Documentation

Procurement Guide

Purchase orders, direct purchases, receiving goods, and supplier management.

Watch: Procurement Guide (7 min)

Procurement Methods

There are two ways to bring inventory into your system:

Two procurement methods comparison
Choose between Purchase Orders and Direct Purchases
Method Use Case Process
Purchase Order Planned purchases, approval workflows Create → Approve → Receive
Direct Purchase Immediate purchases, cash & carry Create → Items received immediately

Creating a Purchase Order

Animated demo of creating a purchase order
Creating a purchase order step by step
  1. Navigate to Purchase Orders
    Go to Inventory > Purchase Orders.
  2. Click "New Purchase Order"
    Start creating a new PO.
  3. Select Supplier
    Choose the vendor you're ordering from.
  4. Enter PO Details
    • PO Number: Auto-generated or manual
    • Order Date: Date of order
    • Expected Delivery: When goods should arrive
    • Warehouse: Receiving location
  5. Add Line Items
    For each product:
    • Search and select the product
    • Enter quantity
    • Confirm unit price
  6. Review Totals
    Verify line totals and order total.
  7. Save or Submit
    Save as draft or submit for approval.

Purchase Order Status Flow

Purchase order status flow
Purchase orders progress through these statuses
Status Meaning Next Action
Draft PO is being prepared Edit or Submit
Pending Approval Awaiting manager approval Approve or Reject
Approved Ready to send to supplier Send to Supplier
Ordered Sent to supplier, awaiting delivery Receive Goods
Partially Received Some items received Receive remaining
Received All items received Complete
Completed PO fully processed -
Cancelled PO cancelled -

Receiving Goods

When goods arrive from your supplier:

Animated demo of receiving goods
Receiving goods against a purchase order
  1. Find the Purchase Order
    Locate the PO in the list (filter by "Ordered" status).
  2. Click "Receive"
    Open the receiving screen.
  3. Verify Physical Count
    Compare delivered items against the PO.
  4. Enter Received Quantities
    For each line item, enter the actual quantity received. This may differ from ordered quantity.
  5. Note Any Discrepancies
    Add notes for any issues (damaged, short-shipped, etc.).
  6. Confirm Receipt
    Click "Confirm" to complete receiving. Stock is updated.
Verify Before Receiving

Always physically verify goods before confirming receipt. Stock counts are updated immediately and affect your inventory levels.

Direct Purchases

For immediate purchases without a formal PO process:

Direct purchase form
Record quick purchases without a formal PO
  1. Navigate to Direct Purchases
    Go to Inventory > Direct Purchases.
  2. Click "New Direct Purchase"
    Create a new direct purchase record.
  3. Enter Purchase Details
    • Supplier: Where you purchased from
    • Invoice Number: Supplier's invoice reference
    • Purchase Date: Date of purchase
    • Warehouse: Where stock is received
  4. Add Items
    Add products with quantities and prices.
  5. Record Payment (Optional)
    If paid, record the payment method and amount.
  6. Save
    Stock is immediately updated upon saving.
When to Use Direct Purchase
  • Cash purchases from local markets
  • Emergency restocking
  • Small ad-hoc purchases
  • Walk-in supplier deliveries

Managing Suppliers

Supplier management screen
Keep supplier records up to date

Supplier Information

Keep supplier records up to date for efficient purchasing:

  • Contact information
  • Payment terms
  • Lead times
  • Product catalogs

Preferred Suppliers

You can link products to preferred suppliers, making it easier to create purchase orders.

Next Steps

Stock Movements

Track all inventory transactions and movements.

Reports

View purchase history and supplier reports.