Entering a Purchase Order

Purchase orders are entered using the Purchase Orders option and progress through the workflow as described in the Purchase Orders Workflow in Web Link Modern Experience.

How to enter a purchase order:

Creating a new purchase order:

1. Select the Purchase Orders menu.

2. On the Purchase Orders screen, click the New button.

Completing header section of a purchase order:

3. At the entry screen, complete the header information:

• Enter the number for the purchase order in the Purchase Order Number field, or leave the field blank to have the system automatically assign the next available purchase order number once the purchase order is saved. If the purchase order was created from a converted requisition and the Purchase Order Number Same as Requisition Number field is selected in the Accounts Payable System File, the number of the requisition (or the one selected as the Primary one, if applicable) will appear but can be changed; if the particular purchase order number is already in use, the field will be blank and can be manually entered or else assigned by the system.

  Note: If the Purchase Order Number Same as Requisition Number field is selected in the Accounts Payable System File, a purchase order number cannot be used if it matches a requisition number that already exists.

  Tip: If having the system assign the purchase order number, click here for details on how the number is assigned.

• In the Vendor field, enter the vendor from whom the goods or services will be ordered or purchased.  If the purchase order was created from a converted requisition, the vendor can be updated at this time, if needed (for example, if a default vendor for the approval tree was utilized and a different vendor needs to be specified).

  Note: If the user is assigned to one or more vendor groups (in the User Security option), the vendor entered here must be included in one of the designated vendor groups.

  Tip:  If a user is defined to have rights to edit vendors, the Add New and Edit options appear on the dropdown search.

• Enter the date of the purchase order in the Date field.

• Enter the date the goods or services are expected to be received in the Expected Date field.

  Note:  The date entered in this field must be within a fiscal year that has already been started within General Ledger; if needed, contact the Business Office and request to have the new fiscal year started.

  Tip: The Expected Date is used to determine the correct fiscal year balances to display for the purchase order.

• Enter a summary description for what is included on the purchase order in the Description field, or enter a V to use the description defined for the vendor.

• If needed, enter the ship to address to stipulate where the order should be sent (and/or which prefix to use for the purchase order number if automatically assigned by the system) in the Ship To field.

  Note:  If the user is assigned to one or more ship to addresses (in the User Security option), only one of the designated ship to addresses can be entered here.

• If applicable, enter the ID of the employee who is requesting the goods or services in the Employee field. If the user is defined with rights to allow employee selection, any employee can be entered; however, if the user is not defined with rights to allow employee selection, the employee tied to the user will default and cannot be changed (or will be blank if the user is not tied to an employee).

• In the Payment Method field, enter the method for which the vendor will be paid for the items included on the purchase order, if desired.

  Tip: This field is for informational purposes only, for grouping and sorting purchase orders by the Business Office.

Completing detail section of a purchase order:

4. Complete the detail information:

   Note: If the specified vendor has one or more default chart of account numbers entered (in the Vendor File), the designated account number(s) will appear in the detail section with each account number as its own detail line; complete the information for the detail lines or delete the lines if needed.

• Select the Print field to print the line item on the purchase order.

• Select the Post field to post the line item to the specified account number.

  Tip:  Typically, the Print and Post fields are both selected, unless you are ordering an item that is split between multiple account numbers; then only select the Print field for the one line item to print on the purchase order to order the item from the vendor, and then for the lines with account numbers, only select the Post field.

  For example, if ordering 100 cases of copy paper expensed to 5 accounts:

  • Enter 1 line for the 100 cases of paper with the Print field selected (and Post field unselected).

  • Enter 5 additional lines with only the Post field selected (and Print field unselected) with the allocation to each of the 5 account numbers.

• If the Post field is selected for the detail line, enter the account number to be expensed for the line item in the Account Number field. Typically, an expense account number is entered in this field.

  Note:  If the user is assigned to one or more account groups for AP & WL Data Entry usage (in the User Security option), the account number entered here must be included in one of the designated account groups.

  Tip:  An additional field appears above the list if the Display Budget Balances field is selected in the Web Link Setup Options:

  • Budget Balance - reflects the budget balance for the account number, including the total of unposted invoices and unposted purchase orders (including the current purchase order).

  Also, an additional field appears if the Display Fund Balance field is selected in the Web Link Setup Options and the account number is in an activity fund:

  • Fund Balance - reflects the balance for the appropriate fund balance account.

• Enter a description for the line item in the Description field, or enter one of the shortcut keys:  

  • V - to use the description defined for the vendor.

  • H - to use the description entered above in the header information.

  • C - to use the description for the account number from the Chart of Accounts.

• Enter the item number or stock number in the Item Number field, if desired.

• If applicable, enter the cost center to track for this line item in the Cost Center field.

• Enter the quantity of the item to order in the Quantity field.

• Enter the cost of one unit of the item in the Unit Price field.

• Enter the unit of the item to order, such as EA for Each or DOZ for Dozen, in the Unit Description field, if desired.

• If the Quantity and Unit Price fields were completed, the total cost of the line item is calculated and displays in the Amount field (if needed, the amount can be changed); otherwise, if the Quantity and Unit Price fields were not completed, enter the amount for the line item in the Amount field.

  Tip: If the line item goes over budget for the account number and the Warn if Purchase Order Over Budget field is selected in the Accounts Payable System File, a message briefly appears at the top of the screen stating the line has a negative budget balance; if desired, make any necessary changes.

• If desired, enter the website address for the item in the URL field.

5. If needed, repeat Step 4 to enter additional detail line items for the purchase order.

   Tip: If needed, to delete a line item, click the Delete button to the right of the desired line, and then click the Delete button when prompted.

   Note:  If desired, click the Shipping button located above the list of detail lines to enter shipping proportionately among multiple line items already entered; when prompted, enter the description and amount for the shipping, and then click the Apply button. The system will expense the shipping amount proportionately and list a second line for each expense account with the proportionate amount.

   Tip:  The Shipping button can also be used to enter a credit (discount) that needs to be applied proportionately to all the line items previously entered by keying in a negative amount when prompted.

Saving and finalizing a purchase order:

6. Click the Save button.

7. If desired, click the Print button to print the purchase order form.

   Tip: The purchase order form prints using the report designated in the Accounts Payable System File in the Default Purchase Order Format field.

   Note: The Print button only appears if the Default Purchase Order Format field is completed in the Accounts Payable System File.

8. If the purchase order is ready for posting by the Business Office, click the Ready to Order button, or wait until all purchase orders have been entered, and then finalize the purchase orders all at once.

9. If the purchase order was designated as Ready to Order, the entry screen appears in order to enter another purchase order; if needed, click the X to close the entry screen.

   Tip:  If desired, click the Save and New button in Step 6 (instead of the Save button) to save the purchase order and add another one.

10. Once all the purchase orders have been entered, print a listing (if the user has rights to do so), and then if needed, to finalize multiple purchase orders from the Purchase Orders screen all at once, select the applicable purchase orders (those with a status of Draft) and click the Ready to Order button at the top of the screen.

    Tip:  If applicable, when printing a listing, be sure to complete the Batch Description parameter for the appropriate batch.

11. Inform the Business Office to post the purchase orders, and if needed, email the purchase orders by completing the Email Purchase Orders option within Accounts Payable.