Create Blanket PO

The Create Blanket PO page allows you to create a blanket purchase order which is used to aggregate purchases made from a particular vendor over time. This is done by creating a blanket purchase order and then associating many child purchase orders, called purchase order "releases," with the blanket purchase order.

Blanket purchase orders are often used when special purchasing arrangements are made with a vendor who offers discounted materials or services when are purchased in bulk. The blanket purchase order can specify the vendor, the expiration date of the agreement, and a spending limit. Then, every time a release is made against the blanket purchase order, the costs associated with the release are deducted from this limit.

To create a blanket purchase order:

1. Access the Purchasing module by clicking the Purchasing link at the top of the page.

2. Select the Create Blanket PO tab.

   The Blanket Purchase Order - Create Blanket page opens.

3. In the Blanket PO# field, enter a PO number for the blanket purchase order.

   Blanket purchase order numbers are not generated by the system and must be unique. If you enter a number that is associated with an existing blanket purchase order, the system displays an error message.

4. Click the Vendor Select link to specify the vendor the blanket PO is associated with.

   When you select a vendor, the Vendor Address field is automatically filled in. If you cannot find the desired vendor, the vendor company may not have not been added to the system or was not set up as a vendor. For more information, see Create Company.

5. In the Default Warehouse field, select the default warehouse where items will be stored.

   The warehouse you select will be the default warehouse selected for all releases associated with this blanket PO.

6. In the Description field, enter a description of the blanket PO.

7. Modify the Requestor Name value, if needed.

   This value defaults to the name of the user creating the blanket PO.

8. In the Start Date and Expiration Date fields, enter values specifying the time frame when this blanket purchase order is in place.

   The system defaults the start date to today and the expiration date to one year after the start date.

9. In the Spend Limit (NTE) field, enter a value indicating the spending limit for this blanket PO.

   If you enter a spending limit, each time a release is entered against this blanket PO, the costs associated with the release are deducted from this limit. This limit is not enforced. You can enter releases that cause the total costs to exceed the spend limit.

10. Click the Notify User Select link to specify the user who should receive notifications regarding this blanket PO.

    The selected user will receive a notification email when either the notification date occurs or the notification total amount is reached, indicating the expiration date of the of the blanket PO, the spending limit, and the current total amount.

11. In the Notify Date field, enter a value specifying the date on which a notification email should be sent to the specified notification user.
12. In the Notify Amount field, enter a value specifying the total amount which, when reached, will cause a notification email to be sent to the specified notification user.

13. Click OK.

    The blanket PO is created and the Blanket Purchase Order Details page opens.