Purpose

The Purchase Orders module manages the procurement process from order creation through vendor fulfillment. Create purchase orders from contracts or material lists, track expected delivery dates, manage drop shipping to job sites, and integrate with TRUE Accounting for committed job costing. Purchase orders can be created individually or in bulk from material lists, supporting both manual entry and Glazier Studio integration workflows.

Contract Integration
Create POs directly from contracts with automatic setup detail inheritance
Materials Module Integration
Generate POs in bulk from material lists and Glazier Studio exports
Drop Shipping
Deliver materials directly to job sites with automatic address population
AI Auto-Itemization
Drag and drop vendor PDFs to automatically extract line items and pricing
Committed Job Costing
Create committed cost records that appear in WIP reports before invoices arrive
Delivery Tracking
Track expected delivery dates for cash flow planning and labor scheduling

List View

View and manage all purchase order records with powerful filtering and search tools

  • Search POs by vendor, PO ID, or contract
  • Filter by assigned user with "My POs" view
  • Track expected delivery dates and order status
  • Monitor PO amounts and vendor commitments
  • Create POs from contracts or material lists

Search Options

Search and filter purchase order records using multiple criteria including vendor information, PO ID, contract linkage, and advanced filtering options.

Search Option Description
Quick Search Search by vendor name, PO ID, or keywords to quickly find specific purchase orders
All Displays all purchase order records in the system
My POs Shows only purchase orders assigned to the current user, filtered using the Assigned field
Advanced Filter Allows searching using multiple different search criteria simultaneously, including vendor, contract, status, expected delivery dates, and amounts. For more information, see the Advanced Filter guide.

Column Headers

The Purchase Orders List View displays key information for quick identification and status tracking.

Column Description
PO ID Unique purchase order identifier assigned by the system
Vendor The vendor or supplier this purchase order is sent to
Contract The contract this purchase order is linked to (if applicable)
Expected Delivery Date When the vendor is expected to deliver the materials
Status Current status of the purchase order (e.g., Draft, Sent, Received)
Amount Total dollar amount of the purchase order

Actions

Actions available in the Purchase Orders List View for creating and managing purchase orders.

New Create a new standalone purchase order record
Send Send the purchase order to the vendor via email with PO e-form attachment
Print Print or download the purchase order e-form PDF
Delete Remove a purchase order record (only available for draft POs not yet sent)

Selected Record View

Detailed view of individual purchase order records with specialized modes and tools

When a purchase order is selected from the list view, the Selected Record section displays detailed information organized across multiple modes: Overview, Items, Job Costing, Repository, and Activity Log. Each mode provides specialized views and tools for managing different aspects of the purchase order.

Record Modes

The Overview mode displays the purchase order header information, vendor details, shipping configuration, and tax settings.

Header Fields

Field Description
Vendor Vendor or supplier for this purchase order
Contract Contract this PO is linked to (inherited automatically when creating from contract)
PO ID Unique purchase order identifier assigned by system
Vendor Order ID Optional field for vendor's order number when they provide one
Date Purchase order creation date
PO Type Optional dropdown for categorizing purchase order types
Drop Ship Checkbox to deliver materials directly to job site address instead of shop. When enabled, the PO e-form shipping address automatically changes to the job site address from the contract's Options and Setup section.
Requester User who created the purchase order
Vendor Quote Optional link to vendor quote if PO created from quote
Tax Tax rate jurisdiction or tax exempt checkbox for schools, churches, and public projects
Assigned User(s) assigned to this PO for "My POs" filtering

The Items mode displays the line items being ordered, including products, quantities, pricing, and job costing assignments. Items can be added manually, imported from material lists, or extracted automatically using the AI Auto feature.

Item Fields

Field Description
Product/Service Product from catalog or manual entry
Quantity Quantity to order
Unit Price Price per unit
Cost Code Cost code for job costing categorization (preferred by project managers for operational tracking)
Contract Item Schedule of Values line item this cost applies to (preferred by accountants for percent complete analysis)
Date Required Date materials are needed on site
Expected Delivery Date When vendor will deliver materials (critical for cash flow planning and scheduling labor/fabrication)
Notes Additional details about line item (can be shown or hidden on PO e-form)

AI Auto Feature: Drag and drop a vendor's order acknowledgement PDF into the Items section to automatically extract line items, quantities, and pricing.

The Job Costing mode displays committed costs created from this purchase order and provides tools for creating job costing entries.

Auto Job Costing

Click the Auto Job Costing button to automatically create committed cost records from the PO line items. Committed costs appear in Work in Progress (WIP) reports before actual invoices arrive, providing a leading indicator of costs to come. This helps project managers understand upcoming financial obligations and plan cash flow accordingly.

Best Practice: Create committed costs immediately after sending POs to vendors. This ensures WIP reports reflect all pending costs for accurate project tracking.

