Know which POs need attention
Purchase orders sort into Open, Overdue, Partially received, and Received. Any open PO past its expected date gets flagged as overdue.
Purchase order management
Buy with a clear trail from PO to receipt.
With adorabl's purchase order management software, each purchase moves from the purchase order (PO) you send your supplier through receiving, bill matching, and payment. Your inventory and books will update as stock arrives, so you'll know what's on order, what's on the shelf, and what you owe.
Stop reconciling POs in a spreadsheet.
If your purchase orders live in a spreadsheet, your receiving notes live on a clipboard, and your bills live in QuickBooks, matching them up turns into a monthly chore. adorabl keeps the purchase order, the receipt, and the bill on one trail. Stock that arrives before its bill will sit in GRNI, so your books will show what you owe before the bill shows up.
Receipts that match the truck
Receive everything from one supplier in a single receipt, even when the delivery covers several POs. Drafts don't hold any stock, and posting checks what's still open before anything updates.
Match before the books move
Each stocked item on a supplier's bill has to match a posted receipt within your price tolerance. When adorabl can't tell which receipt a line belongs to, it asks you to pick instead of guessing.
From open PO to matched bill.
adorabl runs the purchase order process in four steps, from adding a supplier to matching their bill, then hands the bill to accounts payable for payment.
- 01
Add the supplier
Set up each supplier with their remit-to address and payment terms before you send a PO. When you start a new order, you'll see how many POs are already open with that supplier.
- 02
Confirm the purchase order
Choose the supplier, dates, ship-to warehouse, and each item's quantity and unit cost. Drafts stay editable, and confirming the order opens it and assigns the PO number.
- 03
Receive the delivery
Start a receipt from the supplier or the PO. One receipt can cover every open PO that arrived on the same truck. Uncheck anything that didn't show up, then post to update stock and GRNI.
- 04
Match the bill
Enter the supplier's bill from the receipts or POs, and adorabl runs a three-way match. Each stocked line has to match a posted receipt, and the unit price has to fall within tolerance before the bill posts.
Buy for stock, for one order, or for drop ship.
One purchase order covers every buying path: restocking your shelves, buying for a single customer order, or having your supplier ship to the customer. adorabl keeps inventory and purchase order records in sync on each path.
Stock replenishment
Restock a warehouse for everyday demand. Receiving raises on-hand counts, and shipping an order later reduces inventory and posts cost of goods sold (COGS).
Purchase to order
Purchase-to-order means buying stock for one specific customer order instead of for general inventory. Mark the sales order line, and adorabl creates the linked PO for your preferred supplier. Receive the stock, then ship the order.
Supplier drop ship
Your supplier ships to your customer in a drop ship, and the goods never enter your warehouse. Confirm the ship-to address on the PO, add the supplier's tracking number, and adorabl takes the cost from the supplier's bill.
One truck, several POs
When one delivery covers several open POs from the same supplier, start the receipt from the supplier, keep the open lines checked, and uncheck anything that's back-ordered.
Know where every PO stands.
Purchase order tracking in adorabl starts with a clear status on each PO. Drafts stay quiet until you confirm them, and PO numbers assign only when you confirm or post.
| Status | What it means |
|---|---|
| Draft | Still editable; the PO number assigns when you confirm |
| Open | Confirmed and waiting on delivery |
| Partially received | Some items arrived; the rest are still on the way |
| Received | Every line has arrived |
| Closed / Cancelled | Closed out or voided before everything arrived |
If a supplier has an email on their default address and your email sending is verified, adorabl emails the purchase order as soon as you confirm it.
Receive once. Stock and books move together.
Receiving a delivery updates stock on hand, posts inventory and GRNI entries to each item's default general ledger accounts, and moves each linked PO forward in one step.
- Save a receipt as a draft to keep it editable without touching stock. The receipt number assigns when you post it.
- Two drafts for the same PO line can't both post in full, because posting rechecks what's still open.
- The receiving warehouse defaults to the first PO's ship-to address, and you can change it line by line.
- Each saved PO has a relationship map that traces the supplier, receipts, bills, and journal entries behind it.
Partial receipts, PO changes, and three-way match.
Short shipments, PO changes, and price differences are part of buying. adorabl protects quantities already received or billed and keeps a clear record of what changed.
