Purchase Orders Overview

Review, create, and manage purchase orders in OmniOrders. Replenish inventory, coordinate incoming shipments from suppliers, and monitor delivery status.

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---
title: Purchase Orders Overview
description: Review, create, and manage purchase orders in OmniOrders. Replenish inventory, coordinate incoming shipments from suppliers, and monitor delivery status.
---

The Purchase Orders Overview helps you plan and receive inventory from suppliers. Use it to track PO status, preview and export PDFs, upload orders by CSV, and manage shipments related to each PO.

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:::tip[Quick Access]
Go to Purchases → Purchase Orders, or navigate directly to `/purchase-orders`.
:::

## Why Use Purchase Orders?

**Purchase Orders let you formally request and track inventory replenishment from suppliers. Create POs with multi-location product assignments, import in bulk via CSV, and track each shipment from creation through receiving — so your stock levels stay accurate and supplier relationships stay organized.**

<CardGrid>
  <IconCard title="Inventory Replenishment" icon="package">
    Create and track purchase orders to restock products and avoid stockouts.
  </IconCard>

  <IconCard title="Supplier Coordination" icon="users">
    Keep supplier and delivery details together with each PO for clear communication.
  </IconCard>

  <IconCard title="Actionable Table" icon="table">
    Work from a customizable table with filters, columns, and per‑row actions like preview, print, and edit.
  </IconCard>

  <IconCard title="CSV Upload" icon="upload">
    Import POs in bulk using a guided CSV upload with location and template selection.
  </IconCard>
</CardGrid>

## How to Access and Navigate

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<Steps>

1. **Open Purchase Orders**

   Click **Purchase Orders** in the main menu. The page header shows the title "Purchase Orders" and tools for filters, columns, and actions.

2. **Use Saved Filters**

   Click **Filter List** to pick a saved filter. The table updates using advanced search (applies `search_v3` under the hood).

3. **Customize Columns**

   Open **Columns** to show/hide fields and reorder them. Your preferences are saved per user/view.

4. **Actions Menu**

   Click the three‑dot actions button in the header to quickly **Create purchase order** or **Import CSV**.

</Steps>

## Key Features

<CardGrid>
  <IconCard title="Purchase Order Table" icon="table">
    A lazy‑loaded, scrollable table with selection and expandable rows. Expand a row to view shipment details related to that PO.
  </IconCard>

  <IconCard title="Row Actions" icon="more-horizontal">
    Per‑row menu includes: **Preview**, **Print**, **Download** (draft only), **Edit** (draft only), **Clone**, **Resend Email** (non‑draft), and **Remove** (draft only).
  </IconCard>

  <IconCard title="Preview & PDF" icon="file-text">
    Open a PO preview in a dialog, print as PDF, or download the PDF file when available.
  </IconCard>

  <IconCard title="Pagination" icon="list-ordered">
    A paginator is shown below the table. Change rows per page and navigate across result pages.
  </IconCard>
</CardGrid>

## Creating and Importing POs

### Create a Purchase Order

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<Steps>

1. **Header Actions → Create purchase order**

   From the actions menu, choose **Create purchase order**. You’ll be routed to `/po-create` to build a draft PO.

2. **Complete and Save**

   Fill in the details and save. Draft POs can be edited until confirmation.

</Steps>

### Upload Purchase Orders by CSV

Open the actions menu and select **Import CSV** to launch the guided dialog. Tabs include:

- **Upload Purchase Orders by CSV**: step‑by‑step flow
- **Templates**: view or download available templates

<SupademoEmbed demoId="cmkcqrvx24b9cke4xapqst55g" />

<Steps>

1. **Upload CSV File**

   Select your `.csv` file. You can remove and reselect before continuing.

2. **Select Fulfillment Location**

   Choose a location where items will be received.

3. **Select Template**

   Pick a CSV mapping template (if none available, you’ll see "No templates available").

4. **Finish**

   Confirm to upload. A success message appears; you can view status in **Feed History**.

</Steps>

## 💡 Best Practices

<CardGrid>
  <IconCard title="Use Saved Filters" icon="bookmark">
    Save commonly used criteria (e.g., supplier, status, date range) and apply with one click.
  </IconCard>

  <IconCard title="Keep Columns Focused" icon="sliders">
    Hide fields you don’t need and reorder important ones to the left for faster reviews.
  </IconCard>

  <IconCard title="Work in Draft First" icon="edit">
    Create and refine POs in **Draft**. Edit and download options are available while in draft.
  </IconCard>

  <IconCard title="Preview Before Sending" icon="eye">
    Use **Preview** and **Print** to verify contents before emailing suppliers or confirming.
  </IconCard>
</CardGrid>

## Troubleshooting

- **PO actions disabled**: Some actions only appear based on status (e.g., Edit/Download for draft; Resend Email for non‑draft).
- **POs not showing**: Clear saved filters, remove search criteria, or adjust pagination. Ensure the correct fulfillment location is selected during CSV import.
- **CSV upload issues**: Verify file format and selected template. After upload, check **Feed History** for processing status and errors.

## Receiving Inventory

How inventory is received depends on your fulfillment location type:

### Local Fulfillment Locations

For local (OmniOrders-managed) fulfillment locations, you manually process incoming inventory:

- Click **Process** button when shipment is "in transit"
- Enter received quantities for each item
- System updates inventory as items are received
- See [Process PO Shipments](/purchase-orders/process-shipments/) for detailed receiving workflow

### External Warehouses

External warehouses ([ShipEdge](https://www.shipedge.com), Amazon, 3PLs) receive inventory automatically:

- Warehouse receives shipment and updates their system
- Inventory syncs to OmniOrders via API or webhook
- No manual processing needed in OmniOrders
- Progress bars show received quantities automatically

:::note[Location Type Matters]
The receiving method depends on your fulfillment location type. Check your location's type in Fulfillment Locations settings if you're unsure which workflow applies.
:::

## Related Links

**Next Steps:**

- [Creating Purchase Orders](/purchase-orders/creating/)
- [PO Shipments](/purchase-orders/shipments/)
- [Process PO Shipments](/purchase-orders/process-shipments/)
- [Managing Suppliers](/suppliers/managing/)
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