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July 29, 2024
Question

Purchase order status

  • July 29, 2024
  • 1 reply
  • 0 views

Why are my purchase orders closing automatically when I enter them?  I want them to remain open so that I can assign a bill to them when they are received?

 

1 reply

July 29, 2024

Let's work together to determine why the purchase orders are closing after creating them and resolve this behavior, Kimmy.

 

There are several possible reasons why a purchase order status shows closed when you enter them in QuickBooks Online (QBO). I've listed them below:

 

  • The quantity or amount fields are zero
  • QBO automatically closes a purchase order once linked to a bill or expense.
  • Someone accidentally edited or closed the transaction.

 

To determine the exact cause of the issue, I recommend following the troubleshooting steps below.

 

First, let's ensure the quantity and amount columns aren't blank. The system will mark the purchase order as closed if both fields are empty. Add the correct details to avoid this.

 

If the details have been entered correctly, I recommend checking the purchase order to see if there's an associated bill or expense. Here's how:

 

  1. Go to the Expenses menu and then select Expenses.
  2. Click the All transactions drop-down arrow and then select Purchase order.
  3. Filter the correct dates.
  4. Select and double-click the closed transaction.
  5. After that, you'll be routed to the Purchase order page. Under the Amount, you can find the transaction linked to the entry.
  6. Click it to review the bill or expense.
  7. You can remove it by clicking More, then Delete.

 

If no transactions have been linked, please check the Audit Log tool. This feature allows you to monitor all activities in your accounts. I'll show you how:

 

  1. Go to the Gear icon and select Audit log.
  2. Choose Filter.
  3. Use the fields on the Filter panel to choose the appropriate UserDate, or Events filter to narrow the results.
  4. Hit Apply.

 

Moreover, you can follow these steps to reopen the purchase order:

 

  1. From the Expenses menu, select the Expenses tab.
  2. Locate the entry and click the drop-down arrow under the Action column.
  3. Select View/Edit. Then, from the Purchase Order status drop-down arrow, choose Open.
  4. Once done, hit Save and close.

 

Finally, you can run various reports in QBO to view your open purchase orders. Here's how:

 

  1. Go to Reports.
  2. Search for and run an Open Purchase Order List report, Open Purchase Order Detail report, Purchases by Product/Service Detail report, or a Purchases by Vendor Detail report.
  3. Personalize the data to generate details you want to view.

 

Please don't hesitate to click the reply button to leave a comment if you have more questions about linking your purchase order to your bill in QBO. I'll be here to assist you at any time.

KimmylclaAuthor
July 30, 2024

I'm not sure what you are referring to because under amount is the PO number - but there is nothing to click and link to.  My POs are always $0.00 until the bill is received and at that time, I need to be able to go to my open POs to apply the bill to the appropriate one.

 

 

 

 

 

July 30, 2024

I appreciate your prompt response and the screenshot you've added regarding your concern, Kimmy. I'm here to share more details about the Purchase Order (PO) and ensure its status remains open in QuickBooks Online (QBO).

 

Based on the image you've added, the PO is not associated with your bills. That's why there are no linked transactions under the PO's Amount.

 

On the other hand, we can follow my colleague's advice above to avoid the PO from automatically closing. That said, you can utilize the Item details section instead of the Category details to save a PO amounting to zero.

 

By entering your PO's details in the Item details section, ensure you input at least one quantity (QTY) value for each item line. Doing so secures its status to remain Open once saved.

 

Following that, you can link it to your bill. To help you with this task, please refer to the Add a purchase order to an expense, bill, or check section from this link: Add purchase orders to vendor transactions in QuickBooks Online.

 

I'm also adding this resource to help you once you need a complete contrast of the money moving in and out of your business: Run a Profit and Loss Comparison Report in QuickBooks Online. This way, you can review the productivity of your business in a given timeframe.

 

If you require additional assistance with your PO or other transactions in QBO, please add a comment below. I'm one reply away.