The Repository mode provides document storage for files related to this purchase order, including vendor quotes, order confirmations, delivery receipts, and other supporting documentation.

Repository Actions

Upload File Upload documents from your computer
Create Folder Organize files into folders for better organization
Download Download files to your computer
Delete Remove files from repository

The Activity Log mode provides a chronological record of all activities, changes, and communications related to this purchase order. This is the recommended location for internal communication instead of emails.

Activity Log Features

  • System-generated entries for PO creation, sends, and status changes
  • Manual notes and comments from team members
  • Email communications captured automatically
  • File uploads and document attachments
  • Timestamps and user attribution for all entries

Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions and step-by-step guidance for working with Purchase Orders

Creating Purchase Orders

Creating a purchase order from a contract automatically links the PO to the contract and inherits setup section details, reducing manual data entry.

Steps:

  1. Navigate to the contract record.
  2. Click the New button.
  3. Select Purchase Order from the dropdown.
  4. System automatically links contract and inherits setup section details (PO text, official name, contract ID).
  5. Select the vendor from the Vendor dropdown.
  6. Configure PO settings (drop ship, tax, dates).
  7. Add line items in the Items mode.
  8. Click Send to activate the PO and email it to the vendor.

Why create from contract: Inherits contract setup details and reduces clicks compared to creating standalone PO and linking manually.

Creating a purchase order from a job allows you to order materials for residential or smaller projects that use the Jobs module instead of Contracts. Use the Items mode to batch select specific line items you want to include on the PO.

Steps:

  1. Navigate to the job record.
  2. Switch to Items mode.
  3. Use the checkboxes to select the line items you want to order.
  4. Click the Actions button.
  5. Select New PO from the dropdown menu.
  6. System creates a PO pre-populated with the selected line items.
  7. Select the vendor from the Vendor dropdown.
  8. Configure PO settings (drop ship, tax, expected delivery date).
  9. Click Send to activate the PO and email it to the vendor.

Tip: Batch selecting items ensures quantities match what was quoted to the customer and saves manual data entry.

Note: Purchase orders created from jobs appear in both the POs module list view and within the job record under the POs button.

The Drop Ship checkbox delivers materials directly to the job site address instead of requiring pickup from your shop. When enabled, the PO e-form shipping address automatically changes to the job site address from the contract's Options and Setup section.

When to Use Drop Ship:

  • Materials should be delivered directly to the job site for installation.
  • Job site is located far from your shop or warehouse.
  • Materials are heavy or bulky and transportation is costly.
  • Vendor offers direct delivery service to job sites.

Requirements:

Contract must have job site address filled in under Options and Setup section. If the job site address is missing, the drop ship feature will not populate the shipping address correctly.

The AI Auto feature allows you to drag and drop a vendor's order acknowledgement PDF into the PO items section. The system automatically extracts line items, quantities, and pricing from the PDF to populate your PO.

Workflow:

  1. Create a purchase order with vendor selected.
  2. Request materials from vendor (email or phone).
  3. Receive order acknowledgement PDF from vendor.
  4. Navigate to the Items mode in the PO.
  5. Drag the PDF into the Items section AI Auto area.
  6. System extracts and creates line items automatically.
  7. Review extracted items and adjust quantities or pricing as needed.
  8. Add cost codes and contract items for job costing.

Important: This feature works after you receive order confirmation from vendor, not before placing the order. The vendor's PDF must contain structured line item data for best results.

Creating purchase orders from material lists allows you to convert takeoff data from Glazier Studio or manual material entries into vendor orders without manual item entry.

Steps:

  1. Navigate to the contract record.
  2. Click View Materials.
  3. Select material items to order by clicking checkboxes.
  4. Click the New PO button.
  5. System creates PO with selected materials as line items.
  6. Select vendor from the Vendor dropdown.
  7. Configure PO settings (drop ship, tax, dates).
  8. Review line items and adjust as needed.
  9. Click Send to activate the PO.

Benefits:

  • No manual entry of line items
  • Accurate quantities and specifications from takeoff
  • Can select multiple items across different materials
  • Maintains connection between materials and POs

Best Practice for Glazier Studio users: Always start with Materials module to import takeoff data, then create POs from material lists. This workflow ensures accuracy and reduces manual data entry errors.

Purchase Order Management

Committed costs are job costing entries created from purchase orders that appear in Work in Progress (WIP) reports before actual vendor invoices arrive. They provide a leading indicator of costs to come, helping project managers understand upcoming financial obligations.

Creating Committed Costs:

  1. Navigate to the purchase order record.
  2. Switch to the Job Costing mode.
  3. Click the Auto Job Costing button.
  4. System creates committed cost records for each PO line item.
  5. Committed costs appear in WIP reports immediately.