Change a PO without losing the history
Change quantities, costs, dates, or lines on open and partially received POs. adorabl asks why and saves a before-and-after snapshot. Item details on lines already received or billed stay locked.
Receive a short shipment
Enter the quantity that arrived. The PO moves to Partially received until the rest posts on a later receipt.
Price tolerance on match
adorabl's accounts payable three-way match checks each bill's unit price against the matched receipt. By default, the price has to fall within 2% or $1 per unit. Outside that range, posting stops and tells you why.
Copy without history
Copy a PO to start a new draft with the same supplier, warehouse, terms, and lines. Receipts, billed quantities, bills, payments, and sales order links stay with the original.
Example · Trail Ridge Outfitters
One supplier order, from PO to payment.
Trail Ridge Outfitters restocks its Denver warehouse with trail backpacks from Apex Supply Co.
1. The PO goes out
Trail Ridge orders 200 backpacks from Apex Supply Co. at $42.00 each, shipping to its Denver warehouse by March 18.
2. The delivery arrives
The backpacks arrive a day early, on March 17. Trail Ridge posts the receipt, stock on hand goes up by 200, and the PO moves to Received.
3. The bill matches, and Apex gets paid
Apex's bill for $8,400 plus freight matches the PO and the receipt, and Trail Ridge pays Apex in full.
If Apex had shipped 120 backpacks early, the PO would stay Partially received until the other 80 arrived.
Tied to inventory, warehouse, orders, and books.
Purchasing touches everything else you run. See how the rest of adorabl connects.
Inventory management
Posted receipts update stock on hand and post the inventory and GRNI entries.
Warehouse management
The ship-to warehouse on the PO and receipt decides where stock lands, down to the bin when you use bins.
Order management
Purchase-to-order and drop ship lines create linked POs from the sales order.
Accounts payable and financials
Matched bills post to accounts payable, and payments apply to open bills and clear at the bank.
Purchase order questions, answered.
What is purchase order management software?
Purchase order management software tracks each purchase from the order you send a supplier through receiving, bill matching, and payment. adorabl's purchase order software for small business and growing brands will connect those purchases to your inventory and accounts payable, so each purchase order (PO), receipt, and bill will share one trail.
What does procure to pay mean?
Procure to pay is the full buying cycle: choosing a supplier, issuing a purchase order, receiving the goods, matching the supplier's bill, and paying it. In adorabl, each step will link to the one before it, so you'll be able to trace any payment back to the purchase order and receipt behind it.
What is three-way match?
Three-way match compares the purchase order, the receiving record, and the supplier's bill before payment, so you pay only for what you ordered and received at the agreed price. adorabl will check that each stocked line on your bill matches a posted receipt and that the unit price falls within your tolerance before the bill posts.
What's the difference between a purchase order and an invoice?
A purchase order is the document a business sends a supplier to confirm which items it's buying, how many, and at what price. An invoice, or bill, is what the supplier sends back asking for payment. In adorabl, you'll match each supplier bill to its purchase order and receipt before paying it.
Can one receipt cover multiple purchase orders?
Yes. In adorabl, you'll start a receipt from the supplier, and it will pull in every open purchase order and line for that supplier. Uncheck anything that didn't arrive in this delivery, then post once. That one receipt will update stock and move each linked purchase order forward.
When does inventory update after a delivery arrives?
Your inventory will update when you post the receipt. Draft receipts stay editable and won't touch stock. Posting will raise stock on hand, record inventory and goods received not invoiced (GRNI) entries, and move each linked purchase order to Partially received or Received.
What's the difference between purchase-to-order and drop ship?
Purchase-to-order buys stock for one specific customer order and receives it into your warehouse before you ship it. With drop ship, your supplier ships straight to your customer, so your inventory never changes and the supplier's bill records the cost. adorabl creates the linked purchase order from the sales order line either way.
Can I change a purchase order after I send it?
Yes, as long as it's open or partially received. adorabl will ask for a reason and save a before-and-after record of each change. Item details on lines already received or billed stay locked, and you can lower a quantity only as far as what's already been received or billed.
Put your purchasing on one trail.
Start on the free tier and add more as your business grows, or talk to us about moving your purchase orders over from NetSuite or another system.