The purchase orders feature is designed to help you organize supplier information, pricing, and delivery schedules all in one place.
SkyPlanner uses these arrival dates when building the production schedule. Even if a supplier is delayed for any reason, SkyPlanner can quickly adjust and optimize the plan, helping minimize downtime and avoid production delays.
As a whole, a purchase order is crucial for production planning. It gives production planners the information they need to schedule work properly — planning around when raw materials or parts are expected to arrive.
To use the purchase order feature:
- Go to Orders and select Purchase orders.
- You will be taken to the Purchase orders panel. On the top right, click the blue + Create purchase order button.
- A window will pop up. Fill in the information.
Purchase order number: The number of the purchase you have created. SkyPlanner can create this sequence automatically or take the information from another system, like an ERP, if it is integrated.
External purchase order number: If there is one, write it here.
Customer: Write the name of the customer whose order needs this purchase.
Status: Here, you can inform what is the status of the purchase.
Update status for all items: You can check this box if you want SkyPlanner to consider this purchase information for the scheduled orders already in the system.
Purchase date: Select the date the purchase has been made.
Delivered date: The day you need it.
Estimated delivered date: The date the supplier tells you this purchase might arrive.
Confirmed delivered date: The date the supplier confirms you this purchase will arrive.
The other fields are optional.
- Finally, click Save.
- Now, you will see that your new purchase appears on the list. Click on it and then click on + Create purchase order item.
External identifier: Add the external ID of the item being purchased here.
Product: The item being purchased. This item needs to be in the product or material registry.
Read how to create a new material
Learn how to create a new product
Ordered quantity: The amount purchased.
Units: When you have selected the product, SkyPlanner will automatically pick the unit.
Attach this item to a production order: Check this box if you want this information attached to a specific order. If you select this, new options will appear.
Production order: The order you want this information attached.
Production order item: The item you want this information attached.
Production workstage: The process step this purchase will be attached.
Estimated delivery date: The date the supplier tells you this purchase might arrive.
Confirmed delivery date: The date the supplier confirms you this purchase will arrive.
Delivery status: the status of the purchase. It is vital to update it.
Learn how to update the information and status of a purchase order item.
Then, click Save.
Done! You have created a new Purchase order.
Note: Remember to go to Production Scheduling and click the King button to update your schedule. Suppose you have one or more work orders that are missing the item you just created a purchase order for. In that case, SkyPlanner will automatically move those work orders to the delivery date confirmed by the supplier.