Entering a Purchase Order

Enter a purchase order to record a pending purchase and keep a record of items you need to stock or expect to receive. Then, you can track items you receive and items that remain outstanding.

You can create purchase orders individually or in bulk. For more information about creating bulk purchase orders, see Bulk Orders.

Note:

This is a non-posting transaction.

After entering a purchase order, you can optionally enter a vendor prepayment for the same vendor. For information about entering prepayments from a purchase order, see Entering Vendor Prepayments From a Purchase Order.

To enter an individual purchase order:

1. Go to Transactions > Purchases/Vendors > Enter Purchase Orders.

2. Complete the form as described in the section below.

3. When all information about the form is complete, click Save.

Primary Information

1. In the Custom Form field, choose the Standard Purchase Order form or select a custom form you have already created. Click New to customize a purchase order form now.

2. In the Vendor # field, NetSuite inserts your account number for this vendor. This number is entered on the Financial subtab for this vendor's record at Lists > Relationships > Vendors.

3. Select or enter the vendor's name.

   Important:

   If you use NetSuite OneWorld and the selected vendor is shared with multiple subsidiaries, you can assign any subsidiary to associate with this purchase order.

   After you select the Subsidiary, the fields on the Items subtab change to reflect the values associated with the selected subsidiary. In addition, in the Classification section, the Class, Department, Location, Currency, Tax Nexus and other fields also change to reflect the selected subsidiary. For more information about shared vendor records, see Assigning Subsidiaries to a Vendor.

4. If you are entering a purchase request for an employee, select the employee's name.

   In OneWorld, you can select an employee from a subsidiary other than the vendor's subsidiary.

   Note:

   If your company uses approval routing and this employee has a supervisor, the supervisor must approve this request before it is a purchase order.

5. If you have permission to approve this purchase order, check the Supervisor Approval box.

6. In the Receive By field, enter the date by which you need to receive this order.

7. Enter a date for this purchase order. The current date shows by default.

8. Accept or enter the purchase order number.

9. In the Memo field, enter a memo to identify this purchase order. When you use the Search Transactions feature, you can search for specific words and phrases in this field.

10. The Available Vendor Credit field displays the remaining credit for this vendor before a payment is received. It is converted from vendor’s primary currency into the transaction currency. The field value is available only in edit mode.

    This field is visible when you customize the purchase order. To display this field, you must first enable accounts payable preferences. Go to Setup > Accounting > Preferences > Accounting Preferences. In the Accounts Payable section, check the Vendor Credit Limit Warnings and Vendor Credit Limit Includes Orders boxes. Click Save. Then, from the Customize menu at the top right of the purchase order, click Customize Form. Click the Screen Fields subtab. Check the Show box next to Available Vendor Credit. Click Save.

    If the transaction exceeds the vendor’s credit limit, a warning message appears indicating the exceeded credit amount. The message does not prevent you from saving the transaction. Click OK to save the transaction.

Classification

1. Select a department or class if you track them.

   For OneWorld accounts, you can select a department or class from the vendor's subsidiary or the employee's subsidiary.

   If the Available Vendor Credit field appears, changing the subsidiary changes the available credit limit value to reflect the currency of the selected subsidiary.

2. If you track locations, choose a location for this order.

   For OneWorld accounts, you can select a location from the vendor's subsidiary or the employee's subsidiary.

3. If you use the Multiple Currencies feature, select the currency you want to use for this purchase order. This currency will be used for the entire purchasing process (including item receipt, the vendor bill, and payment) and cannot be changed. For more information, see Vendors and Multiple Currencies.

   If this purchase order was created from a purchase request, the currency from the purchase request is used and cannot be changed.

   The vendor's primary currency is selected by default.

   If the Available Vendor Credit field appears, changing the currency changes the credit limit value to reflect the selected currency.

Items

1. If you use multiple currencies, the current exchange rate for this vendor's currency appears in the Exchange Rate field.

   You can change the exchange rate for this transaction only, or you can update the currency record with the exchange rate you enter here. For a description of how setting the exchange rate affects the transaction, see Setting Exchange Rates Directly on Transactions.

   The vendor's currency appears in the Currency field. All currency amounts on this transaction are shown in this currency.

2. Click the Items subtab.

3. In the Item column, select an item.

   1. To add several items to this transaction, click Add Multiple.

      The Choose Item window opens and shows a list of items you can add.

   2. Filter the list by item type or name.

   3. In the left pane click an item to add it to the right pane.

   4. Enter an item Quantity.

   5. Click Done.

      Items and quantities shown in the right pane are added to the transaction.

4. In the Quantity column, enter the quantity for this item.

5. In the Serial Number field, enter the serial number of the item.

   Separate each serial number with a space, comma or by pressing Enter after each one.

   You must enter a serial number for each serialized item. For example, if you enter a quantity of 2, then you must enter two serial numbers.

6. Accept the amount in the Rate column or enter a new rate for this item.

   The total amount for this item is calculated and appears in the Amount column.

   If you use NetSuite OneWorld and the vendor is shared with multiple subsidiaries, note the following. The price for the item adjusts to reflect the costs associated with the selected subsidiary.

