In this guide, we'll walk you through the basics of our newly launched Purchase Order functionality and what you can expect next. This feature is available for iOS and Android devices too, so whether you're on the go or in the office, you can easily manage your POs from anywhere.
Why Purchase Orders (POs) Matter
POs are key to efficient inventory and purchasing management. They allow your team to keep a clear paper trail of all requests made to suppliers, and ensure transparency throughout the entire process.
This is just version 1 of our PO functionality, and we are continuously working to improve and automate it further. We’re open to any future requests you have as we continue to build out this feature. 💬
📦 From an Accepted RFQ Bid | ✏️ Create Manually | 📋 From the Catalog |
⭐ Most common | Direct orders | Catalog shortcut |
When you accept a supplier's bid on an RFQ, Ply automatically generates a PO. No manual creation needed — the line items, pricing, and supplier details are all pre-filled. | Go to Purchasing → Purchase Orders → Create New and build the PO from scratch. Best when you're ordering directly from a known supplier at an agreed price without a formal RFQ. | Open any material in your catalog and click "Create PO" — Ply pre-fills the material, preferred supplier, and last-known price as a starting point. |
1. Navigating to the PO Section
First things first, let’s check out the new PO tab in the system! Head over to the Purchasing section, and you’ll see a tab called Purchase Orders. Here, you can view all your ongoing POs and filter them by various statuses:
Sent: POs sent to suppliers.
Paid: POs that have been paid.
Partially Received: Materials that are partially received.
Received: Completely received and stocked items.
Canceled: POs that were canceled.
Drafts: POs that are ready but haven’t been sent yet.
🗂️ Archived: PO closed and removed from active view (data kept)
❌ Canceled: PO voided before fulfillment
🚫 Declined: PO rejected during approval or by supplier
Status | What It Means | Who Acts Next |
⬜ Draft | PO is created but not yet submitted for approval or sent to the supplier | Admin reviews and submits for approval (or sends directly) |
🟡 Waiting for Approval | PO has been submitted and is pending internal approval before it's sent to the supplier | Approver reviews and approves (→ Sent) or declines (→ Declined) |
🔵 Sent | PO has been emailed to the supplier and is awaiting confirmation and fulfillment | Supplier confirms the order — status moves to Confirmed |
✅ Confirmed | Supplier has acknowledged the PO and is preparing to fulfill the order | Wait for delivery, then receive materials in Ply |
🟠 Partially Received | Some items from the PO have arrived and been received in Ply — others are still outstanding | Receive remaining items when they arrive; PO stays open |
🟢 Received | All materials have been received and stock has been updated | Mark as Paid once the supplier invoice is settled |
🔷 Paid | PO is fully fulfilled and the invoice has been paid — order is complete | No action needed — archive if desired |
🟡 Archived | PO removed from the active board — all data is preserved for records | No action needed — accessible via Archived filter |
❌ Canceled | PO was voided — the order will not be fulfilled | No action — kept for records and reporting |
🔴 Declined | PO was rejected — either during internal approval or by the supplier | Admin reviews reason and creates a revised PO if needed |
2. Creating a New PO
Creating a new PO is easy! Just follow these steps:
Click on the Create New button on the right-hand side.
Set your status, choose the supplier, and select the job if you want to transfer the PO to a job.
Fill in details such as the contact name, due date, and ship-to date.
You can also upload any files related to the PO or add comments.
3. Adding Materials to Your PO
After entering the basic details, you'll be able to select materials from your catalog. Search for the items, filter them, and add them to your PO. Then, just:
Indicate the quantity you need.
Add any notes if necessary.
Enter the tax rate or shipping cost (if applicable).
Double-check the prices to ensure everything is accurate.
4. Finalizing Your PO
Once you're ready, click Next to review your draft PO. You can make any final tweaks, then hit Create Purchase Order to generate the PO.
