Purchasing

Creating Purchase Orders

Purchase Order Process

Manually Entering Purchase Orders

Printing Special Purchase Orders - PUR 4

Associated Files

Purchase Orders can be created in several ways.

  • Replenishment purchase orders may be manually keyed into the purchase order entry program.
  • POs can be created automatically based upon the reorder report programs. There is an option within the reorder reports to automatically generate POs. Unless you choose this option the orders remain unprocessed until you enter them.
    • There are several parts of the system that need to be configured to get the reorder report to work correctly. For information on the reorder report and other parts of the system that contain purchasing parameters, refer to Print Inventory Reorder Reports - PUR 7.
  • Purchase Orders are automatically generated when a customer special order is processed.
  • Purchase Orders are automatically generated when a customer direct ship order is processed.

Purchase Order Process

If you are entering a new order, the program guides you through the process via a series of screens. If you are updating a line on an order, the program takes you directly to the screens relating to that line. There are three types of lines:

  • Header Line: on which you enter information related to the entire order, such as shipping dates and addresses.
  • Detail Lines: on which you enter item numbers and quantities.
  • Message Lines: on which you can enter special instructions and miscellaneous charges.

Once an order is printed or processed via Fl2, it is no longer accessible via the Enter Orders Program. You can void and reinstate it if you need to make corrections until the end of the day. You can change, cancel, or add to orders at any time after the order is processed.

In general, you enter and print purchase orders using option 1- Order Entry and then use option 10 - Open Order Inquiry and Search program to add to, find, correct, display, or cancel orders.

Manually Entering Purchase Orders

  1. From the main menu, select the Purchasing Menu and then select option 1- Enter Purchase Orders.
  2. Press Enter. The first screen of the Purchase Order Entry Program appears.
  3. To start a new purchase order, enter an A in the first field and your purchasing account number in the Enter Acct# if New Order field.
  4. Purchasing account numbers begin with the company number and end in 1. For example, 200001.

    If you know the reference number of an existing purchase order, you can enter it in the Reference# field and enter a U in the first field. If you know the exact line number you want to update you can enter it into the Line# field. This lets you update an existing purchase order.

  5. Press Enter. Depending on your system configuration the credit check screen could appear.
  6. Press Enter to proceed to the Order Header screen.
  7. The Order Header Screen lets you enter general information about the purchase order. In the top right hand corner is the reference number. This number is system generated and appears on all order entry screens in the same location. Every new order will receive the next sequential reference number. If the purchase order is canceled, the reference number is deleted and is not be used again.

  8. In the following figure, the fields required to enter a purchase order are circled. The Order Header screen, shown below, is also used when you process orders from your customers (Order Entry). Because of that, there are a lot of fields that do not pertain to purchase orders.
  9. The following fields are required for purchase orders.

    Field

    Description

    Ship via

    Enter the code representing the method of shipping for the order. Ship via codes are defined and can be displayed by the Classification Codes File Maintenance program (FIL 19). Your company can define and maintain its own set of codes. We recommend that you have a list of these codes handy for easy reference. The following are examples of some of the Ship Via codes that can be set up (these codes are merely examples. The codes on your system could be different).

    • Al - Air

    • BE - Best way

    • BO - Boat/Ship

    • CC - Common Carrier

    • PW - Pick up at Warehouse

    • RW - Roadway

    • SB - This code represents See Below. It is used in conjunction with the F6 Special Instructions function.

    Enter a question mark (?) to access a complete listing of all the ship via codes.

    The Ship Viafield automatically completes if a default ship via code is in either in your Control Panel.

    Date Req

    Enter the date the customer wants the order shipped or picked up. Today's date automatically appears as the default.

    Cust PO#

    This number, code, or name can be useful in tracking the purchase order. Enter numbers or letters, or both. You can search for purchase orders by this field after the order is processed. If you have multiple references, use this field for the reference that is most important or most frequently referred to. Then, use the Job Name field or a F6 message line, or both, to enter other references.

    Branch

    The branch code determines which branch gets sales credit for the order. Do not confuse the branch number with the warehouse number, which determines the location of the stock, or the point of shipment. The two codes do not have to be the same.

