Purchase order tracking: what to record

A purchase order (PO) is the document you give a supplier to confirm what you are buying, at what price and when you expect it. If you buy regularly for a business, church or project, tracking every PO in one place saves money and arguments.

What to record for each order

• PO number and order date
• Supplier name
• Item description, quantity and unit price
• Total cost
• Order status: ordered, shipped, delivered or cancelled
• Expected delivery date and the date it actually arrived
• Payment status: unpaid, part-paid or paid
• Notes, such as damaged items or a promised discount

Common mistakes

• Not recording the delivery date. You can't tell which suppliers are often late.
• Paying before checking the goods. Check quantity and condition against the PO first.
• Keeping orders in WhatsApp chats. They are hard to search and easy to lose.
• Forgetting part payments. Write down the balance each time.

A five-minute weekly check

Once a week, look at three things: orders still open, orders past their expected date, and unpaid orders. Contact late suppliers early, and pay on time so you stay on good terms.

A ready-made template

I made an Excel Purchase Order Tracker that does the totals, shows days late and summarises open, late and unpaid orders. It works in Excel and Google Sheets.