Order Requests

The Order Requests function allows for one or more intermediate approval steps between a request to order a part and a live purchase order. This gives you more control over the ordering process. An Order Request must be approved before the request is turned into an actual purchase order.

The Order Requests function is part of a process of converting requisitions into purchase orders. Prior to this function, you had two options for creating purchase orders:

  • Manually enter an order using the PO Transactions function.
  • Use the Requisitions function to push orders into the PO transactions tables.

The Order Requests function provides two additional workflow options:

  • Manually enter a purchase order request. After going through all the approval steps, turn the request into a live purchase order.
  • Use the Requisitions function to push orders into the Order Request system. After going through the approval steps, turn the request into a live purchase order. See the Purchase Order Requisitions topic for more details on entering purchase requisitions.

The Order Requests function looks very similar to the PO Transactions function, but there are some key differences:

  • When you enter an order request, you are not required to enter a Vendor ID until the order request is approved unless the business rule requiring the vendor is set to Yes.
  • Inventory on-order quantities are not updated for order requests. Order requests are treated like requisitions for inventory quantity considerations.

The information for the purchase order requests is stored in the same tables as the actual purchase orders, similar to the way that sales quotes are in the same tables as actual sales orders. However, unlike sales order, the PO order requests and live orders will be completely filtered so that you will not see live orders when using the Requests function, and you will not see requests when you are working with live orders. In other words, the Order Requests function will only display requests, not active purchase orders, when you use it.

Order requests are also grouped with PO requisitions for Requirements Planning and Reorder processing.

Select To
Update Unlock fields for editing.
Copy Allows you to copy purchase order information from an existing purchase order.
Exchange Rate Edit, if applicable, the exchange rate before saving the transaction. Once you save the transaction, you cannot change the exchange rate.
Print Print the order request.
Deposit Enter a purchase order request deposit or prepayment. See the PO Deposits Overview for more information.
Submit Submit an order request and send it to the first approver. Only users that are set up as a 'requester' or 'Both' are allowed to submit order requests. See the Submit entry for more information.
Approve Approve an order request and make it into a new, live purchase order. Only users that are set up as an 'Approver' or 'Both' are allowed to approve order requests. See the Approve entry for more information. Approving a request will create a live PO and update the inventory on-order quantities.
Decline Decline an order request and send it back to the requester. Only users that are set up as an 'Approver' or 'Both' are allowed to decline order requests. See the Decline entry for more information.
Budget Info If applicable, Budget Status Info will display the budget period and year the request will be applied to. If available, you can review the budget information for the account by clicking the Budget Info button on the toolbar. See more information.

A requester may enter a new order request and submit the request for approval.

The next approver in line in the selected route will approve or decline the request, then the request goes to the next user in line in the route, and so on, until the final approver approves the request to become a live purchase order. Approving a request will create a live order and update the inventory on-order quantities.

You can also use the Approval Request View to review and approve or decline the order request.

Screen header:

  • Click the New button to open a blank purchase order request. The system will generate a new purchase order request number.
  • If you are entering a New purchase order, the Copy button will be active. Use the Copy button to copy information from a previous purchase order transaction with the same vendor.
  • If you want to edit a purchase order request, select one from the Request No. drop-down list. You cannot edit a request that is in 'Pending' status. See the Open Request View topic for information on deleting pending requests.
  • The Net Due read-only field displays the total minus the prepayment and discount amounts.
  • An identifier for the source transaction will appear as a prefix to the request number that is added to the Notes field when the request is automatically generated or initiated from another application such as Sales Order, Project Costing, Production, or Service Director.

  1. In the Batch Code field, select a batch code for the request from the drop-down list. The description of the batch appears for verification. This field only appears if you elect to use batch processing in the Business Rules function.
  2. Accept or edit the request date in the Request Date field.
  3. Select a Location ID to use when you are purchasing items. If you need to edit or add a location ID, double-click the ID in the field to open the IN Locations screen.
  4. Select the Vendor ID for the request. The vendor's currency ID, and currency exchange rate (if using multicurrency) appear. A vendor ID is not required on a request until you approve it or make it a live purchase order.

    To enter a vendor you plan to deal with only temporarily, double-click in the Vendor ID field to open the AP Vendors screen. Enter vendor information. On the Defaults tab, mark the Temp Vendor check box, and save the vendor. Temporary vendors that have balances of zero are removed when you perform periodic maintenance.

    Inventory on-order quantities are not updated for PO requests, since requests are treated like requisitions for inventory quantity considerations.

  5. Enter the requested shipping date in the Req Ship Date field.
  6. If you are entering a new purchase request, the Copy button will be available on the toolbar. Once you enter or select a vendor ID, use this button to open the PO-Copy Request window to copy information from an existing PO transaction for the same vendor, if applicable.
  7. Request amounts may be entered in any Active Currency. Select the Currency ID for the request from the drop-down list. Once the request has been saved, the currency cannot be changed.
  8. Use the Exchange Rate, if available and applicable, to edit the exchange rate before saving the request. Once you save the request, you cannot change the exchange rate.
  9. Enter the name of the person who made the purchase order request in the Ordered By field.
  10. Enter the name of the person who received the purchase order request in the Received By field.
  11. Enter, edit, or delete Notes specific to the request.
  12. Click the Save button on the toolbar to save your changes.