7. Set any options for this item.

8. If this item is for a particular customer, select that customer in the Customer column.

   Note:

   If you use NetSuite OneWorld and the selected customer is shared with multiple subsidiaries, you can choose any customer associated with the selected subsidiary. For information about sharing customer records with multiple subsidiaries, see Assigning Subsidiaries to a Customer.

9. If you want the cost of this item billed back to the chosen customer, check the Billable box.

10. Enter an Expected Receipt Date that is the day you anticipate the item will arrive in your warehouse. This date is used in calculations for Demand Planning and Advanced Inventory Management.

    This defaults to show the date of this purchase transaction.

11. Click Add.

12. Repeat these steps for each item you want to add.

Expenses

1. If you allow expenses on purchase orders, click the Expenses subtab.

2. In the Account column, select an account for this expense.

3. In the Amount column, enter the expense amount.

4. If this expense is for a particular customer, select that customer in the Customer column.

5. If you want this expense billed back to the chosen customer, check the Billable box.

6. Click Add.

7. Repeat these steps for each expense you want to add.

Billing

1. In the Vendor Select field, choose the billing address for this vendor.

   • Select New in the list. You can also click the + icon to create a new address for this purchase order and saved with the vendor record.

   • Select Custom in the list to create a new address for this purchase order only and not saved with the vendor record.

Shipping

Note:

The Shipping subtab only appears on a standard or custom drop ship purchase order form.

Shipping Information

1. In the Ship Date field, enter the date you expect the items to be shipped.

2. Select your Shipping Method for this transaction. For more information about shipping methods, see Creating Shipping Items.

3. In the Additional Tracking Number field, enter the shipment tracking number from the shipping company.

   If you use the exact format used by UPS or FedEx, the tracking number appears on the transaction as a link to the respective website. You can click the link to check the status of the shipment.

Shipping Address

1. If a customer is not selected in the Ship To list, your company shipping address autofills the Ship To text field. You can change this address as needed.

   Note:

   Take note of the following:

   • The selection of a shipping address varies slightly depending on whether the shipment is going to your company or to a customer.

   • If you use NetSuite OneWorld and select Location, the Ship To address will autofill with the address specified on the Location record. If the Location field is left blank, the Ship To address will use the Shipping Address as specified on the Company information page.

   • To change the shipping address saved with your company record, go to Setup > Company > Company Information. Click the Edit link next to the Shipping Address field.

   • To enter a shipping address for your company for this purchase order, select Custom from the Ship To Select list. Then, complete the fields in the address popup window.

2. When you select a customer in the Ship To list, the customer's default shipping address autofills the Ship To text field. You can change this address as needed.

   • Select another address that is associated with the customer from the Ship To Select field.

   • Select New in the Ship To Select field. You can also click the + icon to add an address for this purchase order and saved with the customer record.

   • Select Custom in the Ship To Select field to add an address for this purchase order only and not saved with the customer record.

   • Click the Edit icon to make changes to the address selected in the Ship To Select field. These changes are saved with the customer record.

Relationships

1. Under Contacts, the primary contact for the customer is selected automatically. To edit information for this contact, click the contact's name.

2. You can also add contacts to this order by entering the contact's information and clicking Add.

Communication

1. On the Messages subtab, complete the following as necessary:

   • Check the To Be Printed box if you want to save the purchase order in a queue for printing later.

   • Check the To Be Emailed box and enter or verify an email address if you want to email the purchase order.

     Note:

     If you use Approval Routing, you can only email purchase orders that have been approved by a supervisor.

   • Check the To Be Faxed box and enter or verify a fax number if you want to fax the purchase order.

     If you prefer, you can click Print when you have finished entering all the information to immediately save and print the purchase order.

   • Enter a vendor message to appear on your purchase order.

2. Use the Events, Tasks, and Phone Calls subtabs to attach activities to this transaction. For more information, see Attaching Events, Tasks, and Calls to Records and Transactions.

3. On the Files subtab, you can select and attach files from the File Cabinet related to this transaction. Select New to upload a new file to File Cabinet.

4. On the User Notes subtab, you can enter a title and note for any comments you want to add to this transaction. Click Add after each note.

You can check the To Be Emailed and To Be Faxed boxes on purchase orders prior to supervisor approval. If a purchase order is submitted with either box checked but still needs approval, the email or fax is not sent. The boxes remain checked. At the time of approval, the email or fax is sent and the To Be Emailed and To Be Faxed boxes are cleared.

After a purchase order is recorded you can track the items as they are received.

To view a list of purchase orders, go to Transactions > Purchases > List., and then click View next to the order.

When you view a purchase order, in the Print button list, click Print Labels to print a label for each item on the order.

You can use the Editing feature with the To Be Emailed and To Be Faxed boxes. The purchase order must be approved and the boxes clear. If the boxes are checked using the Editing feature, the purchase order is emailed.

Related Topics

• Purchase Order Management
• Setting Purchasing Preferences
• Bulk Orders
• Ordering Items
• Billing a Purchase Order With Advanced Receiving
• Editing a Purchase Order
• Closing a Purchase Order
• Viewing the Status of a Purchase Order
• Printing a Tax ID or Resale Number on Purchase Orders
• Purchase Order Printing

General Notices