In this article, we will show you how to create and import POs using the new updated interface, while also providing an overview of what has changed.

Let's get started!

Before we get into the process of creating an order let's walk through what the new UI looks like and how it improved upon the existing system.

PO 2.0 is a refreshed and more informative version of the purchase order system. This new version aims to make the workflow of creating a PO, adding products, and adding costs and associated details simpler and more user-friendly. The updated design also aims to provide as much information as possible without the need to enter into another screen.

From the PO tab, you can now see a ton more information that overwise would have required you to calculate and gather yourself. As you see above, you now have a short synopsis of spending, in-transit units, and upcoming orders.

Below that you can now see a lot of the key information involved in creating an order such as:

Most of the changes, while subtle, are centered around the idea that once in the PO tab you should have all of the information you need at a glance.

Now, moving to the inside of the form, you can see some considerable changes were made there as well.

Once you create a PO, either from the inventory table or the PO tab, you are met with this page where you can see almost all of the necessary data you could want.

At the top, you can see all of the relevant details about the order like name, status, units/products, additional costs, and the total order cost. At any point, you can edit those details or update the status.

Over to the right you have the costs and discounts section where you can add currency conversions, discounts, or any costs associated with the order (shipping, packaging, etc).

Then just like the previous PO UI, you have the option to update or add a supplier and add additional info like invoices, emails, etc.

However, a new addition to this PO form is the Shipment card. This has been highly requested and is now a reality in PO 2.0. Shipments allow you to break up your orders into up to three shipments that can arrive at different times.

So, if you have 30% of one order that is running late you can update the shipments and allot the correct stock that will come later than the original arrival date. This provides more flexibility and better tracking for brands that may not have the most reliable suppliers or that often do split their shipments depending on need. Feel free to play around with this to get a feel for how it works.

In addition to shipments, we have also added the ability to track payments. Payments allow you to easily track and visualize:

Finally, we have the main aspect of the PO, adding products. This process has gotten a facelift and a bit of added context. Now when you are searching for products you would like to add, you have the benefit of seeing their grade and status next to the variant.

The added information makes it a lot easier to see at a glance what is running low or out of stock and what should or should not be restocked based on sales.

Additional context has also been added to the products themselves on the table. Now, when you add a product to the PO you can see their stockout date and a covered until date. This is our new "Smart Suggested Reorder" feature.

It allows you to set a covered until date and generate a recommended order amount, or you can input a quantity and Genie will give you the covered until date. You can read more details about it here.

This is our way of giving you the ability to see how long your stock will last you and provide a jumping-off point when ordering new stock. Note that this feature does not leverage seasonal data but goes off of your average daily sales. So before you place the order please double-check that you are ordering the correct amount.

Now that you have an idea of what has been changed and the key areas of improvement we have made, we can finally get into how to create a PO.

Functionally, the process is the same, there are just areas that you will need to ensure have the proper details added to them in order to benefit from the insights.

To begin you will want to decide if you want to add products directly from the inventory table, create from scratch from the PO tab (jump to step X), or import a premade order (jump to step X).

Let's start for now from the inventory table.

Step 1: Select the products you want to add to an order.

You can do this by filtering your catalog to only show products that are running low or out of stock, or by searching for a specific product.

Step 2: Select the "Add to PO" action button to the left of the search.

This action button will give you the option to add to an existing order or to create a new PO. Select the option that best fits your needs.

Selecting the option to "Add to new PO", will open a side-view window for you to add the necessary information to get the PO started. Choosing the "Add to existing PO" option will give you a dropdown menu for you to choose the order you want to add them to.

The main information that is required here is the Order Name, Currency, and Estimated Arrival Date. Once that information has been added, you can select Create.

Note: To add a supplier from this dropdown you will first need to create them within the suppliers tab.

After you click Create you will be brought into the PO form. This is where you add your products and all of the necessary information and context.

Step 4: Update Costs and Discounts.

If you have any additional costs or discounts associated with the order you can add them to the card at the top right corner. By clicking 'edit', you can change the primary currency, apply any necessary conversions, add additional costs, and include discounts (fixed or percentage).

Step 5: Add a Supplier if you haven't already.

Suppliers help with order tracking and ensure that your lead times are factored into the shipment.

Step 6: Adding products.

In the middle of the form, you can find a small table that resembles a watered-down inventory table. Here is where you will be adding your products and updating their information.

A new addition to this section is a bulk action button and a search function. The bulk actions allow you to update quantities, unit costs, and discounts, or remove more than one product at a time.

Step 6.1: Select "Add Products".

This will open another side-peak window for you to search for products you would like to add to your order.

Another updated feature here is the addition of Grades and Statuses to the product variants. Now it is very easy to know what products should and should not be restocked.

Step 6.2: Adding context.

Once you have added all of the products you would like to order, it is time to add the following information:

This information will help build out the insights generated throughout the PO tab and form. Without the quantities and unit costs Genie won't know how many products are in transit and won't be able to provide an accurate calculation for total costs across your active POs.

Step 7: Adjust shipments.

Once you have added all of the products and their order quantities you can update the shipments if applicable. This will allow you to indicate if some products may be coming by another method or will be sent out later in the shipping process. Genie allows for up to three shipments and you can split up the stock any way you see fit.

Step 8: Attaching documents.

This next step is optional but adding additional documents allows you to keep all information related to this order in one place for easy access. We accept any form of document, all you have to do is drag and drop it in.

Step 9: Adding a Payment

After all is said and done you have the option of adding a payment to the order. This could be anything from a deposit you made to ensure the order is made to a partial or full payment made to your supplier. Just make sure you include the following:

Payment date and descriptions are optional but will help provide some context for you later down the road.

Step 10: Save and Update Status.

Once everything has been added and configured properly you are free to update the status and save the form. There are six statuses that you can change from either inside the PO by editing the top card, or from the initial PO tab window.

Once you have updated the status you can save and you're done!

You will now see the order in the main PO page with the updated insights so long as you have added an estimated arrival date.

The last thing I will leave you with is how to export an order. We have now introduced the ability to export as a PDF.

To do this you will need to Select the order(s) you would like to export.

Then Select "Actions" → "Export." This will give you the option to export as a CSV or as a PDF. All you have to do is choose and it will download the order to your device.

Simple as that!

We hope that this comprehensive guide and video help you to make the most of our updated PO system. If you have any other questions feel free to reach out or visit our help center for more guides on navigating and configuring Genie.

Happy ordering!