Purchasing Officer: daily workflow

What This Workflow Does

A purchasing officer's day involves creating and managing purchase orders, receiving shipments, matching vendor invoices to orders, and ensuring payments are processed correctly. This workflow guides you through typical morning, midday, and end-of-day tasks.

Before You Start

• Permissions required: You need permission to create/view purchase orders, record goods receipts, and view vendor accounts.
• Data to have ready: Know which items are needed, from which vendors, and when they're due. Your manager usually provides a purchasing list or forecast.
• Access to: Contacts (vendors), Purchase Orders, Bills (vendor invoices), and Goods Receipt sections.

Steps

1. Start by reviewing pending orders and delivery schedules Go to Purchase Orders Open in Usystems and check which orders are:

• Pending (not yet sent to the vendor)
• Awaiting receipt (sent but goods haven't arrived yet)
• Overdue (goods should have arrived but haven't—alert your manager)

Note any follow-ups needed with vendors.

2. Create a new purchase order Go to Purchase Orders Open in Usystems and click New Purchase Order.

• Select the vendor from the dropdown.
• Add line items: click the items field, select each product, enter quantity and cost per unit.
• Set the delivery date (tell the vendor when you need it by).
• Review the total cost.
• Click Save.

Usystems may send a notification to the vendor or you may need to email the PO separately (ask your manager).

3. Check for deliveries and record goods receipts If goods arrived today:

• Go to Purchase Orders Open in Usystems, find the order, and look for a Receive or Goods Receipt button.
• Verify the items match the PO (correct products, correct quantities).
• Click to record the receipt. The system updates inventory automatically.

If items don't match (quantity wrong, item damaged, or missing), note it and alert your manager before clicking receive.

4. Review vendor invoices (bills) Go to Bills Open in Usystems and check for new invoices from vendors:

• Match the bill to the corresponding purchase order (vendor, amount, items).
• If the bill matches the PO and the goods have been received, mark it as verified or approved (ask your manager how).
• If the bill doesn't match, flag it and ask your manager before approving payment.

5. Process vendor payments Go to Payments Open in Usystems to view outstanding vendor invoices:

• Pay invoices that are due (your manager usually sets payment terms—e.g., net 30).
• Record the payment method (cash, check, bank transfer).
• Note any discounts for early payment (if applicable).

6. Midday: check current commitments Go to Reports Open in Usystems and search for a purchasing or vendor report:

• See total pending orders (what you've committed to buy but haven't paid yet).
• See total due to vendors (outstanding bills).
• Compare to your budget or purchasing plan.

7. End of day: reconcile and note issues Go to Purchase Orders Open in Usystems and Bills Open in Usystems:

• Look for any orders or invoices marked as "pending approval" or "needs review."
• If there are discrepancies (bill amount doesn't match PO, goods not received as planned), note them and escalate to your manager.
• Ensure no critical orders are stuck or waiting.

Accounting Impact

• Creating a PO: Commits your company to a purchase; the order is recorded but no accounting entry yet.
• Recording a goods receipt: Adds to inventory and records a liability (you owe the vendor).
• Recording a vendor invoice (bill): Matches the receipt and PO; confirms the liability amount.
• Processing payment: Reduces the liability; records cash going out.

If any step is missed (e.g., you record a bill without receiving goods), inventory and payables won't balance.

Tips & Common Mistakes

• Match PO → Receipt → Bill before paying. Always verify that the receipt confirms goods arrived and the bill matches the PO. Never pay without checking.
• Watch for duplicate orders. If you accidentally create two orders for the same items on the same day, cancel one immediately. Duplicates cost money.
• Record receipts as soon as goods arrive. Don't wait until the end of the week. Inventory needs to be accurate daily.
• If a delivery is late, follow up. Check the PO's delivery date and contact the vendor if it's overdue. Your manager may want to cancel or expedite.
• Ask about vendor discounts. Some vendors offer early-payment discounts (e.g., 2% off if you pay in 10 days instead of 30). Ask your manager which vendors offer these.