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Sending and receiving purchase orders for multiple locations

Streamline your ordering workflow with multi-location ordering. If you receive stock and a central location then transfer your retail stores, you can send purchase orders for multiple locations, receive products at your central location, and create transfers to move products to stores.

Creating a purchase order

  1. To create a purchase order in Retail POS, navigate to Inventory > Stock control.
  2. Click Order stock.

    Stock control page with order stock highlighted.

  3. Enter the details for the following information:
    • Supplier: Choose the supplier for the order from the dropdown. This will dictate which supplier code and cost price is used for products added to an order that has multiple suppliers recorded.
    • Ordering for: Click the drop-down and select the outlet our outlets the stock will be ordered for.Ordering for dropdown expanded showing outlets to order for.
    • Deliver to: Choose the outlet where the order will be received.
    • Delivery date: This is the expected date of delivery for the order.
    • Order number: The order number is generated by Retail POS when you select the outlet. You can edit this number to help you identify your orders.
    • Supplier invoice number: If you have a supplier invoice number, enter it here for your supplier’s reference.
    • Note: Add custom information to your orders, like personal reminders or approval notes.Order details fields.

Adding products using choose products

When ordering for multiple locations on one purchase order, you cannot add products using a CSV file or from recommendations.

  1. To add products, type the product name into the search bar or scan the product barcode.

    Items added to a purchase order with the search or scan for products bar.

  2. Enter the quantity of the product you would like to order for each location you are ordering for. If a product has variants, you can select the variants and quantity from the selection modal, then click Add variants to order.

    Adding variants modal with fields to add quantity per location.

    You can view current product inventory levels across all your outlets by clicking the product arrow to show the expanded product details. You can see at a glance how much of the product is in stock, on order, on transfer, and how much of each product was sold in the last 30 days. Expanded product view showing inventory across all locations.

  3. Record any discounts, freight charges, or duties you will incur as part of the purchase order. These amounts can be edited while receiving a purchase order and will not appear on the purchase order you send to your vendor.

    Section to record any discounts or costs associated with the order.

  4. When your purchase order is complete, click Save.Purchase order ready to send with save button highlighted.

Sending a purchase order

  1. Navigate to Inventory > Stock control. 
  2. Locate and click on the order you wish to send, using filters if required.Purchase order ready to send highlighted.
  3. Click Email order and enter the supplier name, email address, and a message if required.Email order button highlighted.
  4. Click Send. The status will change to Sent

    Trial accounts cannot send receipts or stock orders via email. Any emails sent by trail accounts will not be delivered.

  5. Once your supplier confirms the order, you can mark the order as dispatched. Click Mark Order as... and select Mark as Dispatched from the drop-down.

    Drop-down with mark as dispatched highlighted.

  6. If you know the date it will be delivered, enter it and click Next.
    • If you don't know the delivery date, select I don't know when and click Next.
  7. Click Change status to dispatched.

Receiving and distributing a purchase order

You can receive purchase orders and create inventory transfers to your outlets at the same time, ensuring stock is moved to where it's needed and your warehouse doesn't get backlogged with orders awaiting transfers.

  1. Navigate to Inventory Stock control.
  2. Locate the order you wish to receive, using filters if required.
  3. Click on the Receive icon next to the order.Receive order icon beside purchase order highlighted.
  4. If you are receiving a partial order, enter the total number of units received for each product. If you are receiving a full order, click Receive all ordered products.Receive all ordered products button highlighted.
  5. Enter or update any discount, import, or shipping fees information as part of the order.
  6. Click Receive.Receive button highlighted.
  7. Click Receive and distribute delivery. This will create transfers for each location in the purchase order.Multi-location modal displaying receive and distribute delivery button.

To view open transfers from purchase orders:

  1. Navigate to Inventory Stock control.
  2. Click on the arrow beside the purchase order to expand the details.
  3. Click the Distribution tab.Distribution tab showing open transfers associated with the purchase order.

For more information on stock transfers, refer to our Transferring stock in Retail POS guide.

What's next?

Transferring stock in Retail POS

Transfer stock between outlets.

Learn more

Partial inventory counts

Maintain accurate stock with inventory counts.

Learn more

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