    The default branch is determined by the entry in the Control Panel for your workstation.

    Supplier

    The code for the company or vendor you are placing the order with.

    When entering special orders, the program warns you whenever you attempt to purchase an item from a supplier that is not listed as a supplier of that item. In these cases, the special order supplier is compared to the suppliers in the Item and Cost files. If a match is not found, a warning is issued. You can continue with the order, but at least you know that the supplier is not a regular supplier.

    Enter a question mark (?) to search for all the different supplier codes.

    Warehouse

    Enter the warehouse code where you want the order shipped to. This warehouse address prints as the Shipto address on the purchase order.

    The warehouse shipto address can be overridden by entering a valid Shipto number in the Shipto# field. To display the shipto numbers, enter a ? in the Shipto# field and then field exit.

    The default for this field is the warehouse assigned to your terminal. You can override this default.

    ETA

    This field is used for purchases, direct shipments and special orders. Otherwise, enter the estimated time of arrival to the warehouse or shipto destination for this order. This date is entered in MMDDYY format. This date is shown on Inventory Inquiry Stock Card Screen as the scheduled date. After the order is processed, this date can be updated using the Update Order Status and Shipping Data program.

    Function Keys

    Function Key

    Description

    F4

    Deletes an entire order. All lines on the order are deleted and the initial entry screen re-displays. If you press F4 accidentally from the Header screen, and you are authorized to do so, you may press F5 to undelete the entire order. Always review orders carefully after undeleting.

    F6

    Displays the Special Instructions screen that enables input of special instructions and miscellaneous charges. Press F6 from the Header Screen if you need to enter additional shipping instructions, customer references, or job numbers that relate to the entire order.

    F7

    Ends job. If entries were made, the Print Selection Screen displays. If no entries were made, the menu is displayed.

    F8

    Returns to the Entry Screen. If this is a new purchase order and no line items have yet been entered, then no order has actually been created and the system automatically clears any stray header entries.

    F9

    F9 acts as a toggle switch between taxable and non-taxable. For example, if an order is taxable, press F9 to make it non-taxable. If an order is non-taxable, F9 will make it taxable.

    This function finds tax rates in either the Billto or County Files. For example, if an order has no tax codes on the Header Screen, you can press F9 to obtain the tax codes from the customer's Billto File record and insert them in the Header Screen. If the customer is not normally taxed, there will be no tax codes in the customer's Billto File record. In that case, the program retrieves the county number (if any) from the Billto File and then checks the County File for tax codes to retrieve. If an order is already taxable (contains tax codes on the Order Header Screen), then F9 removes the tax codes and makes the order non-taxable.

  10. After you have entered the information on the Order Header Screen, press Enter. The Shipto screen appears. This screen does not apply to purchasing unless you have entered a Shipto number in the Shipto# field on the header screen. If you make an entry in the Shipto# field on the Order Header screen, the address associated with that number address appears on this screen.
  11. Function Keys

    Function Key

    Description

    F6

    Press F6 to display the Special Instructions Screen to enter special instructions or comments which should print prior to detail line items. Instructions that pertain to an entire order, such as project numbers and descriptions, contractor or architect names, or sidemarking instructions, should be entered here.

    F7

    Ends job and returns to the menu. If an order was entered, this function key displays the Print Selection Screen.

    F8

    Returns to the initial Order Entry screen.

    F9

    This function key doesn't apply to Purchase Orders.

    F9 displays all stops on this route in the sequence that they are normally delivered. It also enables input and display of comments and priority stops assigned for that day's deliveries. Priority stops are deliveries made earlier than usual and/or out of normal sequence. The stops display lets you scroll up and down through the screens displaying the stops. Once you enter either priority stops or comments about a route for a given date, warehouse personnel can view or print this information using options 7 and 8 on the Delivery Systems Menu.

    F10

    This function key doesn't apply to Purchase Orders.

    Displays delivery dates for the entire order, including the date required and the earliest date each line item can be shipped and then received at the customer's location. It also shows the approximate time of day the delivery is expected at customer's location if those delivery times have been entered in the Stops File. Items that will delay the delivery (that cannot make the date required) are displayed in pink. These items are usually items that need to be transferred from other warehouses. You may want to change the required date on the Header Screen to the date the order would be shipped complete, or you may move the late arrivals from this order to a separate order with a later date.