Benefits:

  • Cash flow planning with advance visibility into pending costs
  • Accurate WIP reports that include orders placed but not yet invoiced
  • Project managers can anticipate cost impacts before bills arrive
  • Helps identify over-budget conditions earlier in project lifecycle

Best Practice: Create committed costs immediately after sending POs to vendors. This ensures WIP reports reflect all pending costs for accurate project tracking and financial planning.

The Expected Delivery Date field is critical for cash flow planning and scheduling labor/fabrication activities. This date represents when the vendor commits to delivering materials and helps coordinate project timelines.

Key Uses:

  • Cash Flow Planning: Know when payments will be due based on delivery dates
  • Labor Scheduling: Schedule installation crews based on material arrival
  • Fabrication Planning: Plan shop fabrication work around material deliveries
  • Project Coordination: Coordinate with other trades and subcontractors
  • Client Communication: Provide accurate installation timelines to clients

Best Practices:

  • Always confirm delivery dates with vendors before finalizing POs
  • Update expected delivery dates if vendor provides new information
  • Filter POs by expected delivery date to see upcoming material arrivals
  • Use delivery dates to plan labor assignments in advance

When purchasing materials for tax-exempt entities like schools, churches, and public projects, use the tax exempt checkbox in the Tax field on the purchase order.

Steps:

  1. Navigate to the purchase order record.
  2. In the Overview mode, locate the Tax field.
  3. Check the Tax Exempt checkbox.
  4. Attach the tax exemption certificate to the PO in the Repository mode.
  5. Send the PO to the vendor with exemption documentation.

Common Tax-Exempt Entities:

  • Public schools and universities
  • Churches and religious organizations
  • Government projects (federal, state, local)
  • Nonprofit organizations with 501(c)(3) status

Important: Always obtain and attach a copy of the tax exemption certificate to the purchase order. Vendors may refuse to honor tax-exempt status without proper documentation.

Configuration & Settings

Yes, you can customize the purchase order e-form to show or hide specific information like item notes and pricing based on your preferences and vendor requirements.

Customizable Elements:

  • Item Notes: Show or hide detailed notes for each line item
  • Pricing Information: Show or hide unit prices and totals
  • Cost Codes: Display internal cost codes or hide them from vendors
  • Company Branding: Add logo and company information

Common Use Cases:

  • Hide pricing for preliminary quotes or requests for availability
  • Show detailed notes to ensure vendor understands specifications
  • Hide internal cost codes and markup information
  • Customize branding for professional vendor communication

Contact your TRUE administrator to configure e-form settings and templates for your organization.

Both Cost Codes and Contract Items (Schedule of Values line items) serve important but different purposes in job costing. Understanding when to use each ensures accurate financial tracking and reporting.

Cost Codes:

  • Purpose: Operational tracking and cost categorization
  • Preferred by: Project managers and operations teams
  • Use for: Tracking costs by category (labor, materials, equipment)
  • Benefits: Consistent cost reporting across all projects

Contract Items (SOV Lines):

  • Purpose: Revenue recognition and percent complete tracking
  • Preferred by: Accountants and financial analysts
  • Use for: Linking costs to specific contract line items and billing milestones
  • Benefits: Accurate percent complete analysis and WIP calculations

Best Practice: Use both! Assign cost codes for operational tracking and contract items for financial analysis. This provides comprehensive visibility for both project management and accounting teams.

Access to the Purchase Orders module is controlled by user permissions. If you cannot see or access this module:

  1. Contact your system administrator
  2. Request the Module Access (Purchase Orders) permission (ID #1171)
  3. Once granted, you'll find the module in WorkflowsProcurementPurchase Orders

Note: Administrators can manage permissions in SettingsUsers / Access → select user → Access tab.

Purchase order approval workflows are controlled by specific security permissions. Different approval levels can be configured based on PO amounts or user roles.

Key PO Approval Permissions:

  • Originator Approval (Purchase Orders) - Allows user to approve POs as the originator/creator
  • Manager Approval (Purchase Orders) - Allows user to provide manager-level approval
  • Manager Approval (POs - Over Maximum) - Required for POs exceeding the maximum amount set in Company Preferences
  • Delete Purchase Orders - Allows user to delete PO records

Tip: Configure a maximum PO amount in Company Preferences to require additional approval for large purchases. This provides an extra layer of financial control.

Alert notifications for purchase orders are controlled by user permissions. Enable these alerts for users who need to be notified about PO activities.

  1. Navigate to SettingsUsers / Access
  2. Select the user who should receive alerts
  3. Go to the Access tab
  4. Find the Purchase Orders section
  5. Enable relevant alert permissions:
  • Alert when Originator Approval is Confirmed - Notifies when originator approves a PO
  • Alert when Manager Approval is Confirmed - Notifies when manager approves a PO

Note: Enable approval alerts for purchasing managers and accounting staff who need to track when POs are approved and ready for processing.