Purchase Orders
Package: BILLING
1. General
The Purchase Orders module is used to record and manage binding orders placed with suppliers for the delivery of specific items.
The stock level of a product has dropped to 1 unit. 5 additional units are ordered from the supplier. After the delivery arrives, the Status of the purchase order is set to Delivery Received. brainX automatically increases the stock quantity of the product to 6 units.
After receiving the supplier's invoice, a new record in the Incoming Invoices module is created directly from the purchase order via the Create Incoming Invoice action and linked to the order. All relevant data is transferred automatically.
This section only describes special fields or functionalities of the module, as all general brainX functionalities are described elsewhere in the manual.
2. List View
The list view in the Purchase Orders module has the usual functionalities of a list view. For more detailed information, see the section Structure/Layout – List View.
2.1. Actions
In the list view, general actions are available depending on the module. An overview and description of all general actions can be found in the section Actions (List View).
There are no module-specific actions in this module.
3. Detail View
3.1. Fields
The following table describes required fields and fields with non-obvious functions. All other fields are self-explanatory.
Purchase Block
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| Title * | Name of the purchase order |
| Status |
|
*Required field
When the Status is set to "Delivery Received", the ordered quantity of the included products is automatically added to the current stock quantity in the Products module.
Terms & Conditions Block
Individual terms and conditions for the purchase order can be stored in the Terms & Conditions block. When creating a new record, the terms and conditions are automatically pre-filled with the default terms stored in Global Settings – Information.
Line Item Group – Basic Settings Block
The description of the fields and functionalities of this block can be found in the section Product Block in Billing Modules.
Line Item Group Block
The description of the fields and functionalities of this block can be found in the section Product Block in Billing Modules.
4. Actions
The following actions are available in the detail view:
4.1. General Actions
- PDF Export
- Recommend
- Copy
- Delete
- Change Tracking
For detailed information on the actions, see the section Actions (Detail View).
4.2. Module-Specific Actions
| Action | Prerequisite | Functionality |
|---|---|---|
| Create Incoming Invoice | – | Creates a new incoming invoice and links it to the purchase order |
| New Email | Configured email inbox | Opens the email editor with reference to the purchase order |
5. Practical Examples
1 – Automatically Updating Stock After Delivery
The stock level of a frequently demanded product has dropped to a critical minimum. The responsible employee creates a new order in the Purchase Orders module, selects the corresponding supplier and adds the product with the desired order quantity as a line item in the product block.
The status is initially left at created. After the supplier confirms the order, the status is set to confirmed. Once the delivery arrives, the status is changed to Delivery Received — brainX then automatically adds the ordered quantity to the current stock quantity of the product in the Products module. No manual stock adjustment is necessary.
2 – Linking a Purchase Order to an Incoming Invoice
After the delivery arrives, the company receives the supplier's invoice shortly thereafter. Instead of manually creating the incoming invoice, a new record in the Incoming Invoices module is generated directly from the purchase order via the module-specific Create Incoming Invoice action.
All relevant data — supplier, line items, amounts and currency — is transferred automatically. The employee adds the supplier's external invoice number, checks the due date and sets the status of the incoming invoice to confirmed. The link between the purchase order and the incoming invoice is retained, so the entire procurement process is traceable without gaps.
3 – Sending a Purchase Order by Email Directly from brainX
A buyer has created a new purchase order and wants to send it as a PDF to the supplier directly from brainX. First, a PDF of the order is generated using the PDF Export action.
Then the email editor is opened via the New Email action — the reference to the purchase order is already set. The generated PDF is added as an attachment, the supplier's email address is entered in the To field and the order is sent. The email is automatically linked to the purchase order and is visible to the team in the communication history.
6. Frequently Asked Questions
What happens to the stock level when I set the status to "Delivery Received"?
When the status of a purchase order is set to Delivery Received, brainX automatically adds the ordered quantity of all included products to the current stock quantity in the Products module. A manual stock adjustment is not required in this case.
Can I cancel a purchase order after the fact?
Yes. A purchase order can be marked as cancelled via the cancelled status. The order remains in the system but is shown accordingly in reports. No automatic stock adjustment takes place when cancelling.
How do I create an incoming invoice based on a purchase order?
In the detail view of the purchase order, the module-specific Create Incoming Invoice action is available. After executing it, a new record is created in the Incoming Invoices module that is automatically linked to the purchase order and takes over all relevant data.
Can individual terms and conditions be stored in a purchase order?
Yes. Individual terms and conditions for the order can be stored in the Terms & Conditions block. When creating a new record, the fields are automatically pre-filled with the default terms stored in Global Settings – Information.
Can I export a purchase order as a PDF and send it?
Yes. A PDF of the purchase order is generated via the general PDF Export action. It can then be sent to the supplier directly from brainX via the New Email action. A configured email inbox is required for sending emails.