A Purchase Order (PO) is created by the office to order items from Vendors.
A Purchase Order is only visible to technicians in the mobile app.
Only the office can add a Receipt to a Purchase Order.
In contrast, technicians can interact with Field Orders based on permissions:
Permissions may include the ability to view, create, receive, or add receipt line items to a Field Order.
Technicians can view Purchase Orders but cannot interact with them.
The Purchase Order Table
To view a list of all Purchase Orders:
Hover over Operations → click Purchase Orders.
By default, the most recent POs appear at the top.
Use Table Views for quick filtering.
Click on a status filter to view only POs of that type.
Purchase Order Statuses
PO Status | Description |
Draft | PO has been started in BuildOps, but not submitted to the Vendor. |
Ordered | PO has been placed, but no items have been received. |
Partially Fulfilled | Some PO items have been received. |
Fulfilled | All PO items have been received. |
Void | The PO has been canceled. |
To export all Purchase Orders, click EXPORT (upper right corner) to download an Excel file.
How to Create a Project Purchase Order
1. Navigate to the Project’s Purchasing Tab
From the Project Page, click the Purchasing tab (left side).
Click ADD PURCHASE ORDER.
2. Fill in General Information
PO Type (required) → Select "Auto-Receive" if items have already been received.
Date (required)
Department (required)
Vendor (required) → Select the Vendor or subcontractor.
Assign To → Assign a user to manage the PO.
Project → Auto-fills if created from the Project Page.
Project Manager → Select the responsible Project Manager.
Description → We recommend always filling this in.
Required By → Indicate when you need the order.
Tags (optional).
Direct Payer - Sales Tax → Mark if the Payer is responsible for the sales tax.
3. Add Shipping Information
Ship To Name → Select an employee.
Ship To → Choose Job site, Vendor pickup, or manually enter a shipping address.
Shipping Instructions → Add additional details if needed.
Click NEXT STEP (bottom right).
4. Add Items to the Purchase Order
Search for an Item, then click the name to add it.
Update required fields:
Field | Notes |
Description | Update if necessary. |
Phase | Verify the phase. |
Cost Code | Verify the cost code. Must have a budgeted value. |
Cost Type | Select a cost type. |
Quantity | Enter the item quantity. |
Unit Cost | Enter the cost per item. |
☑ Check "Taxable" if the item is taxable.
⚠️ DO NOT select a Tax Rate or add a Freight Cost due to accounting limitations.
Click NEXT STEP (bottom right).
5. Review & Submit the Purchase Order
Click PREVIOUS STEP to make changes.
Click SAVE or Mark as Ordered (upper right corner).
If SAVE is clicked, the PO remains in draft. If Mark as Ordered is selected, the PO is finalized and ordered.- If a PO remains in Draft due to items requiring action (e.g., items added after initial creation), ensure all actions like marking items as received are completed to progress the PO.
Managing Purchase Orders
Once saved, the Purchase Order Page will display:
Purchase Order Number, Status, and Vendor Information.
Office Notes can be added by clicking View/Edit All Office Notes.
The Order Tab will show:
Receipts, Bills, and Attachments.
Received and billed PDFs once items arrive.
Click Edit (upper right corner) to modify details.
How to Share a Purchase Order
1. Generate a PDF
Click GENERATE PDF (upper right).
Review the PO PDF.
Click SHARE PDF to email it to the Vendor.
2. Email the Purchase Order
The email populates automatically with the Vendor’s email.
Adjust the subject and add additional attachments if needed.
Click SEND EMAIL.
⚠️ If you haven’t yet, click Mark as Ordered.
How to Receive Purchase Order Items
When PO items arrive, you must record them in BuildOps to ensure accurate Project Costing.
1. Update Item Costs Before Generating a Receipt
Open the Purchase Order.
Click the three dots next to an item → Edit.
Update Unit Cost to match Vendor Pricing.
2. Generate a Receipt
Click GENERATE RECEIPT (upper right).
Fill in:
Vendor Document Number
Issued By Date
Payment Terms
Invoice Amount
Update Quantity Received for each item.
Click RECEIVE ALL if all items are received.
3. Post the Receipt
Click POST RECEIPT.
The Receipt status updates to Posted/Synced.- Posting a receipt can also prompt an update to the PO status, transitioning it to Partially Fulfilled or Fulfilled based on the received quantities.
Field Orders Overview
A Field Order is created when a technician needs to pick up materials while on a Visit.
How Field Orders Differ from Purchase Orders
Technicians CAN receive items in the Mobile App.
Office Users can create Field Orders for technicians if needed.
A Field Order can be created from:
The Job/Project page.
The Purchase Orders table.
The Mobile App (if permissions allow).
FAQs
1. Why can’t I select a Cost Type in a PO?
Ensure a dollar amount is allocated in Project Cost Type - Materials.
2. Why can’t technicians upload a receipt for a PO?
Purchase Orders are read-only in Mobile. Create a Field Order instead.
3. What’s the difference between Standard & Auto-Receive POs?
Standard → Items need to be received later.
Auto-Receive → The PO is instantly fulfilled (e.g., permits).
4. How do I return items from a PO?
Add a negative quantity line item to reflect returned items.
5. Can I split a PO across multiple Jobs/Projects?
Yes.