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PO Software: 7 Automation Features Explained


Automation features explained

Table of contents:



PO Automation

The approach of automating a purchase order approval procedure through the use of an automation platform is known as Purchase Order Automation. A centralized program will send a purchase request to the proper team member for evaluation and approval automatically.


The PO would be automatically generated in the ERP after approval, saving time and effort. At last, it eliminates the need for people to send physical paper or email purchase orders for approval, as well as speeding up the procedure.


A purchase order is used to automate the sending of invoices and other paperwork. Your accounting staff may more easily manage incoming bills, payments, and focus on more important work once you've set up an automated procedure. It also establishes a purchasing process and regulations so your team can put in levels of control to safeguard your company.


The most popular advantages that businesses experience when automating their Purchase Order Process are as follows:

  • Increase of process efficiency

  • Cost Savings

  • Reduction of human error

  • Visibility into Processes

  • Flexibility & Control


The importance of PO software automation features, as well as how to utilize them, will become clearer in the following blog post.



1. Custom Automation

Custom automation feature in PO software is an advanced setting that allows users to create their own individual PO rules. They are separate from the predefined (or built-in) rules of the program.


When setting up custom automation, it is important to ensure that the correct information is used. If you have purchase orders that are rejected, for example, incorrect information in the automation rules can cause them to be processed incorrectly. Test your rules thoroughly before putting them into production.


In a Purchase Order (PO) software, custom automation allows you to configure the system to automatically take specific actions based on certain conditions. This can save you time and ensure that your orders are processed accurately and efficiently.


Custom automation can be extremely useful in streamlining your order-processing procedures. By taking advantage of the many different custom automation options that are available, you can ensure that your orders are handled quickly and accurately.


There are many different types of custom automation that you can set up in PO software. For example, you can automate the process of creating purchase orders based on supplier information that is already stored in the system. You can also create rules to automatically approve or reject purchase orders based on specific criteria. You can generate invoices based on PO information and create reports to track your purchase orders. The rules you set up are completely dependent on your purchases and business processes.



2. Rule-based purchasing functionality - Rules based on Departments

The capability to set up rules based on departments is an important feature in PO software. This allows businesses to create specific rules for different departments, making the process more efficient and organized. For example, a company might have a rule that requires all purchase orders for office supplies to be approved by the accounting department. This feature can also help businesses track down errors that are the result of human error, such as when a new purchase order is submitted but no one has received approval.


Businesses can benefit from this capability in many ways:

  1. It helps keep PO information more organized and complete.

  2. The rules will be easier to remember if they're clearly documented and available for everyone to see.

  3. Allows businesses to automatically track down errors and/or incomplete information more easily.

  4. This capability can help a business save time by automating certain tasks, such as the submission or approval of a new purchase order.


This functionality has many uses, including helping businesses to be more organized with specific policies for different departments. With this functionality implemented in the company's PO software, every department will have its own set of rules so all employees are following the same specifications.



3. Rule-based purchasing functionality - Rules based on the Total Value of the PO

The Capability to set up Rules based on the Total Value of the PO is a feature that allows users to create rules that are based on the total value of the purchase order. This can be helpful for organizations that want to ensure their purchasing process is as efficient as possible.


By setting up rules that are based on the total value of the PO, users can automate certain tasks or processes that are related to purchasing. For example, an organization could set up a rule that states that any purchase order that is over a certain amount must be approved by a certain individual. This would help to ensure that only high-value purchases are made without having to manually review every purchase order.


If you are looking for software that has this capability, be sure to look for PO software that has Rule-based purchasing functionality. This will ensure that you are able to create rules that are based on the total value of the purchase order. Additionally, if you are not sure if a particular PO software has this capability, be sure to ask the software provider. They will be able to let you know if their software has this feature and how it can be used to improve your purchasing process.


Overall, the Capability to set up Rules based on the Total Value of the PO is a helpful feature that can save organizations time and money.



4. Rule-based purchasing functionality - Rules based on certain items that are ordered

The "Capability to set-up Rules based on certain items that are ordered" feature in PO software is a feature that allows the software to automatically trigger workflows when a pre-defined item that is ordered by the buyer is detected. This feature can be used to automate the process of fulfilling orders and tracking inventory. For example, a business could use this feature to automatically create a work order when a specific item is ordered or to trigger an email notification when a new order is placed. This feature can also be used to help manage inventory levels by automatically ordering more stock when certain items are low in inventory.


The "Capability to set-up Rules based on certain items that are ordered" feature allows you to:

1. create a rule and associate it with the items of your choice, and/or

2. create a rule that is automatically applied to orders that contain specific items.