    F11

    Returns to the Header Screen

  12. Check to ensure this is the correct address. If not, enter F11 to return to the Order Header Screen. Enter a Y in the Ship to Override field. This brings up a blank Shipto screen.
  13. If this screen comes up blank, it is because a Y has been entered into the Shipto Override field on the Order Header screen.

  14. If the information is correct, press Enter. The Order Detail screen appears.
  15. This is where you actually enter the item(s) being purchased. In the following screen, you are buying 400 SF of item number SAI 1090 0 out of warehouse RAL.

    Via the System Wide Setting - Options for Purchasing Discontinued Items you have the ability to prevent creating purchase order for items that have been designated as discontinued on the Item File Profile screen (FIL 2).

    Any line item can be noted as a special order by entering an S in the first position of the Lot# field. For more information on special purchase orders, refer to Printing Special Orders - PUR 4.

    Notice the line number -- it starts with 0010. All item numbers (inventory items) are entered in multiples of tens. For example, your next item on the order is 0020. Lines 11-19, 21-29, etc., are considered miscellaneous lines (message lines) which appear under the inventory line on any document. These message lines will be used to enter sidemarks, miscellaneous charges such as delivery charge, UPS charge, broken carton charge, etc.

    The top line of this screen displays the account number, customer name, and the reference number of this order. All orders can be found by reference, or by the order number that is assigned when the purchase order is processed or printed.

    Field Name

    Description/Instructions

    Line

    The line number is generated by the system. All detail lines are assigned ten numbers apart. For example, 0010, 0020, 0030. This method leaves nine lines between each detail line for special instructions or miscellaneous lines. The header line is considered line number 0000. The first detail line on each purchase order is line 0010.

    Ware

    This is the warehouse where the material you are ordering will be received. This code is based on your entry on the Header Screen. It can be changed on a line-by-line basis. It should be changed only under special circumstances.

    Mfgr/Color/Pattern (Item#)

    Enter the item number to be ordered. The item number is broken into three sub-fields labelled Mfgr (three characters), Color (four characters) and Pattern (nine characters). If you enter part of an item number, the program goes into search mode so you can find the correct item number. Enter the portion of the number known to you, and the program searches accordingly. Item numbers are constructed differently for each product type or manufacturer.

    Your Control Panel can affect the way you enter item numbers. It contains a Default Manufacturer setting. If this setting is left blank, the program assumes you will enter the three-character manufacturer prefix as part of the item number. If this setting contains a specific manufacturer number, that manufacturer number appears as the default manufacturer each time you enter the Order Entry or Inventory Inquiry program. If this setting contains *NO, the system assumes that you will not enter manufacturers and places the cursor after the Mfgr field and locates item numbers based on the rest of the item number field. Your Control Panel is displayed and updated using a special Control program.

    Qty

    Enter the quantity being ordered including the decimal. For rolled goods, if you need to enter 20 feet and 5 inches, you must enter 20.05 in the Quantity field. It displays in its proper position. If you are entering a negative quantity for credit or return, make sure you press Field Minus. After entering the quantity credited, the negative sign must appear to the right of the right-most digit. If a decimal point is displayed, press Field Minuson the digits to the right of the decimal point only. Also, if you have two digits to the right of the decimal point, be careful not to enter .10 as .0l and vice versa.

    U/M

    Enter the unit of measure of the item being ordered. If you leave this field blank, the system automatically fills in the normal pricing unit of measure as entered in the Item File, or in your Control Panel, for this item.

    If you enter a unit of measure that is different than the unit of measure assigned in the Item File, the system converts the unit price and cost accordingly, or it converts the quantity to the normal pricing unit of measure. This function is controlled by the Order Entry unit of measure field in the Item File. If that field contains a unit of measure, the price and quantity is converted to that unit of measure. If that field is left blank, the Order Entry program converts prices to any unit of measure that you enter. The unit price and cost on an order is always the price or cost for the unit of measure that is displayed here after the entry is made.

