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Creating a purchase order

In Retail POS, purchase orders are used to order stock, track orders across suppliers, and help ensure your inventory numbers stay accurate. You can create purchase orders manually in Retail POS or generate a purchase order draft from a supplier document.

You can manage your purchase order and replenishment settings on the Setup > Inventory page.

Creating a purchase order manually

To create a purchase order in Retail POS:

  1. Navigate to Inventory > Stock control > Orders.
  2. Click Order stock.

    Stock control page with Order stock button.

  3. If prompted, click Continue without document.
  4. Enter the purchase order details:

    • Supplier: Select a supplier for the order. This selection determines which supplier code and cost price are used for products added to the order if there are multiple suppliers recorded. Supplier info can be edited after the purchase order is saved or sent.
    • Ordering for: Select the outlet or outlets where the stock will be delivered. The outlet can be edited after the purchase order is saved or sent.
    • Deliver to: Select the outlet where the order will be received.
    • Delivery date (Optional): The expected order delivery date.
    • Order number: The order number is automatically generated by Retail POS when you select the outlet. You can edit this number to help you identify your orders.
    • Supplier invoice number (Optional): If you have a supplier invoice number, you can enter it for your supplier’s reference.
    • Note (Optional): Add custom information to your orders, like personal reminders or approval notes.

      New purchase order page.

  5. In the Products and costs section, select Choose products or Import via CSV.
    •  

      1. If you selected Choose products, enter the product name in the search bar, or scan the product barcode. If you're scanning products, toggle on Quick scan to automatically add the SKU of a variant product so you don’t have to manually select the variant from the parent product.

        Quick scan mode toggle.

      2. Enter the Quantity of the product you're ordering for each location you're ordering for.

        Product with Quantity field highlighted.

      3. If a product has variants, select the variants and quantity to order, and then click Add variants to order.

        Select variants to add to the order window.

      Adding new products

      1. To add a new product, enter the product name in the search bar, then click + Add "(product name)" as a new product to your local catalog.

        Add a new product to your local catalog.

      2. Fill out the product details in the Add a new product window. You can either add a standard product or a product with variants.

        Add a new product pop-up.

      3. Click Add product.

      Adding products from recommendations

      If you have set reorder points for products, including minimum and maximum quantity levels, you can add products from recommendations for multiple outlets. This feature automatically suggests products that are at or below their set reorder point and can also be used to order stock for unfulfilled sales.

      1. Click Add products from recommendations.

        Products and costs section with the Add products from recommendations button highlighted.

      2. (Optional) Click the Show products from dropdown to select All recommendations, Replenishment methods, or Unfulfilled sales and services, then click Apply filter.

        Choose recommended products to add to this order window with Show products from dropdown active.

      3. Check the boxes for all products you want to add to the purchase order. You can click the product row to view more information about why a product is being recommended for reorder.

        Choose recommended products to add to this order window with Recommended details tab active.

      4. Click Add products to order.

        If a product is in another open or sent purchase order or transfer for the same outlet, it will not be added to the recommended reorder list. If there is a supplier attached to the purchase order, only products from that supplier will be recommended and added to the purchase order.

    •  
      1. If you selected Import via CSV, download the stock order template and open it in Excel or Google Sheets.
      2. Fill out the columns:

        • Handle: The product handle must match an existing product in Retail POS.
        • SKU (Required): The product SKU must match an existing product in Retail POS.
        • Supply price: The per-item supply price.
        • Quantity (Required): The quantity of each item ordered.

          If you selected a supplier when you created your purchase order, all the products imported via CSV must have the same supplier as the supplier selected.

      3. Save your spreadsheet as a CSV file.
      4. In Retail POS, click Import CSV.

        Products and costs section with Import via CSV option selected.

      5. Select the file from your computer and click Open.
  6. (Optional) Record order-related costs and discounts:
    1. Next to Discount, click % (Percent) or $ (Currency) and enter a discount amount for your purchase order.

      Subtotal of products, Discount, Total shipping, and Total import duty fields.

    2. Enter Total shipping and/or Total import duty values. If applicable, use the dropdown to choose Don't apply to items, Distribute based on cost, or Custom distribution. If you select Custom distribution, enter the custom amount in the Shipping field of the product row.

      Product table with Shipping and Import duty amount fields highlighted.

  7. When you're finished adding products, click Save to save the order with an Open status, or click the dropdown arrow next to Save to Save as Sent or Save as Dispatched.

    Expanded Save button with Save as Sent and Save as Dispatched options.

Generating a purchase order from a supplier document

  • Available on Plus, or as an add-on for Basic and Core plans
  • Available in Retail POS on a web browser

You can upload a supplier invoice or packing slip and the AI-powered PO import tool will generate a draft purchase order, matching line items to products in your local catalog. If a match isn’t found, you’ll have the option to create a new product directly from the PO. You can review matches, remap columns, and modify details on the draft purchase order page before finalizing. 

