Purchase Orders
Streamline supplier orders, manage invoices, and keep your inventory stocked with the purchase order system.
Overview
The Purchase Orders module helps you order inventory from suppliers efficiently. Create orders, track deliveries, match invoices, and maintain supplier relationships all in one place.
Key Features
- Order creation - Build orders from scratch or from suggestions
- Supplier management - Track supplier details and history
- Order tracking - Monitor order status from draft to received
- Goods receiving - Record deliveries and discrepancies
- Invoice matching - Match supplier invoices to orders
- Cost tracking - Monitor purchase costs over time
Creating a Purchase Order
There are several ways to create purchase orders:
From Scratch
Select a supplier, add products and quantities manually. Best for one-off orders or new products.
From Reorder Suggestions
Review AI-generated suggestions based on low stock and sales velocity. One click converts suggestions to orders.
From Previous Order
Duplicate a previous order and adjust quantities. Great for regular restock orders.
Order Workflow
Purchase orders move through these statuses:
- Draft - Order is being prepared
- Pending Approval - Waiting for manager approval (if required)
- Approved - Ready to send to supplier
- Sent - Order has been sent to the supplier
- Partially Received - Some items have arrived
- Received - All items have arrived
- Closed - Order is complete and invoiced
Approval Workflow
Orders above a certain amount may require manager approval before being sent. Configure approval thresholds in Settings.
Receiving Goods
When a delivery arrives, record what was received:
- Open the purchase order
- Click Receive Goods
- Enter quantities received for each item
- Note any discrepancies (damaged, missing, wrong items)
- Confirm to update inventory
Discrepancies
Always record discrepancies immediately. This creates a record for supplier disputes and helps track supplier reliability.
Supplier Management
Maintain supplier information including:
- Contact details and addresses
- Payment terms and methods
- Product catalog and pricing
- Lead times
- Order history and reliability metrics