    You can override the unit of measure to whatever unit of measure the customer requests and let the system convert accordingly. For example, your system may have a normal unit of measure of CT (cartons) but if the customer requests 100 square feet, you can enter 100 SF. The system converts the order to cartons if the item is set up to always convert. Otherwise, the system converts the price, but accepts and leaves the order in square feet.

    Price

    Leave this field blank if you want the system to price the order. The price appears after you press Enter. The program will pick up all standard, special, promotional, and quote or contract pricing for the customer.

    If the order is to have a special price not known to the system, enter the overridden price in this field. When a price is overridden, the program recalculates the extended price and re-displays screen for verification. Press Enter again to accept the entry. When a price is overridden, a pricing method of X is shown to the left of the Extended Price field.

    Cost

    The cost appears after you press Enter. It can only be overridden for purchase orders, special orders, direct shipments, credit memos, and miscellaneous items. Some users are not allowed to see cost for security purposes . The Order Desk Order Entry Screen does not display costs unless it is a type of order that requires entering of costs.

    If you are blocked from seeing costs, you can still enter the order you just will not be able to see the cost.

  16. Enter an item number in the Mfgr/Color/Pattern field, a Qty, and a U/M. When you press Enter, the screen changes to display information about the item selected and an ADD OK message appears at the top of the screen.
  17. This screen displays the following information about an item.

    • item description
    • item comments (if any)
    • messages and quantity conversions

    In the above screen, the item is sold by the square foot, but can only be sold in whole cartons. The program is alerting the operator that they can have either 13 or 14 whole cartons which convert to 394.33 square feet and 424.67 square feet. The reverse image area is showing that cartons cannot be broken. If cartons can be broken, the number of cartons displays in reverse image.

  18. Press Enter to order the item and move to line 0020.
  19. If you do not wish to enter anymore items, but would like to add some miscellaneous comments press F6. A Special Instruction screen appears.
  20. Use this screen for all comments and messages.

    • If you press F6 from the Order Header screen nine message lines are available (0001 - 0009) for the Header area. These messages print above the first item number on the order. The Header lines apply to all lines on the order.
    • If you press F6 from the Order Detail screen, nine message lines are available after each detail line. Line numbers 0011 - 0019 are available after line number 0010, and so on.

    Entering a ? in the first position of any message line access the Macro Message Manager. This tool allows you to insert an established message into the Special Instructions screen. Macro Messages are created via option 23 on the System Settings Menu (SET).

  21. Once you have completed these lines, press Enter to allow the system to accept the information.
  22. Follow these steps for all items on this order.
  23. After completing an order, you can press F1 to review all items that have been entered so far.
  24. To delete a line, press F4. If you delete a line, the system automatically use the next line. For example, if you deleted line 0020 the next line will be 0030.

    • The screen displays the item number, description, quantity, and unit price for the unit of measure shown.
    • For rolled goods, a C shown before the description indicates cuts, and an R indicates roll.
    • The total dollar value for the order includes any miscellaneous charges.

  25. You can press F18 to display the weight of each line on the order and the total weight of the order. It will also show the number of cartons CT on the order for items packed in cartons.
  26. The following table provides a guide to the function keys that pertain to Purchase Orders.

    Function Key

    Description

    F1

    Turns on review mode and displays all lines on the order with totals.

    F4

    Delete this line. To delete the current line item, press F4 twice. Press F4 on the Header Screen to delete the entire order.

    F6

    Displays the Special Instructions/Miscellaneous Screen.

    F7

    Ends Order Entry and displays the Print Selection Screen. If you've entered detail lines, but not yet entered a header line, this function displays the header line.

    F8

    Returns to the first screen. If you have entered detail lines, but not yet entered a header line, this function key displays the header line.

    F11

    Pages up one page if you are in the item number search, serial number display, inventory stock card display or product knowledge display modes. If in review mode, F11 returns to the previous line of order.

    F12

    The top section of this screen displays basic information from the Item File, including item number, descriptions, comments, color name, pattern name, wear code, ABC code, and item width. The middle section of the screen displays specific instructions and information about the item and additional information about the product line and manufacturer.

