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Purchase Management

Efficient purchasing is critical to control costs and ensure timely supply of goods and services. Ultro ERP provides a connected Purchase module that supports the full procurement lifecycle, from internal requisitions to supplier quotations and purchase orders.

Below is a practical guide to the key stages, recommended actions, and how they fit together in Ultro.

Key stages

Purchase Requisition (PR)

The Purchase Requisition is the request to procure items or services. It typically includes item descriptions, quantities, required delivery dates, and the intended receiving location.

Practical steps:

  • Create a PR from Purchase → Purchase Requisition → Add New.
  • Fill main header details (warehouse, store/location, department, purpose) and add product/service lines in the Product Table.
  • Save the PR and submit for approval using Next Action → Send for Approval.

Why it matters: PRs provide traceability and a controlled approval gate before purchasing spend is committed.

Request for Quotation (RFQ)

After PR approval, send an RFQ to one or more suppliers to collect bids. RFQs include the requested items, quantities, expected delivery timelines, and any specific terms.

Tips:

  • Attach the approved PR or reference PR numbers when creating RFQs.
  • Invite multiple suppliers where practical to get competitive pricing.

See: Request for Quotation

Supplier Quotations

Suppliers respond to RFQs with quotations including price, lead time, and payment terms. Track and record all supplier responses in the system for audit and comparison.

Best practice: Encourage suppliers to include delivery timelines and lead-time assumptions to improve selection accuracy.

Quotation Comparison

Use Ultro's quotation comparison to evaluate offers across price, delivery, payment terms, and supplier performance. Document the selection rationale for procurement governance and auditing.

Purchase Order (PO)

Once a supplier is selected, create a Purchase Order. The PO is the formal agreement and should reflect agreed prices, quantities, and delivery schedules.

Options:

  • Create a PO directly from an approved PR or from an RFQ (depending on your configured workflow).
  • Use price lists for standardised pricing when available.

See: Purchase Order

Service Order & Service Receipt

For services, use Service Orders to define deliverables and timelines. On completion, create a Service Receipt to confirm the service was delivered to contract specification.

Service receipts are important for triggering supplier payments and for maintaining accurate records of service consumption.

Price List

Maintain Price Lists for frequently procured items or negotiated rates. Price lists help standardise purchase pricing and speed up PO creation.

Workflows & Approvals

  • Configure approval rules based on department, amount thresholds, or item categories.
  • Use document statuses (Draft → Pending Approval → Approved → Ordered) to track progress.
  • Capture reviewer comments and change history for auditability.

Roles & Responsibilities

  • Requester: Raises PRs with necessary details and justification.
  • Approver: Reviews PRs and approves or requests changes based on procurement policy.
  • Buyer/Procurement: Manages RFQs, supplier negotiation, and PO creation.
  • Receiving/Operations: Confirms receipts and quality checks upon delivery.

Integrations & downstream processes

  • Inventory: Received goods update on-hand quantities and stock valuation.
  • Accounting: POs and supplier invoices feed into payables and financial records.
  • Supplier management: Maintain supplier master data to speed RFQ creation and manage terms.

Reporting & dashboards

Monitor procurement through the Purchase Dashboard, tracking open PRs, pending approvals, outstanding POs, and spending by supplier or category.

Best practices

  • Provide clear delivery dates and GL/Cost centre allocation on each PR line.
  • Use RFQs for competitive sourcing on non-catalog purchases.
  • Keep price lists updated for frequently procured items.
  • Record supplier evaluation notes during quotation comparison.

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