The PO will automatically be sent to your supplier via email when you click Change Status to Sent. 📧
You’ll also receive a PDF version of the PO for your records.
5. Managing and Editing POs
Once your PO is created, you have several options to manage it:
Edit: Change any of the details, like quantities or item lists.
Copy: Copy a previous PO (perfect for replenishment requests!).
Add Items: Missed something? Add new items to an existing PO.
Change Status: Update the status of your PO as it progresses (Sent, Received, etc.).
Send to Another Email: Send the PO to another email address if needed.
Cancel or Delete: If you need to cancel the PO or remove it completely, you can do so.
Action | Description |
✏️ Edit | Change quantities, line items, dates, or supplier details. Only available on Draft and Sent POs. |
📋 Copy | Duplicate an existing PO — great for repeat orders from the same supplier. Edit the copy as needed before sending. |
➕ Add Items | Add new materials to an existing PO after it's been created, even if it's already been sent. |
📤 Send to Another Email | Resend the PO PDF to a different email address — useful when the supplier has multiple contacts. |
💳 Mark as Paid | Once you've settled the invoice with the supplier, mark the PO as Paid to close it out. |
❌ Cancel / Delete | Cancel a PO if the order won't be fulfilled. Canceled POs are kept for records — deleted POs are removed permanently. |
6. Creating a PO from the Catalog
You can also create a PO directly from your catalog by selecting an item and following the same process to create your PO in just a few clicks!
7. Additional Features Coming Soon
We’re always looking for ways to improve your experience, so look forward to QuickBooks Online and Service Titan integrations, along with new automation features. More updates are on the way!
📗 QuickBooks Online | 🔧 ServiceTitan |
Accepted POs and received items sync to QuickBooks as Bills, keeping your accounting up to date without manual entry. | POs created in Ply can be synced to ServiceTitan, keeping your FSM purchase records in alignment with Ply's inventory. |
8. Watch the Video for a Step-by-Step Guide
Want a more detailed walkthrough of this process? Check out the video below where we explain everything you need to know about using the Purchase Order functionality. It’s a perfect way to see the entire process in action and get the most out of the feature.
9. Purchase Order: action menu options
Most common actions: Edit, copy PO, and send to email cover the day-to-day workflow. Encourage customers to use "Copy PO" for repeat orders to save time.
Use "Unreconcile" when a reconciliation needs to be corrected
Use "Cancel" when a PO is no longer needed but should stay on record
Use Delete only when the PO was created by mistake; it's permanent
Use Archive instead of Delete when in doubt
Change status is particularly useful for customers who receive goods manually and need to update Ply to reflect the real-world state.
Action | Description |
✏️ Edit | Modify the PO details — items, quantities, supplier, required date, or notes — before or after receiving. |
📋 Copy PO | Duplicate an existing PO as a starting point. Useful for repeat orders from the same supplier. |
➕ Create | Generate a related document from the PO — such as a new RFQ or a follow-up order — directly from this context. |
🔄 Change Status | Manually move the PO through its lifecycle: Draft → Sent → Received → Paid. Useful when syncing with real-world actions. |
🔁 Unreconcile | Undo a reconciliation if a mistake was made during the three-way match process (PO / receipt / invoice). Resets the PO to Received so you can reconcile again. |
🚫 Cancel | Mark the PO as cancelled. The order will no longer be active, but the record is kept for reference. |
⬇️ Download | Export the PO as a PDF. Handy for sharing with suppliers or attaching to accounting records. |
🗂️ Archive | Hide the PO from your active view without deleting it. Archived POs can be retrieved later from the archive filter. |
🗑️ Delete | Permanently remove the PO from Ply. This action cannot be undone — use Archive instead if you may need the record later. ⚠️ Irreversible |
📧 Send to Email | Email the PO directly to your supplier or internal team from within Ply — no need to download first. |
Still need help? Contact Support!
Questions about creating or managing purchase orders? We're happy to help.