Steps
to Set Screen PreferencesNote: The instructions listed below explain each field as they appear on the Purchase Orders screen when the screen preferences are set to the defaults. If the screen preferences were changed, the fields may be out of order as described below and there may even be fields that do not appear on the screen. If desired, the default screen preferences can be restored.
Steps
to Set Screen Preferences
Steps
to Restore Default Screen Preferences
Also, for any field equipped with the repeat function, click the Repeat button or press the Ctrl+R keys to repeat the previous entry for the specified field. The repeat function is only available after your initial entry.
From the Accounts Payable screen, select the Data Entry menu and then Purchase Orders.
If a batch already exists, the Purchase Order Batch Search screen will appear. To continue adding purchase orders to an existing batch, select the desired batch by double-clicking on the batch description; otherwise, to enter a new batch, click the New Record button and then complete the batch options. If a batch does not exist, the batch options screen will appear immediately in order to create a new batch.
Steps
to Complete Batch Options for Purchase Orders
The Purchase Orders screen will appear for the selected purchase order batch. The description and processing month for the selected batch will appear in the title bar.
Click the New Record button to initialize the screen for a new entry.
Complete the Header Information of the purchase order.
Enter the number for the purchase order in the Purchase Order Number field. The purchase order number must be unique, and can be alphanumeric and up to 15 characters long. Leave this field blank to have the system automatically assign the next available purchase order number once the purchase order is saved. If the purchase order was created from converted requisitions (using the Select Requisitions for Single Purchase Order or the Select Requisitions for Multiple Purchase Orders option) and the Purchase Order Number Same as Requisition Number field is selected in the Accounts Payable System File, the number of the requisition selected as the Primary one (if applicable) will appear but can be changed; if the particular purchase order number is already in use, the Purchase Order Number field will be blank and can be manually entered or assigned by the system.
Note: If having the system assign the purchase order number, the system will assign the number as follows: 1) first, if the Batch Beginning Purchase Order Number field is completed in the batch options, the first purchase order in the batch will be that specified number and then the other purchase orders will increment from there; 2) if the purchase order is tied to a ship to address with a defined purchase order prefix, the number will be incremented from the most recently used purchase order number with that prefix; 3) otherwise, if a purchase order prefix was defined in the Accounts Payable System File, the number will be incremented from the most recently used purchase order number with that prefix; or 4) else the number will be incremented from the most recently used purchase order number. Keep in mind, if the Purchase Order Number Same as Requisition Number field is selected in the Accounts Payable System File, a purchase order number cannot be used if it matches a requisition number that already exists.
In the Vendor ID field, enter the ID of the vendor from whom the goods or services will be ordered or purchased. If the ID is not known, click the down-arrow button to select the correct one, or press the Ctrl+F keys to access the search feature. If the purchase order was created from converted requisitions (using the Select Requisitions for Single Purchase Order or the Select Requisitions for Multiple Purchase Orders option), the Vendor ID can be updated at this time, if needed (for example, if the Default Requisition Vendor ID for the approval tree was utilized and a different vendor needs to be specified).
Tip: If the user entering the purchase order is tied to one or more vendor groups (in the User Security option), the vendor entered here must be included in one of the designated vendor groups.
Enter the total amount of the purchase order in the Purchase Order Amount field. The amount can be up to 14 digits long (including the decimal point and comma(s) if applicable) and will typically be rounded to 2 decimal places by the system if capable. If desired, leave this field blank until all the detail lines have been entered; then click the Calculate button to have the system automatically add up all the detail line items and display the total in this field.
Note: If the Automatically Calculate Totals on Data Entry field in the Accounts Payable System File is selected, the system will automatically add up all the detail line items when saving the purchase order and display the total in this field.
Enter the date of the purchase order in the Purchase Order Date field. Use the mm/dd/yyyy format or click the down-arrow button to select the desired date. Leave the field blank to default to the current date.
Enter a summary description for what is included on the purchase order in the Purchase Order Description field. The description can be alphanumeric and up to 40 characters long.
Note: To use the description from the Vendor File for the specified vendor, enter a V in this field.
Enter the date the goods or services are expected to be received in the Expected Date field. Use the mm/dd/yyyy format or click the down-arrow button to select the desired date. Leave the field blank to default to the current date.
Note: The Date Expected must be within the same fiscal year as the processing month specified in the batch options.
If applicable, enter the ID of the ship to address to use for the purchase order in the Ship To Address ID field. If the ID is not known, click the down-arrow button to select the correct one, or press the Ctrl+F keys to access the search feature. Leave this field blank to default to the ID of the ship to address specified in the Ship To Address ID field in the batch options, if applicable, or if ship to addresses are not used.
Tip: If the user entering the purchase order is tied to one or more ship to addresses (in the User Security option), one of the designated ship to addresses must be entered here; if only one ship to address is assigned to the user, the designated ship to address will appear by default and cannot be changed.
If applicable, enter the ID of the employee who should receive the merchandise included on the purchase order in the Employee ID field, or click the down-arrow button to select the correct one. If the Allow AP Data Entry Employee Selection field in the User Security option is not selected, this field cannot be changed. If the Allow AP Data Entry Employee Selection field is selected and an employee is tied to the user in the User Security option, the employee assigned to the user will appear as the default (unless the field is set to repeat within the Set Screen Preferences), but can be changed if needed.
If the purchase order was created from a converted requisition (using the Select Requisitions for Single Purchase Order or the Select Requisitions for Multiple Purchase Orders option) and the requisition contained comments, the Requisition Comments List will appear in the upper right-hand side of the screen with the comments entered for the requisition. The comments cannot be edited.
Complete the Detail Information of the purchase order.
