Configure purchase orders

2 min

Purchase orders (POs)are commercial documents used to define the types, quantities, and prices for objects or services in a transaction.

You can use a global website setting to require all customers to enter PO numbers to check out or you can set this requirement at the customer level. The global setting overrides the customer-level requirements, if enabled. Customer bill-to accounts that require POs override any customer ship-to requirements.

Use the steps below to allow for the use and/or requirement of POs on your website. Also review Create and Assign Payment Methods for more information about assigning POs as the default payment method.

Enable purchase orders on a website

If setting Enable Purchase Orders is set to No for the website, the system will ignore the logic for Require Purchase Order Number for both the setting and individual customer records.

Go to Admin Console > Administration > System > Settings.

In the search box enter and select Enable Purchase Orders.

Set the toggle to YES. This makes the PO Number field and Payment Terms options available in the Payment Method drop-down list on the Review and Pay page. The default value is YES.

Click Save.

Require a purchase order to checkout for all customers

If the setting Require Purchase Order Number is set to Yes for the current website, all customers must enter a PO number to check out.

Go to Admin Console > Administration > System > Settings.

In the search box enter and select Require Purchase Order Number.

Set the toggle to YES. If Yes, a purchase order number will be required to submit an order.

Click Save.

Require purchase order number for certain customers

If the setting Require Purchase Order Number is set to No for the current website and:

The customer bill to record is set to On, this customer must enter a PO number to check out.

The customer bill to value is set to Off, but the customer ship-to record is set to On, this customer must enter a PO number to check out.