This is a part of the Purchase Orders feature in the Smart Ops Release. Click here to learn more about the Smart Ops.


A Purchase Order can be created either manually or from a template with a pre-defined set of terms arranged in a specific order. Once created, the quantities to order from a Vendor can either be suggested by R365 or manually entered as needed.


Click here for a printable guide on Purchase Orders.


This article covers the following topics:

Create a Purchase Order



To create a new Purchase Order, navigate to the Orders page; click the '+ Create' button in the top, right corner above the listing; and select 'Purchase Order'.



Users can also create a new Purchase Order from the Home page by clicking the plus icon and then selecting the desired Template or Shopping List or creating a new Purchase Order from scratch.


Either option will open the New Purchase Order sidesheet. 


Enter a Purchase Order


A Purchase Order can be entered from either a newly-created Purchase Order form or by clicking into a scheduled Purchase Order Template displayed on the 'Orders' tab of the Orders page.


From this New Purchase Order sidesheet, enter in the necessary details and then ensure to save the sidesheet.




1) 'General Information' Tab - This tab contains all Purchase Order details

2) 'Attachment' Tab - This tab is a placeholder for future enhancements

3) Template Selector - This is where a Purchase Order Template can be selected

4) PO Number - This number is auto-generated based on the settings in the Autonumbering section of the Administration menu in the Accounting module. For each new PO, the previous PO Number is aggregated by 1 and can be edited as needed. Duplicate PO numbers are not allowed

5) Location - A listing of all Locations, where the User selects the Location that will receive the order. This field is set to list the default Location but can be easily updated as needed. Click the Source Linknext to the selected Location to open its Location record

6) Vendor - A listing of all Vendors, where the User selects the Vendor that will receive an email with the Purchase Order. Click the Source Linknext to the selected Vendor to open its Vendor record

7) Order Date - The date that the order is placed. This is defaulted to today's date but can be updated by clicking the calendar icon

8) Delivery Date - The date the order is expected to arrive at the selected Location. This is defaulted to tomorrow's date but can be updated by clicking the calendar icon

9) Status - The status of the Purchase Order: In Progress, Sent, or Completed

10) Comment - This field provides the space for any notes about the Purchase Order. These comments will appear on the Purchase Order when it is sent to the Vendor. 

11) Address - This is auto-filled based on the Location's address entered on its Location record. This can be easily updated if needed by clicking 'Change' in the top, right corner of this box

12) 'Details' Tab - This tab is where all Vendor items for this order can be selected and quantities can be entered for review

13) 'Review' Tab - This tab is where the Reviewer will be able to see any discrepancy in quantities and finalize the order. Click here to learn how to review a Purchase Order

14)  Search Bar - This will search the Item and Vendor Item columns for the string of characters entered


15) '+ Add Item' Button - This enables the User to search for and add an item to the list. Learn more about this below

16) Total - Total price of order

17) Qty Total - The total quantity of Items on the Purchase Order. This field allows Users to be aware of Order quantities in case there are vendor quantity thresholds

18) '+ Primary Items' Button - This will add all Vendor Items marked as 'Primary' for this Vendor

19) '+ All Vendor Items' Button - This will add all Vendor Items for this Vendor

20) 'Suggest Qty' Button - This button will run a built-in algorithm to determine the quantity of each item in the order below it. When selected, a modal will first be displayed asking the User to select the Consumption and Buffer Days before recommending the Suggested Quantity. 

  • Note: Consumption Days are the days that the Product arriving on 'Weekday' will be used. Buffer Days add extra days of sales to the Suggest Qty calculation to account for unforeseen spikes in Sales or longer preparation (i.e. a frozen product that must be thawed, then marinated)

Applying the Suggested Quantity will then allow the User to hover over the quantity suggested to view the details of the calculation in a tooltip

  • Note: Suggestions require the following before giving an accurate quantity:
    • Forecasted Sales for all Consumption/Buffer Days chosen
    • Approved invoices and transfers between counts
    • At least 2 Inventory Counts*
      • *The system will be as accurate as possible to get 90 days of usage between the 2 Inventory Counts, so the 2 Inventory Counts used will be the most recent Count and the Count closest to 90 days before the most recent Count. The system will only look for Counts that have occurred over the past 365 days



