Create Blanket Order

With a few exceptions noted here, the Blanket Orders module works just like the Purchase Orders module. There are two types of blanket orders that you might create in the Purchasing module.  

The first type is a blanket order for a total dollar amount.  Organizations track against that dollar amount and use the Release feature.  

The second type of blanket order is a result of a bid, and the organization has contracted for a specific quantity of goods or services.  

Don't have more than one blanket order to the same vendor at the same time unless there is a slight overlap when re-establishing a blanket order. This will ensure that payments are charged accurately and promptly.

1. From the Purchasing menu, go to Blanket Orders > New.

2. In the Description field, type in a short description of this blanket order.

3. In the Segment drop-down menu, select the database segment that this blanket order should be part of.  

4. In the Buyer Resource drop-down menu, select a resource to designate as the buyer for this purchase order. Or, if you want to manually enter the buying party, enter the buyer in the Buyer Name field.

5. In the Ship To drop-down menu, select the warehouse to which the goods that will be listed on this purchase order should be shipped.

6. In the Account drop-down menu, select the account with which this blanket order is associated.  This is the account that will be charged for this blanket order.

7. In the Type drop-down menu, select the type of blanket order this will be.  There are two types: BN - Blanket Order Non-Release and BR - Blanket Order Release. The two types are defined like this:

   • Blanket Order Non-Release - This type of blanket order cannot be released for the creation of purchase orders.

   • Blanket Order Release - This type of blanket order can be released for the creation of purchase orders. When this blanket order is released, it will create a new purchase order with the same Purchase Order Number as this blanket order's Blanket Order Number.

   See the Purchase Orders Created from Blanket Orders topic for more information on purchase orders created from Release-type blanket orders.

8. In the Max Amount field, enter the maximum amount for the blanket order.  This means that the blanket order expires after the maximum amount of goods have been ordered.

9. From the Expiration Date calendar, select an expiration date for this blanket order.

10. In the Vendor field, enter the ID for the vendor that will supply the goods for this blanket order. If you do not know the vendor's ID, click the Lookup button and query for the vendor record.  

    If the vendor is not in your TMS database, you can add a new vendor from the Purchase Order New screen, using the Vendor-on-the-Fly functionality.  See the procedure described below.

11. Fill in any of the optional fields that remain on the Main tab or the Details tab.

12. When you are finished filling in all of the required fields and any necessary optional field, click Save to add this blanket order to TMS.

The screen changes to the Blanket Order Edit screen.  Additional tabs (List and Items, and Released Purchase Orders, in the case of Release-type blanket orders) are available to you.  We explain the additional tabs in the Blanket Order Edit topic.