Formatting a Purchase Order (Design)

Hello there, @GBE.

Let me provide some insights about customizing the Purchase order template in QuickBooks Online (QBO).

Currently, there are certain limitations on the changes that can be made to the Purchase order template in QBO. 

If you're using QuickBooks Online Advanced, the changes you can make for now are to have customized transaction numbers and messages on the Purchase order.

Here's how:

1. Go to the Gear icon in the upper right-hand. 
2. Choose Account and Settings. 
3. In the left menu, tap Expenses.
4. In the Purchase orders section, select the ✎ icon.
5. Put a check on the Use purchase orders box.
6. Enter titles for the custom fields. 
7. Tap Save, then Done. 

Moreover, I'm adding this helpful article as your reference in creating and editing custom fields in QBO Advanced: Create and edit custom fields in QuickBooks Online Advanced.

Come back to this post if you have further concerns and follow-up questions about customizing purchase orders in QBO. I'll be here to lend a helping hand.

@GenmarieM  RE: Currently, there are certain limitations on the changes that can be made to the Purchase order template in QBO. 

Can you make it looks like a normal, professional business form, or will it always look like a cartoon?

@GenmarieM  We have QB Plus. Just to get the formatting right, I would not pay an extra thousand dollars a year. To me, it is like buying a car and to get the gear shift lever, I'd have to pay extra.

This is basic functionality that I have been requesting Intuit for nearly 2 years. It is a basic HTML improvement to allow proper width. To suggest a $1,000 upgrade for it is like asking a kidney.

@GBE  RE: To me, it is like buying a car and to get the gear shift lever, I'd have to pay extra.

You're describing a Tesla, which is not a real car just like QuickBooks Online is steadily becoming not a real accounting system with each new "improvement".

There's no way to change this. All my items have long descriptions as we are in a custom business. QB squishes everything together making it hard to read and unprofessional. If you have adobe acrobat you can edit the PDF, but its not an actual fix, and just wastes more time doing something that QB should handle on its own. Its unfortunate QBO gives the customer little to no customization, then they implement new features that break existing features, then they pull the features back. What a cluster -

Then we have to rely on their terrible support , which is essentially just human robots with pre selected answers at this point.

we are ready and looking for new software options. 

we are ready and looking for new software options. 

 - Let me know what you find.

We're still using QuickBooks Desktop API and trying to transfer to QuickBooks Online.  Between the lack of features, customization, and overall dumbing down from Desktop we are looking to NOT use QuickBooks Online.  Right now we just finished an API to connect to online BUT still use the old API to connect to Desktop - running the old while testing the new.

We are giving Online an honest 6 month trial but we will most likely start using the QuickBooks Monthly Fee to pay for a Virtual Cloud Computer and just keep running the Desktop API connection. 

Intuit has cornered 80+% of the small business market. At this point rectifying / improving / adding features is not in the best interest of Intuit's BS or P&L. When less than 0.5% complain about the problems and threaten to leave, Intuit probably just thinks, "good, go ahead and leave". This is the case with most companies when they become too big. Products like Xero are a distant competition, that they are not even seen in the rear view mirror.

Please make it where we can upload our own templates for Purchase Orders.   The default templates just do not look professional..

I value your recommendation about uploading your templates for Purchase Order in QuickBooks Online (QBO), jim.

While this feature is currently unavailable in QBO, I recommend sending your feedback to our product development team. They can review your ideas and potentially incorporate them into future updates.

Here's how:

1. Go to the Gear icon at the top.
2. Under the Profile column, select Feedback.
3. Share your recommendation with the product, then click Next.

Stay updated on our recent developments by visiting our website or blog.

You may also visit these articles if you want to record billable expenses and track your bills in the future: 

• Enter billable expenses in QuickBooks Online 
• Enter and manage bills and bill payments in QuickBooks Online

Feel free to click the Reply button if you have additional concerns regarding Purchase Order in QBO. We're here to help you out. Stay safe!

dont waste your time with this, they never fix anything !

I know right!  We use Zoho CRM + QBO and after many attempts decided it was best to just sync QBO purchase orders to Zoho just to be able to send a custom email + PO template. The Zoho template is easily able to put INSIDE THE EMAIL, the project #, ship to address, delivery date, and includes a confirmation link so we know our vendors received the order.

Looks like QB updated the Purchase Order format/design. I don't know why. It now has the PO and date in the center of the document instead of at the top right like it used to be, clear and easy to see. It also now has repetitive words like "Purchase order details" and "Purchase Order no." and "Purchase Order date." Why QB, why? Keep things simple! 

Now that this has been changed, can you please tell me how I can go about changing it back? The previous format worked great and now it doesn't seem like I have the ability to adjust this formatting. 

We appreciate hearing from our users and value your feedback on our recent system updates. I know how important it is to have a user-friendly platform that simplifies financial management, @hotdogmaster. 

Currently, changing back to an old format in the Purchase order is unavailable. I recommend submitting feedback to our Product Development Team. They prioritize product enhancements based on customer requests and quickly review them

1. In the upper right corner, click on the Gear icon.
2. Select Feedback.
3. Type your suggestion and click Submit Feedback.

