27.1 Features of Purchase Order

The Purchase Order system is a purchasing tool with many useful features. It is necessary to maintain the Accounts Payable system and the Inventory Control system along side the Purchase Order system since it accesses vendor and product information as well as updating product balances.

Both inventory and non-inventory purchase orders can be entered manually on a purchase order form. The purchase order form includes vendor information, product specifications, shipping information, and billing terms. An unlimited number of detail lines (items ordered) can be included on the order form. The information collected on this form is used to create receiving slips when the order is received. When the vendors invoice is received, this information is used to generate a voucher for the order.

Vendor price books can be entered into the system using the vendor price form. When entering a product on the purchase order form, the default price is supplied from the vendor price file.

Purchase orders can be automatically generated for under stocked inventory items. The best price for the required number of units is selected from the vendor price file.

Purchase orders can be entered manually or generated automatically, printed and sent to the vendor.

When a shipment is received, receiving slips can be entered manually through the receiving form, or they can be generated automatically by running the receiving process. Inventory is automatically updated at the time the receiving slip is created.

Partial shipments are permitted. The receiving form can be edited to reflect over or under shipment.

Multiple shipments against a single purchase order can be handled by the system.

Defective and returned products can be tracked through the receiving form.

Vouchers can be entered manually through the voucher screen, or can be automatically generated by running the voucher process.

Various reports are provided for displaying purchase order information. These reports are useful in analyzing vendor performance and determining future cash needs.