18) Total - This will display the total dollar value for the Purchase Order

19) Save - This will save the template and add it to the 'Templates' tab

20) Help Menu - This will open the Help Menu, which lists multiple resources that will 

21) Expand - This will expand the sidesheet to full screen 

22) Close - This will close the sidesheet without saving any changes made


Details Grid


The details grid has the following columns:

  • Item - Purchased Item Name. Click to open the associated Purchased Item Record in a new tab
  • Vendor Item - Vendor Item Number
  • Unit of Measure - Purchase Unit of Measure associated with the Vendor Item
  • Quantity - Amount to order
  • Each Amt - Price per quantity
  • Total - Total price of order
  • Theo on Hand - Estimated amount on hand based on last Inventory Count, theoretical usage, and AP Invoices
  • Par Qty - Par amount from Shopping List used to generate the order. If the order was not created from a Shopping List, par amount will default to 0.
  • Last Order Amt - Amount ordered on the previous order
  • Last 4 Avg Qty - Average amount ordered on the last 4 orders
  • Storage Location - Storage Location for the Purchased Item 



Add Vendor Items


Once a Vendor is selected, the '+ Add Item' button will be enabled.




To add Items to the Purchase Order, follow these steps:

  1.  Navigate to the 'Items' grid
  2.  Click the '+ Add Item' button. A line will appear where details can be entered about the Item.
  3.  Enter the name of the Purchase Item or the identifying number assigned to the Purhcase Item in the 'Item' selector field or the number of the Vendor Item in the 'Vendor Item' field. 
  4.  Select the desired Item from the drop-down listing that appears
  5.  Once an Item is added, details about the Item will auto-populate the boxes in the line. The majority of these fields can be updated if needed.
    • Note: 'Each Amt' costs reference the Unit of Measure and Vendor based on the pricing information available. The 'Each Amt' will populate the first available cost as follows:
      1. Contract Price on the Vendor Item Record
      2. Price of the Vendor Item from the last Invoice
      3. Vendor Item Price for the selected Location

  6.  Enter the quantity of the Item, then add more Items if needed. Users can add Items by either:
    • Clicking the '+ Add Item' button
    • Press 'Enter' on their keyboard


Users can navigate between boxes by pressing 'Tab' on their keyboard. If all Items are added and the 'Quantity' fields are updated, Users can enter a quantity and then press 'Enter' to navigate down the 'Quantity' row. This functionality will work on other columns as well.


Once the Purchase Order is complete, click 'Save'. the details. 


Submit Without Review


Orders that have been initially saved will have a 'Submit' button present, as shown below. Users with the correct security access can then submit the order without review, unless told otherwise by your Restaurant Management Team. Click here to view the security access needed for this feature.

  • Note: If submitting orders via EDI, all Units of Measure must be set to 'Case' or have a Split UofM correlated to a 'Case'. If not, the Vendor will assume the quantity entered is per case, causing a larger shipment than expected.



It is extremely valuable to have two sets of eyes on a Purchase Order before submitting it to a Vendor, but Purchase Orders can be submitted after they are initially saved. A Purchase Order can be submitted either with or without sending the Vender the Purchase Order via email:

  • Submitting the Order and Sending the PO - To send an email with the PO to the email address entered on the Vendor record, click the 'Submit' button in the header
  • Submitting the Order Without Sending the PO - To update the PO's status without sending the PO via email to the Vendor, click the Status drop-down selector in the header and select 'Submit'

Required Template Permission


Users whose Permissions include the 'Require Template when Creating Purchase Orders' permission are required to use a Purchase Order Template to complete a Purchase Order. 


When a new Purchase Order is created, Users with this Permission will be unable to select a Vendor. Instead, they will be prompted to 'Choose a Purchase Order Template to continue.'





After selecting the Template, Users will be able to edit Item quantities. However, Users will be unable to add or delete Items from the Order. This permission also restricts Users from editing Consumption or Buffer days.