I recommend checking out our QuickBooks Online Blog to stay updated on the latest product enhancements and features.

Furthermore, you can learn how to add an accepted purchase order to a transaction for your vendor in QuickBooks Online.

The Community is always available whenever you have further concerns about the new updates in QuickBooks. We're here to listen and address your questions.

@hotdogmaster  RE: Why QB, why? Keep things simple! 

The people working on QuickBooks Online appear to have zero common sense regarding what a normative and proper purchase order (and also similar sales forms like invoices) should look like. It's as if they were designed by children.

Intuit should be embarrassed at this ineptitude.

How do I remove the phone number at the top left of the PO? I only want company name, address, and email. 

Let's work together so that you get your phone number removed from the purchase order for your QuickBooks Online (QBO) account, hotdogmaster.

You can customize your standard default template to remove the phone number in your purchase orders. Here are the steps on how to edit it:

1. Go to the Gear icon.
2. Select Custom form style.
3. Open the standard default template
4. Choose Content, and click the form header. 
5. After untick the Phone checkbox, then click Done.

Here, I'm also adding this links below for future reference to learn how to use custom fields for your forms:

• Add custom fields to sales forms and purchase orders
• Filter, search, and sort with custom fields

Stay in touch if you have any questions or concerns about formatting a purchase order. I'm here to help you throughout the process. Wishing you a wonderful day ahead.

Yet another useless canned reply. 

Hi MsNorth, it is not a customer's phone number, it is MY company's phone number. If you make a PO, my company name, address, website, phone and email shows up at the top left of the PO. I do NOT want it to show my phone number. How do I remove this from the PO?

I've have the information you needed for your Purchase Template in QuickBooks Online.

If you're using the old template it is set on a default setting, which you can remove your company phone number. However, in the new template, it's designed to default and you can't make any changes on the Purchase Order.

Here's how to edit your details on the old templates:
 

1. Go to the Gear icon.
2. Select Custom form style.
3. Then click Edit on the Standard default. 
4. Choose Content, and click the Pencil icon. 
5. After untick the Phone number, click Done.

Below I have added the screenshots for the old and new templates.

Old Template:


New Template:



I've got some articles here to help you navigate with the search function and I'm sure you'll get the hang of it in no time:

• Use the audit log in QuickBooks Online
• Find, Review, and Edit Transactions in Account Registers
• How to Search for Transactions

Feel welcome to get back on this thread if you'll need assistance in dealing with purchase orders. We're always here to help you.

“If you're using the old template it is set on a default setting, which you can remove your company phone number.” How do I use the old template? I only have the new template options but want to get the old template back that you mentioned. Thank you. 

@MsNorthPND18  RE: However, in the new template, it's designed to default and you can't make any changes on the Purchase Order.

Unbelievable. How could anyone possibly think that is reasonable?

I appreciate your patience while following the steps provided by my colleague, hotdogmaster.

I'm here to help address the issue of excluding the company phone number from the new Purchase Order (PO) format in QuickBooks Online (QBO).

Several users have been moved to the new PO format and as of posting, it isn't possible to revert to the previous format. As a workaround, you can consider editing the printed PO using a PDF editor outside QBO or using a third-party app that offers PO customizations. I'll provide more details about this and help suggest steps to implement improvements in the future.

You can consider utilizing a PDF editor outside of QuickBooks Online (QBO) for your printed POs to manually remove the company phone number.

Alternatively, you can look for a third-party app on the Find apps page that provides PO customization. You can follow these steps:

1. In your QBO account, go to Apps.
2. Select Find apps.
3. Type in keywords like "purchase orders" or choose Browse categories.
4. Choose an app and look for the reviews to identify which app suits your needs best.
   

    

The software must evolve to meet business needs. Therefore, I encourage sending feedback to our Product Engineers about the PO formatting change. To do this, click the Give Feedback option on the top right portion of the PO screen.

For future reference, I'm adding this article about adding POs to expenses, bills, or checks in QBO: Add purchase orders to expenses, bills, or checks in QuickBooks Online.

We'll be here in the Community if you need further assistance customizing details on your printed PO in the new format. We'll do our best to assist.

When I go to the Company Info tab like you suggest, it does not allow me to save changes after I remove the phone number. It is a required field. How do I remove the phone number if it does not let me save changes without it? 

I see your perspective, @hotdogmaster. I'm here to provide you with all the information you need to remove your phone number from your Account and Settings page efficiently.

I can see the benefit of the option of removing the phone number to the settings. However the posibility to remove the phone number is unavailable as it is a required field. With that, I recommend submitting a feedback to our product development team. Our engineers will thoroughly review your suggestions and may consider implementing them in the future.

I've also added this article for more information about purchase orders: Create and send purchase orders in QuickBooks Online.

Moreover, you might want to scan this material for guidance on adding your purchase order as a line item to vendor transactions to keep your record accurate: Add purchase orders to expenses, bills, or checks in QuickBooks.
 

This thread is always open if you have additional questions or concerns about purchase orders. I'm ready to help you out.