How to Create a Purchase Order Manually
Overview
A purchase order is a formal document issued by a business to a vendor, authorizing the purchase of specific goods or services. It outlines details such as the items or services required, quantities, agreed prices, and delivery terms, and serves as a record of intent to purchase before payment is made or an invoice is received. Purchase orders help track committed spend, maintain accountability in procurement, and provide a reference point when the corresponding bill or delivery is received. Purchase orders can be created manually by filling out the purchase order form directly, providing full control over every field before the order is saved or issued.
Step 1: Open the Purchase Order Form
From the top navigation, click More.
From the dropdown, hover over Spend, then select Purchase Orders from the flyout menu.
On the Purchase Orders page, click Create Purchase Orders.
From the dropdown, select Create Manually.
A new purchase order form will open, starting with the document details section.
Step 2: Fill in the Purchase Order Details
Document details
Title: a short description identifying the purchase order.
Document number: the purchase order number.
Currency: the currency in which the purchase order is issued.
Date: the date the purchase order is created.
Vendor: the supplier the purchase order is issued to.
Due date: the date by which the order is expected to be fulfilled or paid.
Line items
Item name: name of the item or service being purchased.
Item quantity: quantity of the item being purchased.
Account: the expense or asset account the item amount flows into.
Amount: the price of the item.
Tax: applicable tax on the item.
Discount: entered as a fixed amount or a percentage.
Actions: the + button adds another line item; the - button removes one. Multiple items can be added to a single purchase order, each with its own account, tax, and discount.
Subtotal, discount, tax, and total amounts are calculated automatically based on the line items entered.
Additional details
Add shipping information: include shipping details for the purchase order, where applicable.
Classification
Branch: the branch associated with the purchase order.
Employee: the employee associated with the purchase order.
Department: the department associated with the purchase order.
Project: the project associated with the purchase order, where applicable.
Memo and attachments
Internal memo: notes for internal reference only, not visible to the vendor.
Note on document: information that appears on the purchase order itself, such as delivery instructions or special requests for the vendor.
Attachments: a file added to the purchase order for future reference.
Step 3: Create and Review
Click Create. The purchase order is saved as a Draft by default.
Once reviewed, the draft can be published at a later time to finalize it.
The purchase order appears in the Purchase Orders table as soon as it is created.
Each entry on the table includes: Date, PO No., Vendor, Title, Total Amount, Status, and Due Date.