".format(vendor.id, vendor.name))
+                             for vendor in vendors]
+            if use_buefy:
+                form.set_widget('vendor', dfwidget.SelectWidget(values=vendor_values))
+            else:
+                form.set_widget('vendor', forms.widgets.JQuerySelectWidget(values=vendor_values))
+        else:
             vendor_display = ""
             if self.request.method == 'POST':
                 if self.request.POST.get('vendor'):
@@ -212,15 +222,6 @@ class CostingBatchView(PurchasingBatchView):
             vendors_url = self.request.route_url('vendors.autocomplete')
             form.set_widget('vendor', forms.widgets.JQueryAutocompleteWidget(
                 field_display=vendor_display, service_url=vendors_url))
-        else:
-            vendors = self.Session.query(model.Vendor)\
-                                  .order_by(model.Vendor.id)
-            vendor_values = [(vendor.uuid, "({}) {}".format(vendor.id, vendor.name))
-                             for vendor in vendors]
-            if use_buefy:
-                form.set_widget('vendor', dfwidget.SelectWidget(values=vendor_values))
-            else:
-                form.set_widget('vendor', forms.widgets.JQuerySelectWidget(values=vendor_values))
 
         # configure workflow field
         values = [(workflow['workflow_key'], workflow['display'])
diff --git a/tailbone/views/purchasing/receiving.py b/tailbone/views/purchasing/receiving.py
index 3664cdef..e481db82 100644
--- a/tailbone/views/purchasing/receiving.py
+++ b/tailbone/views/purchasing/receiving.py
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 ################################################################################
 #
 #  Rattail -- Retail Software Framework
-#  Copyright © 2010-2021 Lance Edgar
+#  Copyright © 2010-2022 Lance Edgar
 #
 #  This file is part of Rattail.
 #
@@ -294,9 +294,19 @@ class ReceivingBatchView(PurchasingBatchView):
                           use_buefy=use_buefy)
 
         # configure vendor field
-        use_autocomplete = self.rattail_config.getbool(
-            'rattail', 'vendor.use_autocomplete', default=True)
-        if use_autocomplete:
+        app = self.get_rattail_app()
+        vendor_handler = app.get_vendor_handler()
+        use_dropdown = vendor_handler.choice_uses_dropdown()
+        if use_dropdown:
+            vendors = self.Session.query(model.Vendor)\
+                                  .order_by(model.Vendor.id)
+            vendor_values = [(vendor.uuid, "({}) {}".format(vendor.id, vendor.name))
+                             for vendor in vendors]
+            if use_buefy:
+                form.set_widget('vendor', dfwidget.SelectWidget(values=vendor_values))
+            else:
+                form.set_widget('vendor', forms.widgets.JQuerySelectWidget(values=vendor_values))
+        else:
             vendor_display = ""
             if self.request.method == 'POST':
                 if self.request.POST.get('vendor'):
@@ -306,15 +316,6 @@ class ReceivingBatchView(PurchasingBatchView):
             vendors_url = self.request.route_url('vendors.autocomplete')
             form.set_widget('vendor', forms.widgets.JQueryAutocompleteWidget(
                 field_display=vendor_display, service_url=vendors_url))
-        else:
-            vendors = self.Session.query(model.Vendor)\
-                                  .order_by(model.Vendor.id)
-            vendor_values = [(vendor.uuid, "({}) {}".format(vendor.id, vendor.name))
-                             for vendor in vendors]
-            if use_buefy:
-                form.set_widget('vendor', dfwidget.SelectWidget(values=vendor_values))
-            else:
-                form.set_widget('vendor', forms.widgets.JQuerySelectWidget(values=vendor_values))
 
         # configure workflow field
         values = [(workflow['workflow_key'], workflow['display'])
diff --git a/tailbone/views/vendors/core.py b/tailbone/views/vendors/core.py
index bf73e1b1..36280738 100644
--- a/tailbone/views/vendors/core.py
+++ b/tailbone/views/vendors/core.py
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 ################################################################################
 #
 #  Rattail -- Retail Software Framework
-#  Copyright © 2010-2021 Lance Edgar
+#  Copyright © 2010-2022 Lance Edgar
 #
 #  This file is part of Rattail.
 #
@@ -175,7 +175,7 @@ class VendorView(MasterView):
 
             # display
             {'section': 'rattail',
-             'option': 'vendor.use_autocomplete',
+             'option': 'vendors.choice_uses_dropdown',
              'type': bool},
         ]