Purchase orders
Record what you order, what arrives, what the supplier bills, and what you pay.
Who uses this
The owner creates and places orders. A user who cannot place orders directly can submit one for approval. A shop worker receives goods at the destination location. A user with purchasing access reviews the supplier bill and payout.
What you need first
- A supplier
- A product
- A stockable location
- Opening books confirmed
Steps
1. Create the order
Open Purchase orders and choose New PO. Select the supplier and stock destination. Add each product, quantity, and unit cost from the quote or order you agreed with the supplier. Save as draft while details are being checked. An owner can place the order; a manager submits it for approval. After it is placed, email the supplier from the order if you need to send a copy.
2. Receive only what arrived
Open the ordered purchase order and choose Receive stock. Enter the quantity physically delivered for each line. If a line differs from the order, choose the reason and add a note. Confirm the receive to add those goods to the chosen stock location. For a partial delivery, record the received quantities now and receive the remaining goods against the same order later.
3. Create and review the supplier bill
After goods are received, choose Create bill on the purchase order. Zemba starts a supplier bill draft from the order. Compare the supplier's invoice number, items, quantities, unit prices, discounts, and currency with the order and goods receipt before approving the bill. The linked purchase order must have the same supplier, location, and currency. A bill cannot claim more units than remain on the order or more units than were received and are still unmatched. Price differences are recorded as a purchase variance for review.
4. Record the payout and match the bank line
For a fully received purchase order, choose Record payout to start a supplier payout. Check the amount, method, and reference, then save or submit it for approval if prompted. This records the supplier payment; it is not the same as paying a bill through Payments Made. When the bank statement arrives, match the debit to the supplier payment already recorded. If you recorded a bill payment in Payments Made instead, match that payment. Do not record the same supplier payment as a new expense.
What done looks like
- Each receipt records actual quantities against the order and updates stock at the destination.
- The supplier bill is linked to the order and matched against received quantities during approval.
- The payment is visible in supplier payments and can be matched during bank reconciliation.
Common mistakes
- Do not receive a quantity that did not arrive. Record a partial receipt and return to the same order later.
- Do not approve a bill until its supplier, location, currency, quantities, and unit prices have been checked.
- Do not resolve a supplier payout as new spending if that payment is already in Zemba.