The Purchase Order Manager allows you to search for and manage Purchase Orders in Retail Express. You can use a combination of standard and advanced filters to locate orders, review their current status, open them for editing or receiving, record supplier payments and place multiple incomplete orders on order.
Click here to view the full Purchasing and Receiving Master Class webinar
If you are a Purchasing Manager, we strongly recommend that you attend our completely FREE Training Webinar that covers all aspects of Purchasing & Receiving products, using the POE Manager and also all the Reports associated with your role. Its an interactive webinar where you can ask questions along the way.
Chapters
Timestamp | Chapter |
|---|
00:06 | Accessing Purchase Order Manager |
00:26 | Purpose and User Permissions |
01:01 | Using the Basic Search Filters |
02:01 | Using Advanced Purchase Order Filters |
02:39 | Filtering by Country and Outlet |
02:57 | Understanding Purchase Order Statuses |
04:26 | Reviewing the Search Results |
04:42 | Understanding Purchase Order Details |
05:22 | Reviewing Costs and Available Actions |
06:02 | Placing Multiple Incomplete Orders |
06:38 | Printing and Exporting Results |
06:49 | Purchase Order Manager Summary |
Transcript
Purchase Order Manager provides a central location for finding and managing Purchase Orders. The available search filters, results and actions help purchasing staff review orders at different stages of the purchasing and receiving process.
Accessing Purchase Order Manager
In Back Office, navigate to: Inventory > PO Management > PO Manager
Purchase Order Manager is also available from the Quick Links menu.
Purpose and User Permissions
Purchase Order Manager is designed to help you search for and manage Purchase Orders in Retail Express.
The functions available from the results depend on the security permissions assigned to the user.
For example:
- Users with permission to create Purchase Orders can access the Create PO function.
- Users with permission to receive Purchase Orders can begin receiving an order from the search results.
- Users without the required permissions cannot perform those restricted actions.
This allows staff to access Purchase Order Manager while retaining the security controls configured for their role.
Using the Basic Search Filters
The fields at the top of the page allow you to search using basic Purchase Order information.
Available criteria include:
- Purchase Order number: Searches for the Purchase Order number assigned by Retail Express.
- Supplier Invoice: Searches for a supplier invoice number already recorded against the Purchase Order.
- Reference PO: Finds Purchase Orders associated with an original order through the POE Manager.
- External Order ID: Searches using an external reference supplied through the Retail Express application programming interface.
- Created From and To: Finds Purchase Orders created within the selected period.
- Received From and To: Finds stock received within the selected date range.
- Special Order: Finds Purchase Orders marked as special orders.
The Created date range defaults to a period beginning one year before the current date.
Using the Reference PO Filter
The Reference PO field is useful when the POE Manager has been used to create another Purchase Order for products that were not originally supplied.
Enter the original Purchase Order number to locate the associated orders created through the POE process.
Using the External Order ID
The External Order ID is intended for businesses that create or maintain Purchase Orders through the Retail Express application programming interface.
The field allows an external reference from another system to be recorded and used when searching for the Purchase Order.
Using Advanced Purchase Order Filters
The advanced filters are primarily used for international or overseas purchasing.
These filters can include information such as:
- Sale dates
- Container numbers
- Original departure details
- Customs documentation
- Shipping information
- Container size
For example, you could search for:
- Purchase Orders currently progressing through customs.
- Purchase Orders being shipped in 40-foot containers.
- Orders associated with a particular departure or shipping period.
These searches rely on the corresponding international purchasing information being maintained against the Purchase Orders.
Filtering by Country and Outlet
When the business operates in multiple countries, select the required country before running the search.
You can also filter by Outlet.
The selected Outlet represents the location where the supplier will deliver the stock. This may be a store or warehouse.
Understanding Purchase Order Statuses
The PO Status filter allows you to search according to the current stage of a Purchase Order.
The statuses demonstrated in the video include:
- Available: The Purchase Order has been received and the stock has been made available for sale.
- Backorder: Products that were not delivered during receiving have been returned to the Purchase Order as outstanding quantities.
- Cancelled: The Purchase Order has been cancelled but remains recorded in Retail Express.
- Incomplete: The Purchase Order is still being prepared and has not officially been placed with the supplier.
- On Order: The Purchase Order has officially been placed with the supplier.
- Receiving in Progress: Receiving has started but has been saved before completion.
Some additional statuses may relate to legacy Retail Express processes.
Understanding Incomplete Purchase Orders
A manually created Purchase Order begins with an Incomplete status.
Purchase Orders generated through other processes may also begin as Incomplete, including orders created:
- Automatically from a POS sale.
- Through the POE Manager.
- Through a replenishment process.
These orders can be reviewed or changed before they are officially placed on order with the supplier.
Understanding Receiving in Progress
The Receiving in Progress status is useful when receiving a large Purchase Order.
You can begin entering the received quantities, save your progress and return to the Purchase Order later.
This prevents the complete receiving process from needing to be completed in one session.
Reviewing the Search Results
After entering the required criteria, select Search.
Retail Express displays the Purchase Orders matching the selected filters.
The results include orders at different stages, such as Incomplete, On Order or Available.
Understanding Purchase Order Details
The Purchase Order number is displayed on the left side of each result.
Select the number to open the Purchase Order for editing, provided you have the required security permission.
The results can also display a customer invoice number. This indicates that the Purchase Order was generated from a product sold through POS using automatic Purchase Order creation.
Additional information can include:
- Store or warehouse
- Creation date
- Estimated arrival date
- International shipping information
- Purchase Order status
- Supplier
- Supplier invoice number
Adding an estimated arrival date to Purchase Orders helps staff track when stock is expected to arrive.
Reviewing Purchase Order Costs
The results include cost-value columns for each Purchase Order.
These include:
- Total Supplier Ex: The value of the Purchase Order in the supplier’s currency.
- Total Buy Ex: The value of the Purchase Order in the business’s local currency. In the video, this is Australian dollars.
These values help staff review the supplier and converted purchasing costs directly from the results.
Editing a Purchase Order
Select the edit icon to open and update the Purchase Order.
This option is available only when the user has permission to create or edit Purchase Orders.
Receiving a Purchase Order
Select the receive option to begin receiving the Purchase Order.
The option is available only when the user has the required receiving permissions.
Recording a Supplier Payment
Purchase Order Manager can also be used to record that a payment has been made against a Purchase Order.
This is commonly used for international purchasing arrangements where the supplier requires:
- A deposit.
- A progress payment.
- Another payment before dispatch or delivery.
The payment information recorded will depend on the arrangements established with the supplier.
Placing Multiple Incomplete Orders
The results may contain several Purchase Orders with an Incomplete status.
When the orders have already been reviewed and provided to the suppliers, you can place multiple orders on order in one action.
Select the required Incomplete Purchase Orders, then use the available action to place all selected orders on order.
Retail Express updates the selected orders from Incomplete to On Order without requiring each Purchase Order to be opened individually.
Printing and Exporting Results
The Purchase Order Manager results can be printed when a physical copy is required.
You can also export the complete results list to Microsoft Excel.
The exported information can be used for additional activities such as:
- Sorting and filtering Purchase Order data.
- Creating graphs.
- Comparing suppliers or Outlets.
- Performing further purchasing analysis.
Purchase Order Manager Summary
Purchase Order Manager is a core management feature in Retail Express.
It works alongside other management tools, such as Customer Manager and Transfer Manager, and provides a central location for locating and managing Purchase Orders throughout the purchasing and receiving process.