# Mart step 7: buy stock from suppliers

> Add suppliers, place purchase orders, receive deliveries into a shop or warehouse with lot and expiry details, pay suppliers and return damaged goods.

Source: https://docs.smartposhub.com/business-types/mart/step-7-purchases-and-suppliers/  
Last updated: 2026-10-30  
Product: SmartPOS Hub (https://smartposhub.com)

A mart restocks every day. Recording purchases keeps your stock levels and profit right, tells you what you owe each supplier, and lets you print labels for new stock straight away.

## Before you start

- Suppliers are added in **Contacts › Suppliers** (name, phone, **Pay term** such as 30 days).
- Decide where deliveries arrive: each shop, or a central warehouse ([step 1](https://docs.smartposhub.com/business-types/mart/step-1-locations-and-warehouse/)).

## Record a purchase

1. Open **Purchases › Add Purchase**.
2. Pick the **Supplier**, the **Business Location** receiving the goods and the **Purchase Date**. Add the supplier's bill number in **Reference No** and attach a photo of the bill under **Attach Document** if you like.
3. Set **Purchase Status** to **Received** when the goods are on your shelves (stock is added only then), or **Ordered** / **Pending** if they're still coming.
4. Scan or search each product. Enter **Purchase Quantity** (choose a carton unit if you buy by the carton) and **Unit Cost**. Fill **Lot Number** and **MFG Date / EXP Date** for dated goods.
5. Add the payment made now at the bottom, or leave it for later.
6. Click **Save**.

![Add Purchase form with supplier, reference, purchase date and status, business location, pay term and products table with lot number and MFG and EXP date columns](https://docs.smartposhub.com/_astro/add-purchase.CReaWRtD.png) (web app page: `/purchases/create`)
*Lot Number and MFG / EXP Date columns appear when lot numbers and expiry are switched on.*

:::tip[Bulk deliveries]
Use **Import Products** on the purchase form to load a supplier's file of items and quantities instead of scanning each one.
:::

## Track and pay purchases

**Purchases › List Purchases** shows every purchase with its **Purchase Status**, **Payment Status** and **Payment due**. Use the **Actions** menu to view, edit, add a payment, print labels or return items.

![Purchases list with reference numbers, warehouse location, suppliers, Received and Paid statuses and grand totals](https://docs.smartposhub.com/_astro/purchases-list.CXzUiTVs.png) (web app page: `/purchases`)
*All purchases with their receiving and payment status.*

- **Pay a supplier**: **Add payment** on a purchase, or pay several at once from the supplier's page. See [Supplier payments and credit](https://docs.smartposhub.com/inventory/supplier-payments-and-credit/).
- **Order ahead**: create a **Purchase Order**, then turn it into a purchase when the goods arrive. See [Purchase orders](https://docs.smartposhub.com/inventory/purchase-orders/).
- **Return goods**: **Purchases › List Purchase Return**.

## Good practice

- Receive into the **warehouse**, then [transfer](https://docs.smartposhub.com/business-types/mart/step-8-stock-transfers-and-counts/) to shops, so each shop's stock is exact.
- Check the **Product Stock Alert** list on the dashboard before ordering.
- Print shelf labels for new items right after saving the purchase.

  - [Step 8: Stock transfers, low stock and counts](https://docs.smartposhub.com/business-types/mart/step-8-stock-transfers-and-counts/)
  - [Purchases (full guide)](https://docs.smartposhub.com/inventory/purchases/)

## Frequently asked questions

### Do I need purchase orders?

No. Small stores often record the purchase when goods arrive. Purchase orders help when you order ahead and want to check the delivery against what you ordered.

### Can I buy in cartons and sell in pieces?

Yes. Pick the carton unit on the purchase line; stock is added in pieces and the unit cost is worked out per piece.

### How do I record that I still owe the supplier?

Save the purchase with a partial or no payment. The balance shows as Payment due on the purchase and on the supplier, and you pay it later.

### Can a purchase update my selling prices?

Yes, if Enable editing product price from purchase screen is on in Business Settings › Purchases. The Unit Selling Price column then updates the product price.

### How do I send damaged or expired goods back?

Use Purchases › List Purchase Return (or Return on the purchase). Stock goes down and the supplier owes you the amount.