To automatically generate a draft purchase order from a supplier document:

  1. Navigate to Inventory > Stock control > Orders.
  2. Click Order stock.

    Stock control page with Order stock button.

  3. Drag and drop your JPG, PNG, or PDF file or click to upload to locate the file on your computer.

    Order stock with a document pop-up.

  4. Click Use document. The upload process may take a few moments, depending on the size of the file.
  5. On the New purchase order page, review and adjust the Delivery details fields as needed.

    New purchase order page with imported product rows.

  6. Review the product table with the list of products in the document, the associated products in your catalog (if found), and the status of the match:

    • Match: An existing product match was found in your catalog.
    • Existing variant product: An existing parent product match and variant match was found.
    • New: No existing product match was found in your catalog.
    • New variant product: An existing parent product match was found, but not a variant match.

    If you need to correct product matches or remap the columns, follow the instructions in the sections below.

  7. At the top of the page, click Save as open, or click the dropdown arrow next to Save as open to Save as Sent or Save as Dispatched.

Remapping columns

To remap columns in the generated purchase order:

  1. Click Map columns at the top of the product table.
  2. Review the Lightspeed field list and click the Document column dropdown to select the column to be matched.

    Map your columns from document pop-up.

  3. Click Apply.

Correcting product matches or new product names

To correct a product match or update a new product name:

  1. Click the product name in the Product in catalog column.
  2. Enter a product name.

    Product row in hover state showing icons to find a match, update variants, or delete the product.

    If it’s an existing product, click to select the correct match from the list of existing products that appears underneath the product name field. You can also hover over the end of the product row (underneath the Total price column) and click the magnifying glass icon (Find match) to find a match in your catalog.

  3. Press enter or click away to save the update.

Converting a product match to a new product

To unmatch a product and create a new product:

  1. Hover over the end of the product row (underneath the Total price column).

    Product row in hover state showing icons to unlink or delete a product.

  2. Click the unlink (Unmatch and create as new) icon.

Updating variant product matches

To add the product to an existing variant product or as a new variant:

  1. Hover over the end of the product row (underneath the Total price column).

    Product row in hover state showing icons to find a match, update variants, or delete the product.

  2. To add the product to an existing variant product, click the stack with an arrow (Add to an existing variant product) icon > enter a variant product name in the search field > click to select > select a Variant name from the dropdown > click Next.

    To add the product as a new variant, click the stack with a plus sign (Add as a new variant product) icon > enter a variant product name in the search field > click to select > add a Value > select a Variant name from the dropdown > click Next.

    Add to an existing variant product window.

Creating a new variant group

To create a new variant family:

  1. Hover over the product name.
  2. Check the boxes of the products you want to add to a new variant family.

    Product table with selected variants and button to Create a new variant product.

  3. At the top of the product table, click + Create a new variant product.
  4. Enter a product name and select an attribute. Click + Attribute to add additional attributes.

    Create a new variant window pop-up.

  5. Enter the attribute values per product line.
  6. Click Create.

Converting a variant to a standard product

To convert a variant to a standard product:

  1. Hover over the end of the product row (underneath the Total price column).
  2. Click the + (Add as a new standard product) icon.

    Product row in hover state showing icons to find, add, or delete a product.

Removing a product from a generated purchase order

To delete a product row from the product table:

  1. Hover over the end of the product row (underneath the Total price column).
  2. Click the trash (Remove from purchase order) icon.

Adding products to a purchase order from your catalog

You can import products into a purchase order directly from your catalog.

  1. Navigate to Catalog > Products.
  2. Check the box next to any products you want to order.

    Product page with multiple products selected.

  3. Click Choose an action > Add products to purchase order.

    Choose an action dropdown menu with Add products to purchase order option highlighted.

  4. Select Add to an existing purchase order or Create a new purchase order.

    If adding to an existing order, select the order.

    Choose a purchase order pop-up with Add to an existing purchase order selected.

    If creating a new purchase order, select a Supplier and Delivery recipient from the dropdowns. The order number will auto-populate.

    Choose a purchase order pop-up with Create a new purchase order selected.

  5. Click Next.
  6. Enter the quantity of the products that you want to order.

    List of products and quantities, with options to go Back or Add products to order.

    If your cost price has changed from your product's default value, it's important to enter the new value to correctly calculate your average cost and cost of goods sold.

  7. Click Add products to order.

After creating a purchase order, you can manage purchase orders from Stock control > Orders, including:

  • Editing an open purchase order after it's been saved.
  • Sending a purchase order to a supplier.
  • Marking an existing order as Dispatched.
  • Printing a purchase order.

What's next?

Managing and sending purchase orders

Edit, send, and print purchase orders.

Learn more

Receiving purchase orders

Receive full or partial stock orders through a purchase order.

Learn more

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