Entering Purchase Orders Using the Create PO and Auto PO Functions

The "Create PO" and "Auto PO" functions are used to enter Purchase Orders from within MRP and are used to fulfill purchasing requirements based on demand and suggestions within the MRP Report. In this situation, Purchase Order quantities and "Due to Dock" dates will be populated automatically by the system. Users with the correct permission may override these values.

The "Auto PO" function is designed to work in unison with the "Optimize Prices" button within MRP to create Purchase Orders based on the best possible prices for specific items. The feature is used when running MRP for a specific Facility since using the "Auto PO" button only allows one Facility to be selected when creating the multiple orders. The "Auto PO" function will only work correctly after the optimize pricing feature has been run. In cases where optimize pricing is not desired, the “Create PO” button may be used.

Configuration

Please reference the Entering Purchase Orders and Configuring Options for Use in MRP pages for an overview of the configuration steps required prior to entering Purchase Orders.

In order for the "Optimize Prices" function to work, vendor part specific pricing must exist. In DEACOM, vendor part specific pricing is enabled by adding vendor specific part and pricing information on the DEACOM Item Master record. Items may contain multiple vendor specific parts and each vendor specific part may containing multiple pricing options or pricing breaks based on a combination of time periods and order quantities. The link provided in the first sentence provides details on how to create vendor parts and the associated vendor specific pricing.

DEACOM also offers Just In Time options for use in MRP. See the Using Just in Time MRP page for additional information including the required configuration.

Process

  1. Navigate to Inventory > MRP.
  2. Fill in the MRP pre-filter with the appropriate selection criteria then click the "View" button to display the MRP report.
  3. Determine which items will need to be purchased. Information on how to analyze MRP reports in DEACOM is available via the link in Step 1.
  4. On the MRP report double click the word "No" in the "Suggested" row to change to "Yes" for all the items that will be need to be included on Purchase Orders.
  5. Click the "Create PO" or "Auto PO" button.
  6. The system will display the Select a Facility form for users to make a selection. Note that if the MRP report was filtered by Facility, steps 7-8 will not be applicable as the system will create the Purchase Order(s) in the Facility specified on the pre-filter.
  7. Select the appropriate Facility.
  8. The system will display each Purchase Order individually or a list containing all the Purchase Orders that have been created, depending if the "Create PO" or "Auto PO" button was used.
  9. At this point, users can make any additional changes to the Purchase Order(s) as required. If changes are made, be sure to click the "Save" button.
  10. If changes are not required, users may click the "Exit" button on the Purchase Order or list of Purchase Orders to complete the process.

Notes:

  • The “Preferred” flag on the vendor part is not required to use the optimize price option. If a Vendor is marked preferred, it will be displayed automatically when MRP is run. Then, if the "Auto PO" button is clicked, the system will automatically generate POs for the selected parts, Vendors and suggested quantities. In regards to the optimize price option, the system will select the Vendor with the based price, regardless if that Vendor is marked preferred.
  • If Purchase Order Header User Fields are marked as required, users will be prompted with a list of the User Fields when creating purchase orders via MRP. Users can then enter the appropriate values. Once complete, the system will continue with purchase order creation.
  • Version 16.02 introduced Vendor Facility specific defaults which allow users to set Facility specific order defaults by Vendor. If a Facility is selected with a matching Vendor Facility record, the defaults specified on the Vendor Facility record, and not the order defaults on the Vendor record, will be used during order creation. Users may change the defaults if desired.
  • Beginning in version 16.03.055, if creating a purchaser order in MRP for an item with no suggestion, the system will check the "PO Quantity" field on any Vendor Part, then any Facility Part, and finally the Item Master when determining the default purchase order quantity. Note: the value in the field must be greater than 0.
  • If Facility-specific parts exist, and the Facility and Part are selected when entering an order, the system will use the information on the Facility part record rather than the Part's Item Master record. Facility-specific parts also contain settings that tell the system to use the costs and prices set on this tab instead of the settings on the Part's main Item Master record.

Applying blanket orders during purchase order creation

Purchasing Options contains the "Prompt PO Blanket Orders" field. If this field is checked, and using the "Create PO" or "Auto PO" buttons in MRP, the system will display the MRP Blanket PO form for any part and vendor combination that applies to an open blanket order.

The process is detailed below.

  1. Navigate to Inventory > MRP.
  2. Fill in the MRP pre-filter with the appropriate selection criteria then click the "View" button to display the MRP report.
  3. Determine which items will need to be purchased. Information on how to analyze MRP reports in DEACOM is available via the link in Step 1.
  4. On the MRP report double click the word "No" in the "Suggested" row to change to "Yes" for all the items that will be need to be included on Purchase Orders.
  5. Click the "Create PO" or "Auto PO" button.
  6. The system will display the Select a Vendor form.
    1. Note: If the part has a preferred vendor assigned, this form will not be displayed. Additional information on preferred vendors is available via the Vendor Part Cross Reference page.
  7. The system will then display the Select a Facility form for users to make a selection. Note that if the MRP report was filtered by Facility, the Select a Facility form will not be displayed as the system will create the Purchase Order(s) in the Facility specified on the pre-filter.
  8. If the "Prompt PO Blanket Orders" field is checked in Purchasing Options and the part and vendor selected apply to any open blanket orders, the system will display the MRP Blanket PO form. In time-phased MRP, the form displays one row for each part and due to dock date combination. In instant MRP, the system displays one row for each part combined to one date.
  9. Click the "Modify" button to display the Edit MRP Blanket PO form.
  10. In the "Blanket PO" field use the search icon to display a list of available blanket orders. The list is limited to blanket orders for the part where the due to dock date is in the release and expiration date range set on the blanket order.
  11. Select the appropriate blanket order and save and exit the Edit MRP Blanket PO form.
  12. The MRP Blanket PO form is still displayed.
  13. Repeat steps 9-11 for any additional part/due to dock date combinations.
  14. Once all blanket purchase orders have been selected click the "Continue" button.
  15. The system will list all the purchase orders that have been created on the Orders form.
  16. Users may modify the purchase orders as necessary or exit the Orders form to complete the process.

Notes:

  • If the user clicks the "Continue" button and a blanket PO was not chosen, the system will create the appropriate purchase order lines without the blanket pricing order applied. When using instant MRP and the Auto PO option, the due to dock date will be empty for any created purchase orders. In this case, today's date will be used to decide which blanket orders are valid.