Skip to main content

How to Manage Purchase Orders

Updated this week

Who is this for?

StoreHub merchants who order stock from suppliers and want to create purchase orders, receive stock, edit or cancel orders, and email or print POs from BackOffice.

Overview

This article covers the full lifecycle of a purchase order: creating a PO (from Supply Needs or the Purchase Orders page), filling it out and adding items (including by CSV), receiving stock when it arrives, and editing, cancelling, emailing, or printing a PO.

Receiving a completed purchase order is how you add stock to your inventory in BackOffice. Make sure you have set up inventory tracking and suppliers for your products first; see here if you have not.


Before You Begin

  • Access to BackOffice.

  • Products that you want to order must have their supplier set on the product page (Manage Products) and must be tracking stock level. Otherwise, they will not appear when you create a purchase order.

  • A stable internet connection.


Step-by-Step Guide

Create a purchase order

You can start a new purchase order from Supply Needs or from the Purchase Orders page.

Option A: From the Supply Needs page

1. In your BackOffice, go to 'Stock Management'.

2. Tap 'New', then select 'Purchase Order'.

New dropdown or menu with Purchase Order selected.

Note:

  • The target store may be pre-selected depending on which 'New Purchase Order' you use on the Supply Needs page.

Option B: From the Purchase Orders page

1. In your BackOffice, go to 'Stock Management', then select 'Purchase Orders'.

Stock Management menu with Purchase Orders selected.

2. On the Purchase Orders page, tap '+ New Purchase Order'.

Purchase Orders page with New Purchase Order button visible.


Fill out and save the purchase order

1. Select the 'Supplier' and 'Target Store'. Choose whether to auto-fill the order based on your supply needs.

Purchase order form with Supplier, Target Store, and auto-fill option.

Note:

  • Auto-fill adds items from Supply Needs for that supplier. If you set an ideal stock level on products, it can calculate how much to order to reach that level.

2. Tap 'Create'.

Create button on new purchase order form.

3. On the purchase order detail page, add or remove items and adjust quantities, supplier prices, and notes as needed.

Purchase order detail page showing items, quantities, and edit controls.

4. Import items from CSV (Optional):

a. Tap 'Import Items by CSV'.

Import Items by CSV button on purchase order page.

b. In the pop-up, tap the CSV Template link to download the template.

Pop-up with CSV instructions and template download link.

c. Fill in the product details in the CSV. Do not change the first row (header row) or the import may fail.

d. Save the file as .csv, then in BackOffice tap 'Select File' and upload it.

Select File button for CSV upload in BackOffice.

e. Tap 'Import' to add the data to the purchase order.

Import button to transfer CSV data to purchase order.

For Serialized Products (Click to expand)

When you add a serialized product to the purchase order, a pop-up will appear to explain its behavior.

a. On the pop-up, tap 'Proceed'.

Pop-up when adding serialized product to PO with Proceed button.

b. Add the serialized product to the list, then tap 'Save and Send Email'.

Purchase order with serialized product added and Save and Send Email button.

5. Once you have reviewed your order, tap 'Save' or 'Save and Send Email'.

Save and Save and Send buttons on purchase order page.

Note:

  • 'Save' saves your recorded details. 'Save and Send Email' saves your details and also emails the P.O. to the supplier.


Receive a purchase order (add stock)

When your stock arrives, receive the order so that inventory is updated.

1. In your BackOffice, go to 'Stock Management', then select 'Purchase Orders'.

2. Tap the ID number of the purchase order you are receiving.

Purchase order list with one PO ID selected or opened.

3. Scroll to the bottom of the order details page and tap 'Receive Order'.

Receive Order button at bottom of purchase order detail page.

4. Enter the 'Received Quantity' and 'Supplier Price' for each item.

Receive order form with Received Quantity and Supplier Price fields.

