Step by step
Make a purchase order
Order stock from a supplier at their prices and pack sizes. Within your limit it is approved at once; above it, someone who can approve it decides.
Purchase orders are “What you have ordered, from whom, and what is still to arrive.” Each order starts from the supplier’s prices and pack sizes, and goes through five steps: Drafted, Approved, Sent, Receiving and Received.
At Baraka Wines and Spirits, Ann Mumbi buys for the business. Her purchase order limit is KES 150,000: an order above it waits for Kamau Ndegwa, the owner, to approve it.
Open Purchasing › Purchase orders and tap New purchase order
“Prices exclude VAT. They default to the supplier’s price list and pack sizes; order by the piece or by the pack.”
Choose the supplier
Kila brings in their prices, such as “16 products on this supplier’s price list.”
Steps 2 and 3 on one screen. Choose where it is delivered
Under Deliver to, choose the branch or the store. Leave Expected delivery empty to use the “Default: the supplier’s lead time”. Kila then checks that branch’s stock of the supplier’s products, and says so when none are out: “Nothing from this supplier is out of stock at this branch”. Add a Note to supplier if they need one.
Add the products
Search in Add a product: name, SKU or scan a barcode. Each line starts at the supplier’s price, in their pack: Highland Reserve 12 Year Whisky 750ml comes in by the Case of 12 at KES 44,400, “on their price list”.
Steps 4 to 6 on one screen. Type the quantities
Type each Quantity in the unit under Order in. Change the Cost per unit ordered, or add a Discount %, if the supplier agreed one. Kila adds them up: Subtotal, VAT about and Total about.
Submit it
Within your limit, Kila says “Within your limit. Submitting approves it; then send it to the supplier.” and the button is Submit and approve. Above it, the button is Submit for approval:
Tap it. Kila says “PO-000016 is waiting for approval. KES 163,142.40 is above your purchase order limit.” and opens the order: “PO-000016 is above the buyer’s limit. It appears in the approvals inbox of everyone who can approve it.”
The approver approves it
Kamau opens Approvals. Under Waiting for a decision, the request is marked Purchase order: “PO-000016 to Highland Spirits Kenya: KES 163,142.40”. He taps Approve, adds a Note if he wants one (“Kept with the decision in the audit log.”) and taps Approve again. Kila says Approved.
Step 7. Get the order for the supplier
Back on the order, now Approved, tap PDF: Supplier copy has the “Items and quantities only, no prices”; Full order comes “With unit costs, VAT and totals”. Send it by email or WhatsApp. The order’s Supplier portal line says whether the supplier sees it in Kila: Highland Spirits Kenya is Not connected.
Steps 8 and 9 on one screen. Tap Send to supplier
Kila says Sent to the supplier, and the order moves on to Sent. When the goods come, the store receives them against it.
The order is not needed after all
Link to this section: The order is not needed after allTap Cancel on the order, type the reason (it is kept in the audit log) and tap Cancel order. Kila says Order cancelled. If you had sent it already, tell the supplier.
The approver rejects it
Link to this section: The approver rejects itThe approver taps Reject and must write a note. The order comes back to you as a draft, with the reason:
Change it with Edit if you need to, and tap Submit: Kila says Submitted, and it waits for approval again. For the approver’s side, see Approve or reject a request.
Tip
Reorder works out what each branch should buy and can draft the purchase orders for you.
- Add or change a supplier: their prices are where orders start.
- Set approval limits: how much each person may order without approval.
- Acknowledge a purchase order: what a supplier on the supplier portal does.
Next: Receive a delivery.