Purchase orders (POs) help you track items you plan to purchase without affecting your current inventory. Inventory is only updated once you create a bill to receive the items.
Step 1: Enable Purchase Orders
Go to Stores & Files → Inventory Files → File Settings.
In the left panel, click Purchasing & Vendors.
Toggle on Purchase Orders and click Save.
Once enabled, a Purchase Orders section will appear under Purchasing in the ConnectStock tab.
Step 2: Create a Purchase Order
Go to ConnectStock → Purchasing → Purchase Orders.
Click Add New and fill in the details:
Purchase order number
Item(s) and quantities you're ordering
Vendor and expected arrival date
Note: Purchase orders do not affect your inventory. They only document your intent to purchase. Inventory is only updated when you create a bill to receive the items.
Step 3: Receive Items from a Purchase Order
When your items arrive, create a bill to record the receipt:
Go to ConnectStock → Purchasing → Bills and create a new bill.
Link the bill to the relevant PO.
Enter the number of units received.
The PO will automatically track how many units are still outstanding. For example:
If your PO was for 40 units and you receive 35, the PO will show 5 units still open.
If you receive all remaining units, the PO will close automatically.
You can also create a standalone bill without linking it to a PO if needed.
Tracking Purchase Order Status
Each PO displays one of three statuses:
Open — No items have been received yet.
Partial — Some items have been received, but the order isn't complete.
Manually Closed - When a user marks a PO as closed manually
Closed — All items have been received. No further updates can be made.
For additional help, reach out to our support team — we're here to help!