    F15

    Displays additional item search parameters. F15 temporarily gives control to the Item Search program. You can search by item description, product line code, color, as well as other parameters, and enter an X next to your selection. You are returned to where you left the Order Entry program.

    Refer to Hotkey Item Searchfor more information on this search feature and other searches.

    F18

    Packaging review mode. This function key displays all detail lines of an order showing weight and carton counts, where applicable.

    F24

    Displays 16 more functions that vary from giving you the ability to check other systems for inventory to running a price analysis.

  27. Press F7 to finish the order and access the Order/Print Selection screen.
  28. Press the appropriate function key.
  29. Function Key

    Description

    F1

    Processes the order and sends it to a printer set up to print purchase order forms. You can then send the PO to the supplier via fax, ODS, or by several other methods.

    This option enters the ordered inventory into the system. It shows up in an inventory inquiry as being scheduled for arrival with the delivery date based on the ETA date set on the Order Header screen.

    F3

    This option prints an order edit for this reference number. An order edit contains the same information included on the actual purchase order, but it does not get processed by the system. The purchase order edit is a good document to send to a supplier to ensure they have the quantity you need and all the information (i.e., cost) is correct. This can save you from having to update or delete a purchase order.

    This option does not process the order or allocate inven­tory.

    You are returned to the Purchase Order Entry screen with the current reference number inserted into the Reference# field.

    F6

    Returns you to the Purchase Order Entry screen.

    This option does not process the order or allocate inven­tory.

    This puts the unprocessed purchase order into a temporary holding file. The standard operating procedure is for this file to be purged after two night job runs, but your system settings could be different.

    To access the unprocessed purchase order, enter an A or U as the action code and the reference number in the Reference# field on the Purchase Order Entry screen.

    F7

    Returns you to the Purchasing menu.

    This option does not process the order or allocate inven­tory.

    This puts the unprocessed purchase order into a temporary holding file. The standard operating procedure is for this file to be purged after two night job runs, but your system settings could be different.

    To access the unprocessed purchase order, enter an A or U as the action code and the reference number in the Reference# field on the Purchase Order Entry screen.

    F12

    This option processes the order, but does not print it. It can later be accessed via option 10 - Open Order & P.O. File Inquiry & Search option.

    This option enters the ordered inventory into the system. It shows up in an inventory inquiry as being scheduled for arrival with the delivery date based on the ETA date set on the Order Header screen.

    Because the order was processed you can no longer access or update it via the Purchase Order Entry screen.

    For example, you can press F12 and the order is processed and sent to the open order file, however the purchase order is not sent to a printer. In most cases, you will press F1 to print the purchase order.

Printing Special Purchase Orders - PUR 4

A purchase order is considered special when you are buying items that you do not normally stock.

Special order purchase orders are accumulated until this option is run. If this option is not run, they will run and print as part of the Night Jobs. If you intend to print them as part of night jobs, make sure the printer designated for purchase orders is activated. Separate purchase orders are generated for each supplier within each customer order. The purchase orders do not combine multiple customer orders. Each customer order generates its own set of purchase orders, one for each supplier on the special order.

This option groups the purchase orders by supplier and can print on regular purchase order forms or in the faxable purchase order worksheet format.

In the Purchase Order Entry Program, any line item can be noted as a special order by entering an S in the first position of the Lot# field.

Select option 4 - Print Special Order Purchases on the Purchasing Menu.

Purchase orders can be printed on regular forms, or on plain paper in a faxable format. The faxable format is condensed, double strike print, and can print more than one purchase order per page, thereby saving fax time. The faxable format is extremely well suited for laser printing. It includes columns for the supplier to fill in quantities and dates for shipment.

Select an option and press Enter. The next screen allows you to include or omit purchase orders based upon Suppliers and/or Cost Centers. This enables special order purchases to be requested for all suppliers except...., or for all suppliers within a cost center such as all Accessory Suppliers, or all Carpet Suppliers.

If you enter an I, the program only processes special orders for the suppliers and cost centers entered. An O entry processes the special orders for all the suppliers and cost centers except those entered.

You can search for supplier and cost center codes by entering a ? in any of the supplier and cost center fields.

The third screen in the process lets you select one warehouse or all of them.

Associated Files