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Automate procurement with purchase order software

Tired of wasting time with slow, inefficient purchasing processes? A purchase order management system will save you time, improve accuracy and increase profitability.
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The benefits of purchase order software

An automated purchase order system means less time managing purchase requests and more time managing costs and vendor relationships.
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Boost efficiency and eliminate errors

Free your team from repetitive and error-prone manual processes. Our online purchase order (PO) software automatically generates your purchase orders from approved requests, allowing you to quickly and accurately create, track, and manage purchases.

Gain financial control and track spending

Use purchase order tracking software to keep budgets and cash movements within their approved limits. Make sure that deliveries match approved spending and are acknowledged on receipt.

Frictionless document storage and retrieval

Centralise documents digitally and view purchase history at any time. Our purchase order system provides instant access to all your purchase order documentation in a secure, centralised, and filterable location.

Make smarter decisions with real-time insights

Customisable, real-time dashboards give you the insights you need to stay on top of purchasing and vendor activity. Our purchase order management software shows you precisely how your procurement relates to your budgets, helping you make the right decisions for your business.
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Streamline approvals for seamless operations

Keep your buyers and sellers informed at every stage of the procurement cycle with our purchase order management system. It keeps order workflows up to date so you can electronically notify all parties of order requests, approvals, inventory status, tracking, and deliveries.

The key features of purchase order management software

Say hello to faster, smarter purchasing. Use purchase order solutions to speed up purchase requisitions, approvals, receipt of goods and services, and vendor payment across multiple locations.

Automated PO creation and processing

Quickly create, track and manage all your orders with automated workflows.

Customisable rules and branding

Set accounting workflows and rules, and personalise POs with brand logos and details.

Advanced inventory tools

Easily track, value and manage your stock to minimise costs, improve cash flow and reduce risk.

Multi-currency support

Handle international orders with multi-currency support.

Reporting and analytics

Make data-driven decisions with a real-time view of your business performance.

Flexible payment options

Get flexible payment options such as credit card, PayPal and other payment gateways.

Explore our purchase order software

Slash your invoice-to-payment time with a purchase order system that eliminates tedious data entry.

Sage Intacct

The leader in cloud accounting and financial management software. Perfect for scale-ups to global enterprises. Bespoke pricing, tailored to your business.
  • Track multiple accounts in real-time
  • Consolidate multiple entities and more in minutes
  • Collaborate from a single source of truth
  • Make strategic decisions with dimensional reporting and analytics
  • Open APIs allow multiple, stable, secure integrations
Sage BOB Expert Icon

Sage 50 Accounts

Desktop accounting software with cloud connectivity, giving you a complete view of your business finances and inventory.

Desktop accounting with cloud connectivity for small businesses with advanced needs:

  • Manage cashflow to stay in control and grow your business
  • Accept payments easily and get paid faster
  • Full visibility and control of your payments from anywhere
  • Automate the admin and save yourself hours of work
  • Make complex accounting simple with advanced stock management

Renee Boyle

Chief Financial Officer, Dinges Fire Company

The Sage Intacct order entry process, and the dropship automation has saved us thousands of hours in a month, eliminating duplication of efforts. With Sage Intacct there's no risk of human error by entering different information on the sales order and purchase orders.

Purchase order software FAQs

Purchase order (PO) software automates the process of creating, sending, and tracking purchase orders, eliminating the need for paper-based systems.

A purchase order is a document a buyer sends to a supplier, specifying the goods or services being ordered, along with details like quantity and price. By using preset templates and autofill fields, digital PO software streamlines this process, making it faster, more accurate, and more efficient.

Real-time tracking helps manage inventory levels and order status, while additional features, such as automated approval workflows, supplier management, and analytics, support efficient procurement and supply chain management.

Purchase order software manages the procurement process from requisition to payment, routing approval requests to the right team members. It generates and tracks purchase orders, monitors deliveries, and cross-checks invoices to ensure compliance with company policies.

Integrated with accounts payable, the software handles payments for purchased goods or services and provides financial reports for tracking procurement expenses.

Using a purchase order system, you can create a reusable purchase order template to streamline each transaction. An effective purchase order should include essential details to prevent delays:

Your business’s contact information.

  • Vendor’s contact information.
  • PO details – including the PO number, PO date, and vendor ID (if applicable).
  • Order specifics – line items with product details like quantity, price, discounts, shipping method, and delivery date.
  • Payment terms – terms and any billing information, such as account or credit card details.
  • Additional notes – any special instructions or information needed to complete the order.

A purchase order typically includes several essential fields, such as the transaction date, payment deadline, purchase amount, vendor information, payment terms, and requester details. These fields capture all necessary purchase information to keep the order clear and complete.

PO software can simplify this process by letting you create customised templates for each supplier or transaction. It automatically covers all essential fields, so you don’t have to worry about missing important details, streamlining and accelerating the creation and dispatch of each purchase order to ensure accuracy and compliance.

Tracking multiple purchase orders is easy with PO management software. You can view the status of each order—whether sent, fulfilled, or billed—all in one place. Notes and delivery timelines can be added or updated as needed, helping you monitor progress and make adjustments as orders progress. This centralised tracking helps you stay organised and ensures timely fulfilment.

Purchase order management software lets you control who can access, approve, and manage purchase orders within the system. By setting user roles and permissions, you can specify which team members have access to specific actions, such as creating, editing, or approving orders. This level of control ensures that only authorised staff handle each step of the purchasing process, supporting security and compliance.

The ideal digital solution is easy to use and customisable, allowing companies to easily tap into the benefits of a purchase order system, including fast and error-free processing.

The simplest option might be to choose an accounting and ERP system that includes purchase order processing, so it integrates seamlessly with your financial and inventory management. Additionally, look for easy compatibility with vendor portals, ideally through prebuilt integrations or open APIs.

The best systems provide prebuilt reports as well as easy-to-create ad-hoc reporting, a centralised electronic document repository, customisable workflows and electronic approvals.

Make sure the solution complies with relevant regulatory requirements and standards for your industry. If your business is growing, select a scalable solution.

Practical advice about purchase order management

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