Purchase Orders
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      Create a Purchase Order from Scratch

      Build cloud-based Purchase Order documents efficiently with ConstructionOnline's OnCost™ Purchasing tool

      BACKGROUND

      When managing construction projects, efficiently creating and tracking Purchase Orders is essential for maintaining control over project costs and timelines. ConstructionOnline's OnCost Purchasing tool offers construction companies a smart, streamlined approach to managing their Purchase Orders with expertly engineered options that ensure every construction purchase order is accurately tracked and aligned with the project budget. While ConstructionOnline™ offers three ways to create new Purchase Orders, including the ability to pull from the project estimate or from an approved change order, the ability to create a Purchase Order from scratch allows for maximum flexibility and precision in managing project needs.  

      This article contains the following sections:

      1. Step-by-step instructions
      2. Video walkthrough
      3. Next actions
      4. Additional information

      STEPS TO CREATE A PURCHASE ORDER FROM SCRATCH 

      1. Navigate to the desired Project via the Left Sidebar.
      2. Select the Financials tab and choose the Purchasing category. 
      3. Click the green (+) Create New Purchase Order button at the top of the Purchasing pane and select the "...from Scratch" option from the dropdown menu. 
      4. Within the "Create Purchase Order" window, step through the following tabs to enter Purchase Order information -  
        1. Purchase Order Details 
          1. Project: Link the Purchase Order to a specific ConstructionOnline Project
            1. If creating a Purchase Order within a Project, the current Project will be assigned by default and cannot be changed. 
            2. If creating a Purchase Order from the Company Overview, use the dropdown menu to link the task to a specific ConstructionOnline Project, if desired. 
              1. Projects appear in alphabetical order within the Project dropdown menu. 
          2. Title: Give your Purchase Order a title, or keep the automatically generated title
            1. The default title assigned pulls the number from the PO Number field, described below.
          3. PO Number: A unique identifier for the Purchase Order automatically generated by combining two numbers—the Project ID and a sequential number based on the number of Purchase Orders previously created within the Project
            1. This field cannot be modified. 
          4. Status: Utilize the toggle to set the Status of the Purchase Order
            1. By default, Purchase Orders are created with an "Active" Status.
            2. "Active" Purchase Orders can be marked as "Approved", allowing you to create Bills and/or Payments from the Purchase Order. 
            3. "Draft" Purchase Orders signify that the Purchase Order is not yet ready to be Approved and, therefore, cannot be connected to Bills or Payments. 
          5. Scope of Work: Define the specific tasks or services included in this Purchase Order
          6. Subcontractor/Vendor: Identify the subcontractor, supplier, or individual responsible for fulfilling the Purchase Order by beginning to type the desired name into the field
            1. This field is required. 
            2. Contacts that populate here are pulled from your ConstructionOnline Company Contact List. New Contacts must be added through the Company Contacts page and cannot be added when generating a Purchase Order. 
            3. Only one Contact can be assigned to this field.
          7. Due Date: Set the date your subcontractor needs to agree to the Purchase Order by, or set a deadline for receiving the goods or services specified in the document 
          8. Scheduled Start: Establish the planned start date for the work or services included in the Purchase Order
            1. This field is typically utilized for Purchase Orders defining subcontractor work.
          9. Scheduled Completion: Define the date of completion for the work or services in the Purchase Order 
            1. This field is typically utilized for Purchase Orders defining subcontractor work.
          10. Delivery Date: Specify the expected delivery date for materials or equipment included in the Purchase Order.
          11. PO Type: Categorize the Purchase Order based on its specific purpose or nature (i.e. Material, Labor, Material & Labor, Service, or Other)
            1. This field is unique to the Purchase Order feature and can be customized through the gear icon ⚙️.
          12. Trade: Specify the Trade or specialty involved in the Purchase Order (i.e. Mechanical, Electrical, Plumbing, etc.)
            1. This field can be customized. 
          13. Tags: Assign any predefined keywords or labels to the Purchase Order 
            1. This field can be customized. 
          14. Internal Notes: Provide any additional information or context related to the Purchase Order for internal use
        2. Included Items

          ⭐ At least one Item must be created and selected in order to successfully create the Purchase Order. 
          1. Itemize the Purchase Order via manual entry or by importing Costbook Item(s)
            1. If choosing to enter items via manual entry, select the (+) Add Item button and then fill in the desired Item Name, Description, Quantity, & Unit Cost on the table
            2. If choosing to enter Costbook Items, select the (+) Add Item button and then click the arrow that appears at the very far right of the Item Name field. This will open the "Insert Item From Database" window where you can choose to insert individual Costbook Items into the Purchase Order.
        3. Link to Estimate
          1. Link the newly created Item to your Project Estimate, if desired, by choosing the desired Estimate Category, Subcategory, and Estimate Item from the dropdown menus. 
            1. Linked Purchase Order item totals will appear within the Project Estimate in the Committed Costs column. Unlinked items will not affect the estimate. 
            2. Items that have been successfully linked to the Estimate will be designated by a 🔗 link icon. 
        4. Attachments
          1. Upload any files, photos, or videos pertinent to the Purchase Order
      5. Once you have finalized the new Purchase Order's details, click the blue "Create" button.

      VIDEO WALKTHROUGH 

      NEXT ACTIONS 

      Activated upon the creation of your Purchase Order, ConstructionOnline's Purchasing Timeline provides a visual & actionable guide for the next steps you and your team should take in the Purchasing process. While ConstructionOnline's Purchasing module was designed with flexibility in mind, the Purchasing Timeline can help you and your team stay organized by highlighting the crucial stages that follow after Purchase Order creation, such as activating the Purchase Order, approving it, verifying the work completed, or creating a Bill or Payment. To learn more about utilizing the Purchasing Timeline and what comes next in the Purchase Order process, visit this article. 

      ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

      • Subscription Level: ConstructionOnline's Purchasing module is available for companies with current ConstructionOnline subscriptions at the Team, Business, and Enterprise levels.
      • Permissions: ConstructionOnline Company Users must have Purchase Orders, Bills, and Payments permissions set to "Can Create & Edit" or "Can Create, Edit & Delete" to create new Purchase Orders.
        • Purchase Orders, Bills, & Payments permissions are set and managed at the Company level. For more information on editing Company-Level permissions, visit this FAQ.
      • ClientLink™/TeamLink™ Access: ClientLink and TeamLink Users do not have access to the Purchasing feature via the Project Portal.
      • CO™ Mobile App: The Purchasing feature is exclusively available via browser access to ConstructionOnline. 
        • The Purchasing feature cannot be accessed through the CO Mobile App.

      HAVE MORE QUESTIONS? 

      • If you need additional assistance, chat with a Specialist by clicking the orange Chat icon located in the bottom left corner or visit the UDA Support Page for additional options.