Purchase Orders (POs) are how you request materials from your suppliers. In SureStock, you can create a PO manually or by uploading a file.
Need a PO number before you know what you're buying? Use Quick PO.
➡️ Getting started
Go to Purchasing → Purchase Orders and click Create New → New PO.
➡️ Option 1: Manual PO
Fill in the PO details:
PO Number: Leave blank to auto-generate, or enter your own.
Pickup or Delivery: Choose how the order will be fulfilled.
Ship To: Select the destination warehouse. Note: trucks won't appear here since they don't have a fixed address. You'll be able to assign materials to a truck later during reconciliation.
Job: Optionally link this PO to a specific job.
Delivery Address: If this is a delivery, you can auto-fill the address from the selected warehouse.
Required By: Set the date and time you need the materials.
Contact Name: Tag a team member to keep them in the loop.
Attachments: Upload any relevant files (e.g., technical specs) for the supplier.
➡️ Selecting your supplier
Scroll down to the Supplier section. Select Ferguson as your supplier and choose your default Ferguson account. You can also change the store or account here if needed. The system will indicate whether each address is eligible for pickup.
🚨 If you're selecting Ferguson, choose "Ferguson Integrated", not plain "Ferguson." You may see both options in the supplier list. Selecting the standard "Ferguson" option sends the PO as a regular email and does not go through the integration. Only "Ferguson Integrated" routes the order directly into Ferguson's Trilogie system and notifies your assigned sales associate. This mix-up is the most common mistake on this screen — double-check before continuing.
➡️ Adding items
Click Add Materials to select items from your catalog. Once everything looks good, click Continue to submit the PO.
➡️ Option 2: File Upload (AI-powered)
Go to Purchasing → Purchase Orders, click the arrow next to Create New and select File Upload.
Upload an existing document, such as a supplier invoice, a packing slip, or any file that contains materials, quantities, and prices. SureStock’s AI will read the file and automatically populate the PO for you.
⚠️ Important: Always review AI-generated POs before submitting. The AI is highly accurate, but a quick review ensures nothing was missed or misread.
➡️ Matching items to your catalog (no more duplicates)
You can upload a packing slip straight into an existing PO and let SureStock's AI fill in the items. Before anything is added, SureStock lets you link each line to a material that's already in your catalog, so you don't end up with duplicates when the supplier calls a part something different than you do.
On the web app
Open the PO and scroll to the bottom.
Click Upload packing slip and select your file. SureStock processes it and suggests changes to the PO.
Click View changes to review what the AI read.
For any line that should be an item you already carry, click the + button on that line, search your catalog and pick the right material. Make sure you also select the correct variation.
Click Approve. The matched lines are replaced with your existing catalog materials and the PO is updated.
💡 This also works on a Quick PO: create it, then upload the packing slip to add the items.
On the mobile app (iOS)
Packing slip upload is also available on the SureStock iOS app (v1.1.12 or later). Upload the slip as a PDF and SureStock processes it in the background, so you don't need to stay on the screen. When it's ready, you'll see an Updates available banner. Open it to review the changes, including the old and new prices for each line, then approve them or reject them.
After approving
Once the materials arrive, receive and reconcile the PO as usual. See Managing PO Status & Reconciliation.
➡️ Best practices
✅ Triple-check "Ferguson Integrated" vs. "Ferguson" every time you select a supplier.
A PO sent under the wrong option can't be retroactively routed through the integration; you'd need to recreate it.
✅ Remember trucks aren't a Ship To option at creation.
If materials are ultimately headed to a truck, that assignment happens during reconciliation, not on the initial PO; see Managing PO Status & Reconciliation.
✅ Use Contact Name to keep someone in the loop, but know it doesn't grant approval rights.
Tagging a team member here is for visibility; it doesn't make them an approver on the PO.
➡️Common issues & fixes
"I submitted a PO with Ferguson selected, but it went out as a plain email instead of through the integration."
This means "Ferguson" was selected instead of "Ferguson Integrated" in the Supplier section. There's no way to fix this retroactively; recreate the PO and make sure to select "Ferguson Integrated" this time.
"The uploaded file for AI-powered PO creation shows 'The uploaded file could not be processed. Please try again.'"
Try the following, in order:
Make sure the file extension is lowercase
.pdf(not.PDF).Check the item descriptions on the document. Very long names can be rejected when SureStock creates the material in your connected FSM. Shorten that line in the file, or create the PO manually and keep the name short.
Re-upload the same PDF.
If you’re still facing the same issue after that, let us know.
“I used File Upload and the AI created new materials instead of using the ones in my catalog.”
The AI reads item names as they appear on your supplier’s document, so a part your supplier calls something different can come in as a new line. Before submitting, review each line and replace any new item with the matching material from your catalog.
If you want to link lines to your catalog as you go, create the PO first (or a Quick PO), then use Upload packing slip at the bottom of the PO. That flow lets you match each line to an existing material before anything is added. See Matching items to your catalog above.
Already have duplicates? Combine them with Merge Materials.
"I don't see the truck I need as a Ship To option."
That's expected; only warehouses (fixed addresses) appear as Ship To options when creating the PO. Assign materials to a specific truck when you reconcile the PO after it's received.
“Only some of the items from my file were added to the PO.”
The AI works best when the document has clear columns for the material name, quantity and price. If lines are missing, check that each item has its own row with those three values, then re-upload. You can also add any missing items manually with Add Materials.
“I get ‘Something went wrong. Please try again or contact support.’ when I save or send a PO.”
Check that the supplier contact on the PO has an email address saved. Go to the supplier’s profile, open the contact, and add an email. It doesn’t have to be a real inbox: if your vendor doesn’t take orders by email, use a placeholder like [email protected]. Then go back to the PO and try again.
➡️ FAQs
Can I create a PO without linking it to a job?
Yes, job is optional. Link it only if you want the PO tied to a specific job for tracking purposes.
Can I download or print a PO from the mobile app?
Downloading the PO as a PDF is available from the web app (three-dot menu > Download). If you’re in the field, use Send to Email from the web to send the PO to yourself or your crew, so they have it on their phone.
Does the AI-powered upload work with any file type?
It's built to read invoices, packing slips, and similar documents containing materials, quantities, and prices; a PDF works best. Always review the result before submitting.
Can I add materials from multiple suppliers on one PO?
A PO is tied to a single supplier, if you need materials from different suppliers, create separate POs for each.
What's the difference between File Upload and Upload packing slip?
File Upload creates a new PO from a document. Upload packing slip adds items to a PO you already have, and lets you link each line to a material in your catalog first.
Still need help? Contact Support!