Purchase Orders

Purchase Order Overview

Purchase orders help you control spending and track commitments before you receive invoices. Each PO specifies what you're ordering, from whom, and at what price.

• Draft – PO created but not yet submitted for approval
• Pending Approval – Waiting for approver to review
• Approved – Ready to send to vendor
• Sent – Delivered to vendor, awaiting fulfillment
• Complete – All items received and invoiced

Creating a Purchase Order

1. Go to Purchase Orders in the main menu
2. Click New Purchase Order
3. Select the vendor
4. Link to a project (optional but recommended)
5. Add line items with quantities and prices
6. Add any notes or special instructions
7. Save as draft or submit for approval

Approval Workflows

Set up approval rules to control spending. Purchase orders can require approval based on amount thresholds or categories.

Setting Up Approval Rules

1. Go to Settings → Purchase Orders → Approvals
2. Click Add Approval Rule
3. Set conditions (e.g., "Amount over $1,000")
4. Select the approver(s)
5. Save the rule

Approving POs

Approvers receive email notifications when a PO needs their review. They can approve or reject directly from the email or log in to BuildLedger.

Sending to Vendors

Once approved, send the PO to your vendor via email or through the vendor portal.

Email Delivery

1. Open the approved PO
2. Click Send to Vendor
3. Review the email preview
4. Click Send

The vendor receives a PDF of the purchase order with your business details, the line items, and any special instructions.

Vendor Portal

Give your vendors a self-service portal to view POs, confirm orders, and submit invoices.

Portal Features for Vendors

• View POs – See all purchase orders sent to them
• Confirm orders – Accept POs and provide estimated delivery dates
• Submit invoices – Upload invoices directly against POs
• Track payments – See payment status and history

Enabling Vendor Portal

1. Go to Vendors and select a vendor
2. Click Enable Portal Access
3. Enter the vendor's email address
4. They'll receive an invitation to access the portal

Matching Invoices to POs

When you receive a supplier invoice, match it to the original PO to track fulfillment and catch discrepancies.

Automatic Matching

If the invoice includes a PO number, BuildLedger automatically suggests the match. Review and confirm:

• Quantities match – Same items and quantities as ordered
• Prices match – Same unit prices as the PO
• Totals match – Invoice total equals PO total

Handling Discrepancies

If the invoice doesn't match the PO, BuildLedger flags it for review:

• Price variance – Unit price different from PO
• Quantity variance – More or fewer items than ordered
• Unordered items – Items on invoice not on PO