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Manufacturing Purchasing
Manufacturing purchasing connects work orders, shortages, and purchase orders. Use it when a work order needs components that are not already available in stock, on order, or in transit.
This workflow is most useful when you need to answer three questions quickly:
- What does the work order still need?
- What is already on an open PO?
- What should purchasing buy now?
Quick Reference
| Task | Where to Start | What It Does |
|---|---|---|
| Review missing components by work order | Purchasing reports → MTO Purchasing Requirements | Shows active work order demand, qty on order, qty short, supplier, and projected arrival |
| Review broader replenishment needs | Orders → Purchasing → Restocking POs | Suggests purchase quantities from demand history and open demand |
| Buy only for a specific work order | Work Orders → open the work order → Create PO | Creates purchasing from the work order context |
| Receive components | Orders → Purchasing → Purchase Orders | Receives purchased material into inventory and updates on-order balances |
Recommended Workflow
1. Confirm the Work Order
Start in Work Orders. Make sure the work order is in an active status and the component list is complete.
Check these fields before purchasing:
- Warehouse
- Required date
- Assembly
- Component quantities
- Job assignment, if the material should stay tied to one job
If the BOM is still changing, fix that first. Purchasing too early usually creates the wrong shortage signal.
2. Review What Is Actually Short
Run the MTO Purchasing Requirements report when you need a work-order-first view. It shows the work order, assembly, required date, component, qty needed, qty already on order, qty still short, supplier, lead time, projected arrival, and any open PO numbers already tied to that job demand.
Use Restocking Suggestions ( Item Velocity ) when you need the broader purchasing picture for the warehouse. That report is better for items that are shared across multiple jobs or also consumed by normal stock demand.
The practical difference is:
- MTO Purchasing Requirements is for job-driven shortages.
- Restocking Suggestions ( Item Velocity ) is for warehouse replenishment with demand period filtering.
If the restocking screen shows Demand Source, use it to confirm whether a suggestion is being driven by open-order demand, sales history, or a combined view.
3. Decide Whether to Buy for the Job or Restock the Warehouse
Use a job-driven PO when the component is being purchased for a specific work order and should stay traceable.
Use a restocking PO when the item is a normal stocked component and you want the warehouse to replenish it based on demand instead of buying only for one job.
In practice:
- Buy for the job when the item is unusual, expensive, or tied to one build.
- Restock the warehouse when the item is used repeatedly and future demand is expected.
4. Create the Purchase Order
You can create the PO from either direction:
- From Work Orders by opening the work order and clicking Create PO when you already know which build is driving the need.
- From Purchase Orders when you want the system to group shortages into supplier-based restocking POs.
When reviewing suggested quantities, pay attention to Order Multiple. This is the quantity the system orders in. If an item has an Order Multiple of 6 and you need 14, the system rounds up to 18.
That is expected behavior. It is not an overbuy bug.
5. Keep the Job Reference Clean
If the material belongs to a specific job, keep the job reference on the PO header or line items. That makes receiving, locating, and later issuing easier to follow.
See Job System for where job references carry through the rest of the product.
6. Receive and Recheck the Shortage
After receiving, rerun the report or reopen the work order before issuing components. This confirms that:
- The PO quantities posted correctly
- The on-order shortage is cleared
- The remaining short quantity, if any, is real
If the item is still short after receipt, check for one of these first:
- The material was received into the wrong warehouse
- The PO line was not tied to the expected item
- The work order quantity changed after purchasing
- Another order consumed the stock before the work order was issued
Reports That Help
| Report | Use When |
|---|---|
| MTO Purchasing Requirements | You want a component-by-component list of active work order shortages |
| Restocking Suggestions ( Item Velocity ) | You want replenishment suggestions that include demand period filtering |
| Purchase Orders | You need to review outstanding, partially received, or completed POs |
| Work Orders | You need to confirm the assembly, component list, or required date driving the purchase |
Common Mistakes
Buying Before the BOM Is Stable
If the work order is still being edited, the shortage can move. Confirm the component list first.
Ignoring Order Multiple
If the suggested quantity looks high, check the item’s Order Multiple before changing it manually.
Treating MTO and Restocking as the Same Decision
They overlap, but they are not the same. MTO answers “what does this build need?” Restocking answers “what should this warehouse replenish?”
Skipping the Post-Receipt Check
Receiving changes the live inventory picture. Recheck the report before issuing so you do not chase a shortage that is already resolved.
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