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. Trucks won’t appear here since they don’t have a fixed address. To show which truck the PO is for, use the Truck field below.
Job: Optionally link this PO to a specific job.
Truck: Optionally pick the truck this PO is for, the same way you pick a job. The truck shows on the PO card and in the PO details, so you can tell orders apart without a separate PO format for each truck. POs without a truck work the same as before.
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.
Customer: Optionally type the name of the customer this order is for (for example, the homeowner or client on the job). It’s a free-text field in the Additional Information section, so you can enter any name, even if that customer isn’t set up in SureStock. Leave it blank for stock or warehouse orders.
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)
Got a supplier PDF, quote, or invoice? Upload it and SureStock’s AI builds the PO for you.
Go to Purchasing → Purchase Orders, click the arrow next to Create New and select File Upload.
Select your PDF and click Upload. You’ll see a message when it’s done, and you’ll also get an email.
With File Upload Review Flow on (Settings > Procurement), the upload waits in Purchasing > PO Review as a draft.
Click Review and, before approving, swap any line for a material you already carry (⚙️ > Change material or Link existing material), fix quantity or unit cost (✏️), and check Required by and Supplier contact.
Then click ✅ Approve & create purchase order. The PO lands on your board as a Draft: send it from Actions > Send to email.
With the setting off, the file creates the PO right away, without a review step.
⚠️ 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 a Quick 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.
✅ Use the Truck field, not Ship To, for truck orders.
Ship To only lists warehouses. Pick the truck in the Truck field so everyone can see who the order is for. Moving the materials into the truck’s stock still happens during reconciliation; 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.
✅ Add a Customer name to POs placed for a specific client.
If an order is for one customer’s install or project, fill in the Customer field. It makes it easier to tell orders apart later, especially when several POs go to Ferguson for the same warehouse.
➡️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.”
Those lines came in tagged New Material. Turn on File Upload Review Flow in Settings > Procurement so uploads wait in PO Review, then use Link existing material (⚙️) on each New Material line before approving. Already have duplicates? Combine them with Merge Materials.
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 in Ship To. Select the truck in the Truck field instead. When the materials arrive, you’ll move them into the truck’s stock during reconciliation.
“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.
“I uploaded a file but the PO isn’t on my board.”
It’s waiting in Purchasing > PO Review. It only moves to your board once someone approves it.
“I approved the draft but my supplier didn’t get the PO.”
That’s expected. Approving creates the PO as a Draft. Open it and click Actions > Send to email.
➡️ FAQs
Is the Customer field required?
No, it’s optional. Use it when a PO is for a specific customer and leave it blank for stock orders.
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. With File Upload Review Flow on, you can link each line to a catalog material before the PO is created. Upload packing slip adds items to a Quick PO you already have.
Still need help? Contact Support!