Purchase-order statuses

Every purchase order carries one of four statuses, shown in words on its row on the Orders tab of Purchasing. The status decides what actions are available and whether the order has moved your stock. (On multi-location accounts, an order also remembers which location it was created for — see Create a purchase order.)

The four statuses

• Draft — created from the To buy tab, not yet placed with the supplier. You can send, receive or cancel it. Stock has not moved.
• Sent — marked as placed with the supplier. You can still receive or cancel it. Stock still hasn't moved.
• Received — the stock has been topped up. This is the end state — a received order can't be un-received. Correct a mistake with a manual adjustment under Stock levels.
• Cancelled — abandoned; no effect on stock. Stays on the Orders tab, marked Cancelled, for your records.

Cancel an order

Cancel order is in the … menu at the end of the order's row, and it asks you to confirm first — it used to be a bare click. A cancelled order stays on the Orders tab marked Cancelled; it doesn't touch your stock. You cancel from draft or sent — a received order can't be cancelled (it's already moved stock).

When to use each

• Made a draft you don't want to place any more → Cancel.
• Placed the order but the supplier can't fulfil it → Cancel (they'll send nothing; your stock never changed).
• A short delivery arrived → open the order, type what came, and receive it. The order stays Sent until every line is complete, so there is nothing to adjust afterwards. See Receive a purchase order.

What's next

• Create a purchase order · Send a purchase order · Receive a purchase order.
• Purchasing — the overview.
• Purchasing troubleshooting.