Select the Print on Purchase Order field to print the line item on the purchase order. A checkmark will appear in the box if the field is selected. When entering a new detail line item, this field is selected by default (unless the field is set to repeat within the Set Screen Preferences).
Tip: Do not select this field if the line item is only entered to expense the cost of an item to one of several account numbers and does not need to be printed on the purchase order.
Select the Post to General Ledger field to post the line item to the specified account number. A checkmark will appear in the box if the field is selected. When entering a new detail line item, this field is selected by default (unless the field is set to repeat within the Set Screen Preferences).
Tip: Do not select this field if the line item is only entered to order an item that will be split between several account numbers.
If the Post to General Ledger field is selected, enter the account number to be expensed for the line item in the Chart of Account Number field. Typically, the account number entered here is an expense account. If the account number is not known, click the down-arrow button to select the correct one, or press the Ctrl+F keys to access the search feature.
Note: If one or more default chart of account numbers had been entered in the Vendor File for the vendor, the designated account number(s) will appear in the detail section, with each account number as its own detail line item; the detail lines can be changed as desired.
Tip: If the user entering the purchase order is assigned to one or more account groups with the AP & WL Data Entry usage (in the User Security option), the account number entered here must be included in one of the designated account groups. Once the account number is specified, the name of the account and the budget balance (including the total of unposted invoices and unposted purchase orders (including the current purchase order) for the particular account number, if applicable) will display in the status bar located at the bottom of the screen; if the account number is in a fund defined as an activity fund, the appropriate fund balance will also display. Also, the total of all outstanding requisitions (those that have been approved but not yet converted to purchase orders) for the particular account number will display, if applicable. If desired, click the Go To button located to the right of the Budget Balance, Fund Balance, or Approved Requisitions in the status bar to open the Chart of Accounts and display the Inquiry screen for the appropriate account number.
Enter a description for the line item in the Purchase Order Detail Description field. The description can be alphanumeric and up to 1,000 characters long.
Note: To use the description from the Vendor File for the specified vendor, enter a V in this field. To use the purchase order description entered in the Header Information, enter an H in this field. To use the description for the account number from the Chart of Accounts File, enter a C in this field.
Enter the item number in the Item Number field, if desired. The number can be alphanumeric and up to 30 characters long.
If desired, enter the ID of the cost center to track for this line item in the Cost Center ID field. If the ID is not known, click the down-arrow button to select the correct one, or press the Ctrl+F keys to access the search feature.
Enter the quantity of the item to order in the Purchase Order Detail Quantity field, if applicable. The quantity can be up to 14 digits long (including the decimal point, if applicable) and will be rounded to 4 decimal places by the system if capable.
Enter the cost of one unit of the item in the Unit Price field, if desired. The amount can be up to 14 digits long (including the decimal point, if applicable) and will be rounded to 4 decimal places by the system if capable.
If desired, enter the unit of the item to order, such as EA for Each or DOZ for Dozen, in the Unit Description field. The unit can be alphanumeric and up to 10 characters long.
If the Purchase Order Detail Quantity and Unit Price fields were completed, the system automatically calculates the total cost of the line item and displays it in the Purchase Order Detail Amount field (can be changed, if needed); otherwise, enter the amount to be distributed to the specified account number for this line item in the Purchase Order Detail Amount field. The amount can be up to 14 digits long (including the decimal point, if applicable) and will be rounded to 2 decimal places by the system if capable.
If desired, complete the Split Percent field in order to do one of the following:
1) To split an amount proportionately among multiple line items already entered, such as for shipping, enter the percent sign (%) in the Split Percent field, leave the Chart of Account Number field blank, complete the remaining fields with the appropriate description and amount, and then save the purchase order. The system will expense the amount (shipping) proportionately to the expense accounts specified for the line items already entered and list a second line for each expense account with the proportionate amount.
2) To expense a certain percentage of the total amount of the purchase order (as entered in the Purchase Order Amount field) to the line item, enter the percentage of the total amount to use for the line item in the Split Percent field and the system will then calculate the amount for the line item and display it in the Purchase Order Detail Amount field. For example, if 15% of the purchase order total should be expensed to this line item, enter 15 in this field.
3) To calculate a percentage of a particular amount to expense to the line item, enter the percentage followed by the percent sign (%) and then the particular amount; for example, enter 20%299.75 to have the system calculate 20% of $299.75 for the line item and display it in the Purchase Order Detail Amount field.
Note: The information entered into the Split Percent field is not saved with the purchase order and will be cleared after advancing from the field or saving the purchase order.
If desired, enter the website address for the item in the URL field. The URL can be up to 2,000 characters long.
Note: If your computer is connected to the Internet, click the Go To button located to the right of this field to launch the Internet browser and display the specified website.
Repeat the steps to complete the Detail Information to enter all the detail line items for the purchase order.
Note: The Distributed amount for the purchase order must equal the Purchase Order Amount specified in the Header Information. These totals along with the batch total are displayed at the bottom of the screen.
If the Purchase Order Amount field was left blank (and the Automatically Calculate Totals on Data Entry field in the Accounts Payable System File is not selected), click the Calculate button for the Purchase Order Amount field at this time to have the system automatically add up the total of all the detail line items and display the total amount.
Click the Save button. If desired, to print the purchase order form for the current purchase order number displayed, click the To Screen & Save button instead to save the purchase order and print the form now, using the report entered in the Default Purchase Order Format field in the Accounts Payable System File.
10. Once all the purchase orders have been entered, print a listing and post the batch. If desired, the purchase orders can also be emailed by completing the Email Purchase Orders option.
Tip: Print the Purchase Order Listing-Detail or Purchase Order Listing-Summary from the Reports menu to view a listing of all purchase orders in the selected batch. Print the Standard Purchase Order Form report (or other custom purchase order format setup defined for your school district) from the Reports menu to print the actual purchase order forms.