This feature can be used to, for example, manage stock levels more effectively or apply a specific discount to orders that contain a particular item. It provides you with a great deal of flexibility and control over how your orders are processed.


This functionality is highly useful for large e-commerce stores because it would help them avoid being inefficient. With this feature on their hands, small businesses could also have an upper hand against the competition. This could be an important functionality in PO software, so it should be implemented on all major purchasing platforms.


 
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5. Automated Purchase Order creations

Automated PO creation is a feature that allows you to automatically create purchase orders based on predefined criteria. This can save you time and hassle when ordering supplies and materials.


There are several ways to set up automated PO creation. Some software programs allow you to create rules for automatic PO creation, while others require you to input specific information into a template. The benefit of this second option is that the template will automatically populate all of your company's information, which can aid in making sure nothing is left out.


When setting up automated PO creation, it's important to make sure that all of your company's suppliers are included in your vendor list. This will ensure that the correct supplier is chosen when the program automatically creates a purchase order.


It's also important to check your PO history list regularly, especially if you have several templates set up. This will ensure that the purchase order was created successfully and allows you to see if any corrections or changes need to be made.


Automated PO creation is a great way to streamline your ordering process and save time when placing orders for materials and supplies. By setting up the correct rules and templates, you can ensure that your company's information is automatically populated into each purchase order. This will help to avoid any mistakes and make the ordering process easier and more efficient.



6. Electronically send the PO to the supplier

The Electronically send the PO to supplier functionality enables you to speed up and simplify sending a Purchase Order to your supplier, as it eliminates any time that manual entry would have taken. This function ensures that once you've checked and created the PO, it will automatically send to your supplier.


For this function to work, your software needs to meet certain criteria:

1. You must have an internet connection enabled on your machine.

2. You must have the supplier's email address to send the PO.

3. The supplier's mail server must be able to receive emails with attachments.

4. If your purchase order is for a custom item, the supplier will need to have that item added to their inventory.

5. The items on your purchase order must have a valid cost price.

6. You can only send a PO electronically if the purchase order is not in draft mode.


To use this function, you first need to create a purchase order and enable this option. Once the functionality is activated, an email will be sent to the supplier with all information about the order including some information.


When you send your purchase order electronically, it eliminates the need for human error. When manually entering data into an email, there is always a chance that the information will get lost or deleted. By using the Electronically send the PO to supplier functionality, you can avoid any potential issues that may occur when sending your purchase order manually.


In addition, this function also allows you to track your purchase orders more easily. When you send a PO electronically, it creates an electronic trail that can be tracked and monitored. This information is stored online in your "Purchases" tab on your dashboard.



7. Speedy Approval

Speedy Approval is a feature in PO software that allows you to make approvals quickly and easily. This feature is especially helpful when you need to approve a large number of items at once. It also allows you to view all approved or rejected items in a single list. This makes it easy to keep track of all the approvals and rejections. It is a very handy feature that can save you a lot of time.


Speedy Approvals are an efficient way of speeding up the PO and invoicing process. What essentially happens when you use speedy approvals is that once a PO or invoice is submitted, your company receives a notification. The approver can log in to the PO software and approve or reject items by following a few steps. This saves up time for the person who would have otherwise manually had to go through each PO or invoice and approve or reject it. Speedy approvals provide you with a list of all the POs and invoices that require approval. The approvers can select the ones they need to take care of and approve them in one go.


When you use speedy approvals, creating an approval hierarchy is out of the question since everyone has access to the list of all invoices. You can, however, set up rules for speedy approvals.


The best part about Speedy Approvals is that even if someone is out of the office or on vacation, their role can be easily delegated to another person in the company who will have access to the list of invoices and can approve invoices on their behalf.



Why Prokuria is the best PO software for your business?

It is important to use or at least tryout, one of those automation features for better quality and faster results with your PO software.


Prokuria is a PO software system that allows companies to automate and streamline the management of purchase orders. Businesses can focus more on their core activities and less on purchasing administration.


If you're searching for a PO solution, Prokuria's software is a good fit. Prokuria PO software is an excellent choice for a variety of reasons, but the main one is that it offers numerous features that are convenient. It's also cost-effective, simple to use, and has fantastic communication capabilities.


If you want a PO software that will make your work easier, faster, and more effective, then Prokuria is the best choice for you.


Try it free now by creating an account here. There is no credit card required to sign up! If you have questions, you can contact us today and see how easy it is to start using our PO software!



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