Creating a Purchase Order
Option 1: Create a PO Manually
Go to Parts → Purchase Orders
Click New PO
Select a Vendor (required)
Add parts:
Select existing inventory items
Or create new inventory parts
Enter:
Quantity
Cost
Package configuration (if applicable)
Save the PO
A unique PO number is generated automatically
Option 2: Create a PO from a Work Order (Most Common)
When you request parts from a Work Order, ShopView automatically creates a Purchase Order for those parts.
Important notes:
The PO is automatically linked to the Work Order
You cannot manually assign a separate PO to that Work Order
Each Work Order-generated PO is tied directly to inventory
Sending a Purchase Order to a Vendor
Sending a PO Created from a Work Order
To email a PO to a vendor after ordering parts from a Work Order:
Go to Parts → Purchase Orders
Open the Purchase Order created from the Work Order
Click the Email button on the PO page
Make sure the vendor has an email address saved:
If saved, it will auto-populate
If not, you will need to enter it manually
Send the PO
The vendor will receive the Purchase Order directly via email.
Package / Multi-Pack Items
You can receive packaged items that contain multiple units.
Example:
One package contains 100 connectors
Receiving 1 package adds 100 units to inventory
This feature:
Supports bulk purchasing
Automatically calculates per-unit cost
Applies pricing matrix based on unit cost
Receiving a Purchase Order
When parts arrive:
Go to Parts → Purchase Orders
Open the Purchase Order
Click Receive
Enter the vendor, vendor invoice number and invoice date (all required to receive). Cost and tax are required too, but can be zero and arrive prefilled.
Review and complete receiving
Receiving a PO:
Updates inventory quantities
Stores the vendor invoice
If the stock arrived but the vendor's bill has not, users with the new Received later permission can record Received later per part, so missing paperwork does not hold up the whole job. Received later is off by default for everyone until an admin grants it, and a deferred part keeps counting in Waiting on Parts, because a bill is still owed.
Receiving several purchase orders at once
You do not have to receive one purchase order at a time. On Parts → Purchase Orders, use the selector on the left to tick any number of purchase orders, then click Receive Selected. The Bulk Receive page groups them by vendor so you can fill everything out and receive them together with one click.
Partial receiving is supported, and a missing vendor or part number can be corrected directly on that page.
Receiving all the parts on one work order
Purchase orders created from a work order can now be received from Parts → Purchase Orders as well — previously they could only be received inside the work order itself. Clicking Receive on them opens a single multi-vendor receiving page that brings together all of that work order's purchase orders, each vendor with its own invoice number. When you finish, you land back on the line you started from.
Receiving can now also be done without leaving the work order: receiving opens in place, with parts grouped one card per vendor and anything missing a vendor sorted to the top. To receive purchase orders across many work orders at once, go to Parts → Purchase Orders, where POs are grouped by vendor, missing vendors first, every group collapsed by default, and each row shows its PO number, work order and part count.
The Receive action next to an individual part on the Parts tab covers that part only. If the receiving screen shows a single part rather than the whole work order, that is the reason — open the purchase order instead.
Full walkthrough: Bulk Receiving: Receive Multiple Purchase Orders at Once
Purchase Order Rules & Limitations
Each PO can only contain parts from one vendor
To order from another vendor, create a separate PO
A purchase order line linked to an existing part shows that part's description as read only, so a second product cannot quietly take over an existing part number. To order something different, use Add new special order part.
Purchase Orders are not used for Special Orders
Special Orders are requested against the Work Order line
They can be received on the Work Order, or from Parts → Purchase Orders using the Receive button
Inventory Purchase Order Editing
You have flexibility when working with partially received POs:
Edit or delete items that haven’t been received
Received quantities remain protected
Removing the last item will remove the PO entirely
Special Order parts requested directly from a Work Order line are received onto that Work Order only — they are added to the Catalog as a historical record, but they do not add quantity to Inventory, even after they're received.
To stock a part in Inventory, it must be ordered through a standalone Purchase Order (Parts → Purchase Orders → New PO) or added manually via Inventory using an existing Catalog part. Receiving a PO created this way is what increases your on-hand Inventory quantity.
Managing Inventory Without Purchase Orders
Adding Parts to Inventory without an Invoice
If you need to add parts to inventory without a vendor invoice, such as for shop-supplied items, use the following steps:
Create a Catalog Part:
Go to the Catalog (Parts) section in ShopView.
Create a new catalog entry for the part you want to add (e.g., a consumable item like paint).
Add the Catalog Part to Inventory:
Navigate to the Inventory section.
Select the newly created catalog part and specify the quantity and cost. This method allows you to track the usage of the item and charge it out later without needing a vendor invoice.
Special Cases: Shop-Supplied Items
For items already purchased by the shop, such as consumables or tools, the process is similar to adding parts without an invoice:
Create a catalog entry for the item.
Add the item to inventory with the appropriate quantity and cost. This ensures that all shop-supplied items are accounted for and can be tracked effectively.
Summary
Purchase Orders streamline inventory restocking by organizing vendor purchases into a single workflow. Parts requested from Work Orders automatically generate Purchase Orders, which can then be emailed to vendors, received into inventory, and tracked for cost and history.
Additionally, ShopView allows for inventory management beyond Purchase Orders, enabling users to add parts without invoices and track shop-supplied items effectively.