PO Receiving - TIPS

When prompted for the invoice number, simply fill in the invoice number with the word "WAITING" which only needs to be done once and you can edit and exit the PO as often as needed.  

However, no one should receive the PO without a packing slip number or the actual invoice number.  Choose DETAILS under View to change the word "Waiting" to the actual number before processing the PO to update stock counts.

When I get only a packing slip instead of an invoice I enter the packing slip number with a PS extension (12345PS) so I know it is not the official invoice number.  This allows me to receive the PO and update the inventory stock counts.  When the final invoice comes in from the vendor I can go to Purchasing: PO History and replace the 12345PS with the actual invoice number.

Large PO's are sometimes difficult to manage.  While editing the PO I suggest you click on Actions: "SORT PO" by Description or Vendor SKU so that everything is alphabetical and easy to find.

PROBLEM: POSitive sometimes leaves product hanging on a PO that will never be received because the vendor won't ever ship the full order.

Example: I order 6 widgets, but my vendor only has 5. So 5 is entered in the PO as received, and one remains on order on that purchase order.  This is automatically assumed to be a vendor backorder thinking that the product will come in a later shipment.

SOLUTION: If the product backordered is not going to be filled you could do one of two things: 1) after receiving all the other items, void the PO with the invalid backorders or 2) change the quantity ordered to match the quantity received.  You cannot do this by editing the item; the Qty Ordered field is not open, but it can be done with the CURSOR FOCUS buttons.

CURSOR FOCUS: Just below the Add/Lookup button at the top of the screen are two arrows which will highlight a specific field.  Place the cursor in the Quantity Field.  Type in a reduced number at the TOP box to match the received value and then press Enter.  When the purchase order is processed, there will not be a vendor backorder of the item.

That is fine.  That person should also be taught how to use CURSOR FOCUS and Sort PO to make life easier.  However, you could also simply receive the PO and make cost adjustments after the fact.  See next comment.

YES! This can be done.  You simply have to ignore the COST column when you receive product because it can be corrected after the fact of receiving.

I am guessing that you are not receiving stock updates "until" the pricing person (see item #5 above) has checked and corrected everything.  This is an unnecessary step.  Let your inventory people receive the PO and get it on the shelf.  Then your pricing person simply edits the received purchase order and makes cost changes as needed.

How?  The pricing person goes to Purchasing: PO History.  Highlight the recently received PO (it will have the packing slip number 12345PS) and choose View PO.

It does not look like costs can be changed, but if you double click on a line item you can access the COST field.  WARNING: do not change the Ordered or Qty Received values even though it allows you to make changes.

When you change the COST in PO History, that cost value automatically ripples down to the inventory items on the shelf to adjust the cost of the item.  And even if the item had been sold to the customer in the interim the cost will automatically update the selling cost in invoice history and hence your profit margin report will be changed automatically.

TIP: be sure the receiving staff chooses SORT PO before receiving the product so that the pricing person will have an easier task of changing costs.