  1. Select a Ship-To ID. If you select an existing ship-to ID, address information for that ID automatically populates into the applicable fields. Double-click in the field to open the Ship-To Addresses function to set up ship-to addresses. If you enter a ship-to ID with a different distribution code or tax group ID than the vendor in the order request, messages appear asking if you want to assign the ship-to ID’s tax location to the request and recalculate the sales tax.
  2. Enter or edit the Ship Via method used to ship the items.
  3. Enter the Shipping Terms. Common entries might be destination (the vendor pays), origin (your business pays), or C.O.D. (Cash On Delivery). Another common entry might be the name of a city, meaning the vendor pays to move the goods to the city and you pay to move goods beyond that point.
  4. Mark the Drop Ship check box to indicate whether the shipment will be shipped directly to another vendor or customer without being received through your system as inventory.
  5. Be aware of the purpose of the Requested Ship Date field and the Expected Receipt Date field. It is important to use these values correctly, which will give you more accurate requirements planning data. See the PO Requested Ship Date Usage Overview for more details. Select an expected receipt date and/or a requested ship date in the appropriate field(s).
  6. Enter or edit the Attention information, as applicable.
  7. Use the Name field to enter or edit the name.
  8. Enter or edit the address information in the appropriate fields, as necessary. If you enter a ship-to ID with a different distribution code or tax group ID than the vendor in the request, messages will appear asking if you want to assign the ship-to address' tax location to the request and recalculate the sales tax.
  9. Click the Save button on the toolbar to save your changes.

  1. The read-only Taxable and Nontaxable fields display the taxable and nontaxable amounts, respectively, for the order.

    Note: NOTE: The amounts on this tab will not post to General Ledger when posting invoices. Once the request has been made into a live Po, you must enter your freight, misc, and any prepayment information on the Invoice Totals screen once an invoice has been added to the PO.

  2. Enter the shipping charges in the Freight field, and select the tax class for shipping charges from the Tax Class drop-down list.
  3. Enter the miscellaneous charges in the Misc field, and select the tax class for the charges from the Tax Class drop-down list.
  4. Enter the sales tax amount in the Sales Tax field.
  5. The total amount of the transaction (subtotal + freight charges + miscellaneous charges + sales tax) is displayed in the read-only Total field.
  6. Use the Prepayment field, if applicable, to enter a prepayment portion of the purchase.
  7. Use the Discount field, if applicable, to change the discount amount.
  8. The view-only Net Due field displays the total minus the prepayment and discount amounts.
  9. Select a different Terms Code from the drop-down list, if applicable.
  10. Change the Distribution Code, if applicable.
    Note: If you use multicurrency, you can change the distribution code only if the Payables account associated with the new code is in either the base or the customer's currency. If any open invoices or transactions exist for the customer, the new distribution code must also use that same currency.
  11. Change the Tax Group ID, if applicable.
  12. Mark the Taxable check box to indicate whether the request is taxable.
  13. To split payments:
    • Use the first Payment Dates field, if necessary, to change the first payment due date. The first payment date is calculated from the number of due days in the terms code you selected. These fields do not appear for debit memos.

      Use the second and third Payment Dates fields, if necessary, to change the second and third payment due dates. The second and third payment dates are calculated from the number of due days in the terms code. These fields do not appear for debit memos.

    • Use the first Payment Amounts field, if necessary, to enter an amount for the first payment. The remaining payment, if applicable, appears in the second Payment Amounts field.

      To split the payments further, enter an amount for the second payment in the second Payment Amounts field; the remaining payment appears in the third Payment Amounts field. To split an invoice into more than three payments, post the purchases and then use the Accounts Payable Hold/Release Invoices function. These fields do not appear for debit memos.

  14. Click the Save button on the toolbar to save your changes.

Line Items

Use the following command buttons on the menu bar to work with the line items on the purchase order.

Select To
Re-sequence Reset the line sequence numbers if you've dragged the item lines into a different order (that is, save the new order).
Item History View the quantities, cost, and other purchase information for the selected item and location. Information for open orders that have been received but not yet posted will also appear here.
Source Link Create a link or break a link between a PO Request and a Sales Order, Job Costing, Service Director, or Manufacturing transaction.

Note: To utilize the Source Link button, you must enable the Transaction Link field and select an option other than None for the Generate Purchases from Sales Order field in the Purchase Order Business Rules.
Project Open the Project prompt and select a Project/Task and a Type to associate with the selected line item.

Note: You can remove project/task information by clearing the Project/Task field.

