With this release, purchase orders now include a dedicated Activity tab where you can see the complete history of changes made to a PO. This makes it easier to track updates, status changes, and actions taken by your team.
➡️Where to find it
Go to Purchasing > Purchase Orders.
Open any PO.
Alongside the tabs, you’ll now see a new tab called Activity.
➡️What’s included in the Activity tab
In the Activity tab, you’ll find a full log of:
Item added
Item removed
Item updated
Status changes
PO creation
Supplier status changes
PO sent
PO reconciled
Event | What Triggered It | Triggered By |
📦 PO Created | A new Purchase Order was created in Ply | 👤 User |
➕ Item Added | A new line item was added to the PO — shows item name, quantity, and unit price | 👤 User |
🗑️ Item Removed | A line item was deleted from the PO — shows which item was removed | 👤 User |
✏️ Item Updated | A line item's quantity or price was changed — shows before and after values | 👤 User |
📤 PO Sent | The PO was emailed to the supplier — shows recipient email addresses | 👤 User |
🔄 Status Changed | The PO status was updated — shows previous and new status (e.g. Sent → Received) | 👤 User |
🔔 Supplier Status Update | The supplier confirmed the order or updated delivery details | 🤖 Automatic |
✅ PO Reconciled | Materials were received and reconciled — shows items, quantities received, and destination location | 👤 User |
➡️Why it’s useful
The Activity tab gives you visibility into every step of a PO’s lifecycle, so you always know who did what and when. This helps with accountability, collaboration, and troubleshooting.
Four Practical Uses
Use Case | Description |
🔍 Resolve Supplier Disputes | A supplier claims you changed the order after sending. The Activity tab shows exactly what was ordered when the PO was sent vs. any subsequent edits. |
👥 Team Accountability | Multiple team members access Ply. Know who approved a price change, who reconciled items to the wrong location, or who cancelled a line item. |
📊 Month-End Close Audit | Finance needs to verify when materials were received and at what price. The Activity tab provides an itemized record with timestamps, no digging through emails. |
🎓 Training and Process Review | Spot patterns in how your team processes POs, e.g., items frequently added after a PO is sent. Use the data to improve your purchasing SOP. |
With the new Activity tab, keeping track of purchase order changes is easier than ever.
➡️ Best practices
✅ Check Activity before calling a supplier about a "missing" PO.
The 📤 PO Sent event shows the exact recipient email(s), confirming it went out (and to whom) before you assume it never arrived, saving a round of back-and-forth.
✅ Use Activity as your source of truth in supplier disputes. If a supplier claims pricing or quantities were different from what they received, pull up Activity to show exactly what was on the PO at the moment it was sent versus any edits made after.
✅ Reference Activity during month-end close instead of digging through email threads to confirm when materials were received and reconciled and at what price.
➡️ Common issues & fixes
"I need to confirm exactly who a PO was emailed to."
The 📤 PO Sent event in Activity shows the recipient email address(es) used at that time. If you're sending to multiple vendor contacts (see Purchase Orders: add multiple vendor contacts for PO Emails), this is where to check exactly who received that particular send.
"An item's price or quantity looks different than what I remember setting. Who changed it?"
Check the ✏️ Item Updated events in Activity; each one shows the before and after values along with who made the change and when.
➡️ FAQs
Does the Activity tab track supplier-side actions, or only what my team does in Ply? Both. Most events (item changes, status changes, sending) are triggered by your team, but 🔔 Supplier Status Update is automatic; it logs when the supplier confirms the order or updates delivery details on their end.
Can I export the Activity log?
The Activity tab is built for in-app reference. If you need this data outside of Ply for reporting, reach out to support, and we can help point you to what's available.
Is there something similar for RFQs?
RFQs have their own Activity tab as well, tracking the buyer's actions throughout the request (see RFQ Management & Lifecycle). That said, some detail, like the exact date an RFQ was sent, which suppliers it went to, and the materials requested, is more visible once a quote is accepted than while the RFQ is still in Open Requests or Requests with Bids. There's an open feature request to surface that information earlier in the RFQ lifecycle, you can add your vote here: More RFQ info in the Activity tab.
Still need help? Contact Support!
Questions about the Activity tab or PO audit trail? We're happy to help.