Create a supplier purchase order

Order parts or materials from a supplier by drafting a purchase order, linking it to the work order that needs them, and submitting it for approval.

In the sidebar, open Sales & Billing, then Purchasing, then Purchase Orders. The page address is /purchase-orders. A new order opens at /purchase-orders/new.

A supplier purchase order (PO) is what Nova sends to a supply house or wholesaler. It is not the PO number a customer gives you; that stays on the customer's work order and invoice.

Before you start

• The supplier has to exist. See Add a supplier, or press Manage suppliers inside the form.
• Your role needs permission to create purchase orders, view suppliers and manage costs. If you do not see New supplier PO, ask your admin.

Steps

1. Press New supplier PO. A blank order opens.
2. Choose the Supplier from the list.
3. Under Work order (optional), pick the work order that needs these materials. Skip it for stock that is not for one customer. You can also link a Project (optional).
4. Choose the Supplier delivery destination: the branch that will receive the delivery. When a work order is linked, leaving it blank uses that work order's destination.
5. Set the Expected delivery date and any Shipping cost.
6. Under Items ordered, fill in the first line: pick an inventory item or type a description in Inventory item or description, then set Quantity, Unit cost and Tax rate (%). Press Add item for each extra line.
7. Write anything the supplier needs to know in Supplier instructions. Internal notes stay inside Nova and are never shown to the supplier.
8. Press Create draft. Nova saves the order with the status Draft and gives it a PO number.

What you see

• The Expected subtotal updates as you add lines.
• The list page shows every order with its number, supplier, Job / destination and Status. The three cards above it count orders that are open, awaiting approval and being received on this page.
• Open the Filters panel to show one Status (Draft, Submitted, Approved, Sent, Partially received, Received or Cancelled) or one work order.
• A draft's page offers Edit, PDF and Discard draft. Discarded drafts can be brought back from Recently discarded at the top of the list.

If something looks different

• New supplier PO is greyed out: your organization's currency is not set. Hover the button to read the message.
• Create draft refuses: every line needs a description and quantity, and the order needs a destination.
• You want to send the order or record what arrived: see Send a purchase order and receive the items.

Start a new supplier PO