# Hardware step 6: purchase orders and receiving

> Send purchase orders to your co-op and lumber suppliers, receive deliveries into the right store or yard, pay on terms and move stock between sites.

Source: https://docs.smartposhub.com/business-types/hardware/step-6-purchase-orders-and-receiving/  
Last updated: 2026-10-30  
Product: SmartPOS Hub (https://smartposhub.com)

Hardware stores buy from a few big suppliers on a schedule: the co-op truck every week, lumber twice a week, paint direct to each store. **Purchase orders** record what you asked for; **purchases** record what arrived and add the stock. This page shows the whole cycle for a store with a yard.

## Before you start

- Suppliers are added in **Purchases › Suppliers** with their pay term (for example 30 days).
- Products have an **Alert quantity** if you want low-stock warnings.

## Send a purchase order

1. Open **Purchases › Purchase Order** and click **Add Purchase Order**.
2. Choose the **Supplier**, the **Business Location** that will receive the goods, the **Order date** and, if known, the **Delivery date**. Add your PO number in **Reference No**.
3. Add products by name, SKU or barcode. For each line enter the **Order quantity** (choose Box or Pallet where the supplier sells in packs) and the **Unit Cost (Before Discount)**.
4. Add shipping or extra costs if the supplier charges them, then click **Save**. Print or e-mail the order to the supplier.

![Add Purchase Order form with supplier, reference number, business location, order date, delivery date, pay term, products table and shipping section](https://docs.smartposhub.com/_astro/add-purchase-order.C5OOR3f_.png) (web app page: `/purchase-order/create`)
*Purchases › Purchase Order › Add Purchase Order. Nothing is added to stock yet.*

![Purchase Order list with dates, reference numbers, locations, suppliers, status and quantity remaining](https://docs.smartposhub.com/_astro/purchase-orders-list.O6qZuBow.png) (web app page: `/purchase-order`)
*The list shows each order's status and how much is still to arrive.*

## Receive the delivery

1. Open **Purchases › Add Purchase** and choose the same **Supplier**.
2. In **Purchase Order**, pick the order. The lines are copied in.
3. Check quantities against the delivery note and change them if something is short or damaged.
4. Set **Purchase Status** to **Received** and choose the **Business Location** where the goods are unloaded (usually the yard).
5. Enter the supplier's invoice number in **Reference No**, the **Pay term**, and any payment made now (or 0). Click **Save**.

Stock goes up at that location now, and the purchase order's remaining quantity goes down.

## Move stock from the yard to the store

1. Open **Stock Transfers › Add Stock Transfer**.
2. Choose **Location (From)** (the yard) and **Location (To)** (the store), and the status: **Pending**, **In Transit** or **Completed**.
3. Add the products and quantities, then save. Stock moves when the status is **Completed**.

See [stock transfers](https://docs.smartposhub.com/inventory/stock-transfers/) for details.

## Pay the supplier

Purchases saved with nothing or part paid show **Due** or **Partial** in **Purchases › List Purchases**. Use **Actions › Add payment** for one purchase, or open the supplier in **Purchases › Suppliers** and pay several at once. The dashboard shows **Purchase Payment Due**.

## Tips and mistakes to avoid

- Receive where the truck unloads, then transfer. Receiving straight into the store when the goods are in the yard makes both counts wrong.
- Use **List Purchase Return** for goods you send back, not a stock adjustment, so the supplier's balance is right.
- Web stock adjustments only remove stock (damaged lumber, torn bags). New stock always comes in through a purchase or opening stock.

Next: [daily operations](https://docs.smartposhub.com/business-types/hardware/daily-operations/).

  - [Purchase orders](https://docs.smartposhub.com/inventory/purchase-orders/)
  - [Purchases](https://docs.smartposhub.com/inventory/purchases/)
  - [Supplier payments and credit](https://docs.smartposhub.com/inventory/supplier-payments-and-credit/)
  - [Stock transfers](https://docs.smartposhub.com/inventory/stock-transfers/)

## Frequently asked questions

### Does a purchase order change my stock?

No. Nothing is added to stock until you record the purchase. A purchase with status Received adds the stock to the chosen location.

### How do I receive a purchase order?

Open Purchases › Add Purchase, choose the supplier, and pick the order in the Purchase Order field. Its lines are copied in; adjust quantities to what actually arrived and save with status Received.

### What if only part of the order arrives?

Receive what came. The purchase order shows the quantity remaining, and you can link the rest to another purchase when it arrives.

### Can I buy pallets and receive bags?

Yes. Choose the pallet sub-unit on the purchase line; stock is added in bags.

### How do I pay suppliers on 30-day terms?

Set the pay term on the purchase or the supplier and pay later with Add payment on the purchase, or Pay on the supplier for several purchases at once.

### How do I see what to reorder?

Set an alert quantity on products. The dashboard and Reports › Stock Report show items at or below it, and the POS marks them Low stock.