PRC-03Other Product TypeUser

How to Create and Issue Purchase Orders in CrmLeaf

Worksuite, Manufacturing CRM, Construction CRM and Solar CRM editions. Requires the Purchase add-on module to be enabled for your account by an Administrator. Creating a purchase order from an accepted vendor…

Part 10 · Procurement5 min readIncludes a Service / PSA lens

Availability: Worksuite, Manufacturing CRM, Construction CRM and Solar CRM editions. Requires the Purchase add-on module to be enabled for your account by an Administrator. Creating a purchase order from an accepted vendor quote additionally requires the Manufacture add-on module.

Overview

A purchase order is your formal instruction to a vendor to supply goods or services. It records the vendor, the currency and exchange rate, the dates, the line items, any discount, and the warehouse the goods should be delivered to. It is auto-numbered with a prefix, can be emailed to the vendor and can be exported as a PDF. Delivery is tracked on it, and the vendor's bill is created from it.

How It Works

You raise the purchase order for a vendor, add the items and the delivery warehouse, save it, and issue it to the vendor. The purchase order then carries three status axes that move independently for the rest of its life.

Create → Add line items → Set delivery warehouse → Save → Email the vendor → Track delivery

The purchase order number is generated automatically using the configured prefix.
If you convert an accepted vendor quote, the order stores it in vendor_quote_id, which keeps the RFQ-to-payment chain traceable.
The delivery warehouse records where the goods are expected.
Billing is only possible once the order is delivered and still unbilled.

The three status axes of a purchase order

A purchase order does not have one status. It has three, and they are independent of each other.

Axis	What it tracks	Values (default first where documented)
`purchase_status`	The commercial state of the order with the vendor	draft, open (default), issued, accepted, rejected, canceled, closed
`delivery_status`	Whether the goods have physically arrived	not_started (default), in_transaction, delivered, delivery_failed
`billed_status`	Whether a bill has been created from this purchase order	unbilled (default), billed

An order can therefore be issued, in_transaction and unbilled at the same time. Only delivery_status and billed_status decide whether the order can be billed.

Who Can Use This Feature?

User

Create, edit and issue purchase orders, with line items, a discount and a delivery warehouse.
Email the purchase order to the vendor and export it as a PDF.
Update purchase_status as the vendor accepts, rejects or closes the order.

Access depends on the modules and role assigned by your Administrator.

Prerequisites

The Purchase module is enabled for your account.
The vendor exists in Vendor.
At least one warehouse exists to receive the goods.
The products or services you are buying exist in the Products catalogue.
The purchase currency exists with a current exchange rate.

For Users

Step 1: Open the purchase order list

Go to: Operations → Purchase Orders

Check whether an order already exists for this requirement before raising a new one.

Step 2: Create the purchase order

Select Add and choose the vendor. Set the currency and its exchange rate, and enter the order dates.

Step 3: Add the line items and discount

Add a line for each product or service, with the quantity and rate, and apply any tax and the agreed discount. Check the totals against the vendor's quotation before continuing.

Step 4: Set the delivery warehouse

Select the warehouse that will physically receive the material, because the receipt relates to that location.

Step 5: Save and issue the order

Select Save. The order is numbered automatically. Email the purchase order to the vendor, or Download the PDF and send it yourself, then set purchase_status to issued.

Step 6: Record the vendor's response

When the vendor confirms or refuses the order, update purchase_status to accepted or rejected. Use canceled if the order is withdrawn, and closed when the order is finished.

Field and Option Reference

Field / Option	Description	Required
Vendor	The supplier the order is raised on. Determines which bill the order can later be billed to.	Yes
Currency and exchange rate	The buying currency and the rate used to convert the order value.	Yes
Dates	The order and expected dates for the purchase.	Yes
Line items	The products or services ordered, with quantity and rate.	Yes
Discount	The reduction agreed with the vendor on the order.	No
Delivery warehouse	The warehouse the goods are to be delivered to.	Yes
Vendor quote	The accepted vendor quote the order was created from, stored as `vendor_quote_id`.	No

Expected Result

The purchase order is saved with an automatically generated number, appears in Purchase Order, and starts with delivery_status not_started and billed_status unbilled. It can be emailed to the vendor and exported as a PDF.

Service / PSA lens

Service Organisation Context

A firm engaging a subcontractor or an associate consultant can use a purchase order as the formal commitment, then bill and pay against it, which keeps committed third-party cost on record before any vendor invoice arrives - the Budget add-on derives project actuals from purchase orders and bills as well as expenses, timelogs and invoices. Note that a purchase order records a delivery warehouse and carries its own delivery status, which reflects the module's primary purpose of buying physical goods for product, manufacturing, construction and solar businesses. Billing stays unavailable until the order is marked delivered and is still unbilled.

Important Notes

Menu names and their position can differ between product editions and can be customised for your account, so your sidebar may not match these paths exactly. Use Search or your Quick Access items if you cannot find a screen.
Purchase orders belong to the Purchase add-on module. Confirm it is included in your plan.
Do not change the vendor on an order that has been issued. The vendor on the order controls which bill it can be billed to.
Setting purchase_status to issued or accepted does not make the order billable. Only a delivered and unbilled order can be billed.

Common Scenarios

Example: buying against an accepted vendor quote. A manufacturer accepts a vendor's quote for steel sections. The quote is converted into a purchase order, which stores the quote reference, and the receiving plant warehouse is set as the delivery warehouse. The order is emailed to the vendor and set to issued.

Troubleshooting

Issue	Possible Cause	Resolution
The order cannot be saved	A mandatory field such as the vendor, a line item or the delivery warehouse is empty	Complete every mandatory field, then Save
No warehouse can be selected	No warehouse exists for the account	Ask your Administrator to create a warehouse
A delivered order is not appearing in Create Bill	The order is already `billed`, is not `delivered`, or belongs to another vendor	Check both status axes and confirm the vendor selected on the bill matches the order

Frequently Asked Questions

Can one purchase order be delivered to two warehouses?

A purchase order records one delivery warehouse. Raise separate orders if the material must go to different locations.

Does issuing the order reserve or add stock?

Stock is tracked per warehouse by the Purchase module. Confirm the exact stock effect of a purchase order with your Administrator.

Still need a hand?

Our support team answers on business days. Reference PRC-03 so we can jump straight in.

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