  1. Select the Item ID from the drop-down list for the item you are requesting.

    2. Note: An item ID is required only for Inventory or System Manager items. For example, you can leave the Item ID field blank and enter Miscellaneous Charge in the Description field to record miscellaneous charges in requests.

  2. Enter or edit the item Description, as necessary.
  3. Select a different Location ID, if applicable.
  4. Enter or edit the quantity of items requested in the Qty field.
  5. If applicable, change the default unit of measure in the Unit field. Note: You can only change the default unit of measure if an alternate unit of measure exists for the item and if the record has not yet been saved.
  6. Change the unit cost of the requested item in the Unit Cost field, if applicable. If you interface Purchase Order with Inventory, the most recent cost of the inventory item appears.
  7. Change the extended cost of the requested item (unit cost multiplied by quantity) in the Ext Cost field, if applicable.
    Note: If you change the extended cost, the unit cost automatically adjusts.
  8. Select or enter an Expected Receipt Date in the field, as applicable. See the PO Requested Ship Date Usage Overview for more details.

Use the Toggle button () to switch to field view.

  1. Select the Item ID from the drop-down list for the item you are requesting.

    2. Note: An item ID is required only for Inventory or System Manager items. For example, you can leave the Item ID field blank and enter Miscellaneous Charge in the Description field to record miscellaneous charges in requests.

  2. Enter or edit the item Description, as necessary.
  3. Enter an Additional Description for the item, as applicable. This field is available only if you elected to use additional descriptions in the Business Rules function. If you elected to copy additional descriptions in System Manager or Inventory, those additional descriptions for the item appear.
  4. Select a different Location ID, if applicable.
  5. Select an the Expected Receipt Date field, as applicable. See the PO Requested Ship Date Usage Overview for more details.
  6. Enter the requested shipping date in the Req Ship Date field. This field only appears if you elect to use requested ship dates on line items in the Business Rules function.
  7. When users enter a Sales Order and create a Purchase Order Request for a line item, the Linked check box will be marked.
  8. Enter or edit the quantity of items ordered in the Qty field.
  9. If applicable, change the default unit of measure in the Unit field.
    Note: You can only change the default unit of measure if an alternate unit of measure exists for the item and if the record has not yet been saved.
  10. Change the unit cost of the requested item in the Unit Cost field, if applicable. If you interface Purchase Order with Inventory, the most recent cost of the inventory item appears.
  11. Change the extended cost of the requested item (unit cost multiplied by quantity) in the Ext Cost field, if applicable. If you change the extended cost, the unit cost automatically adjusts.
  12. Click the Save button on the toolbar to save your changes.

  1. Accept or edit the GL account to which you want to post the line item, if applicable, in the GL Acct field. The account description appears under the account number. If the item is an inventory item, this account number will be brought in from the account code assigned to the item in the location selected on the Line Items tab. If the item is not an inventory item, the account number will come in from the account assigned to the vendor. If no account is entered into the vendor setup, the account number will come from the default inventory account set up in the business rules.
  2. Select a Tax Class for the account.
  3. Enter an additional General Ledger description in the GL Description field, if applicable. The description you enter appears in the Description column of the GL Journal when you post the transactions. If you elected to enter the vendor name in GL Description fields in the Business Rules function, the vendor name appears in this field.
  4. If you interface Accounts Payable with General Ledger, select a General Ledger accrual account where you want the item's receipts to post in the Accrual Acct field. When you select an inventory item, the accrual account set up in the account code will default into the field. If you do not select an inventory item, the accrual account from the AP distribution code used in the transaction's Totals tab will default into this field.
  5. Click the Save button on the toolbar to save your changes.

Submit the order request

When you click the Submit button, the Route Information screen appears.

  1. The default route for the user displays in the Route ID field. Accept the route or select a different route from the drop-down list.
  2. Enter Comments for the first approver.
  3. Click the Execute button to submit the order request for approval.

An email will be sent to the first approver in the route selected, notifying them that the order request has been submitted.

Approve the order request

You can approve order requests and make them into live POs using the PO Approval Request View or the PO Order Requests function.

When you click the Approve button, the Route Information screen appears.

  1. The Route ID the requester entered is displayed and cannot be edited.
  2. Enter Comments to be displayed for the next approver in line from the route setup.
  3. Click the Execute button to approve the request and send it to the next approver. If you are the last approver in the route setup, a message appears notifying you the 'Request approval has been updated'.

Once the order request is converted to a new purchase order, it is no longer available to edit in the order requests function. To edit the order, go to PO Transactions and edit the new order there.

Decline the order request

When you click the Decline button, the Route Information screen appears.

  1. The Route ID the requester entered is displayed and cannot be edited.
  2. Enter Comments to be displayed for the requester with a reason the request was declined.
  3. Click the Execute button to decline the request and send it back to the requester.

Deleting or canceling a Request

  1. Select a transaction to delete from the Request No field.
  2. Click the Delete button, on the toolbar, to delete the selected request.
  3. Click Yes at the "Are you sure you want to delete selected record(s)?" prompt.

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