Note:

  • The system averages the cost of your existing stock and the new stock to get a new product cost. You can change the Supplier Price if the price changes. If you want the cost to match the new PO exactly, make sure the current stock quantity is 0 before you tap Receive. You can also edit the cost later on the Product Setup page.

For Serialized Products (Click to expand)

After you tap 'Receive Order', you need to enter the serial numbers for each received product.

1. On the Purchase Order page, tap 'Manage'.

Purchase order receive page with Manage button for serialized products.

2. Key in the serial numbers of received products in the list, then tap 'Confirm'.

Manage serial numbers screen with list of serial numbers and Confirm button.

5. The received quantity will update based on the number of serial numbers entered. Tap 'Save' and 'Mark as Completed' to finish.

Save and Mark as Completed buttons after entering serial numbers.

Notes:

  • 'If items in your Purchase Order are received partially in batches from the supplier, tap 'Save'.

  • When all items have been received, tap 'Save and Mark Completed'. Stock level is only updated when the P.O. is marked Completed.

  • Tap 'All Products Received' to automatically generate values in the Received Qty column.


Edit a purchase order

You can change items, quantities, and prices on a purchase order that is not yet completed.

1. In your BackOffice, go to 'Stock Management', then select 'Purchase Orders'.

Purchase Orders list.

2. Open the purchase order you want to edit.

Purchase order detail page open.

3. Add or remove items, or change quantities, supplier prices, or notes.

Purchase order with editable line items and notes.

4. Tap 'Save' or 'Save and Send Email'.

Save and Save and Send Email buttons.

Note:

  • You cannot edit a purchase order after it has been marked 'Completed'. Cancel or delete is also only possible when the PO is not completed.


Cancel or delete a purchase order

1. Open the purchase order you want to cancel or delete.

2. Tap the blue 'Actions' tab or button (top right), then select 'Cancel' or 'Delete'.

Actions menu with Cancel and Delete options.

Note:

  • You can only cancel or delete a purchase order that has not been completed. Once received and marked Completed, the PO cannot be cancelled or deleted.


Email or print a purchase order

1. Open the purchase order.

2. Tap the blue 'Actions' tab or button (top right), then select 'Email' or 'Print'.

Actions menu with Email and Print options.


Troubleshooting

Issue

Solution

My product does not appear when I create a purchase order.

The product must have a supplier set and must have 'Track stock level' turned on. Go to Products, open the product, and set the supplier and enable inventory tracking. See *How to Set Up and Track Product Inventory*.

I cannot cancel or delete the purchase order.

Cancel and delete are only available for POs that are not completed. Once you have received the order and marked it Completed, you can no longer cancel or delete it.

CSV import fails.

Do not change the first row (header row) of the CSV template. Save the file as .csv and ensure product details match your BackOffice products.

Stock level did not update after receiving.

Stock is updated only when you tap 'Save and Mark Completed'. If you only tapped 'Save', complete the receipt and then tap 'Save and Mark Completed'.


FAQs

1. What is the difference between Save and Save and Send?

'Save' stores the purchase order in BackOffice. 'Save and Send' saves it and emails it to the supplier in one step.

2. When is my stock level updated?

Stock level is updated only when you receive the order and tap 'Save and Mark Completed'. Partial receipts (Save only) do not update stock until the PO is marked Completed.

3. How is the new product cost calculated when I receive an order?

The system averages the cost of your existing stock and the new stock. For example, if you have 100 items at $10 and you receive 2 at $20, the new cost is averaged (e.g. $10.20), not $20. To have the cost match the new PO exactly, ensure current stock is 0 before receiving.

4. Can I receive an order in batches?

Yes. Tap 'Receive Order', enter the received quantity for that batch, and tap 'Save'. When all items have arrived, receive the remaining quantity and tap 'Save and Mark Completed'.


Need help?

Contact StoreHub Support via live chat in your StoreHub app or email [email protected].


Was this article helpful?

Let us know below or contact support for further assistance.

Did this answer your question?