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ThisGuy1
Level 2

Purchase Order to Invoice or Vice-Versa

Is it possible to convert a purchase order to an invoice or vice-versa? I don't use Estimates or Sales Orders (they don't apply to my business model). I would like to accomplish this with as few steps as possible. Maybe there is just a setting I am not seeing. Please advise. Thank you!

Quickbooks Desktop 2021. 

6 Comments 6
Rea_M
Moderator

Purchase Order to Invoice or Vice-Versa

Yes, it's possible to convert a purchase order to an invoice in QuickBooks Desktop (QBDT), @ThisGuy1. I'll gladly guide you with the process so you can manage your transactions accordingly.

 

You can convert a purchase order to an invoice in QBDT, but not the other way around. To do this, you'll first need to link your purchase order to an item receipt and make your expense or items billable. Here's how:

 

  1. Create a purchase order.
  2. Select the Create Item Receipts option above.
  3. Enter all necessary details and make sure your expense or items billable.

 

Once you're done, create an invoice and add the billable item or expense to it. Here's how:

 

  1. Go to the Customers menu, select Create Invoices.
  2. From the Customer: Job drop-down, select the customer or job (you've selected above) that has outstanding billable time or cost.
  3. In the Billable Time/Costs pop-up, choose the Select the outstanding billable time and costs to ass to this invoice? option.
  4. Click OK.
  5. Select the billable expense item, and click OK.
  6. Choose Save & Close once completed.

 

Also, you may want to check out these articles as your reference to guide you the different ways you can track customer transactions and learn more about recording of outstanding bills for your business in QBDT:

 

 

Please feel free to leave a comment below if you have other concerns about managing income and expense transactions in QBDT. I'm always ready to help. Take care, @ThisGuy1.

ThisGuy1
Level 2

Purchase Order to Invoice or Vice-Versa

Thank you. This works, but is there an alternate solution without entering the Billable items? That has messed up my books in the past. I am just looking for a way to enter the PO on the PO screen and transfer it to the invoice.

KlentB
Moderator

Purchase Order to Invoice or Vice-Versa

I'll share an alternative way to achieve that, ThisGuy1.

 

In QuickBooks Desktop, you'll have to connect the purchase order to a billable expense after the vendor accepted the proposal. This way, you can transform it into an invoice.

 

I know that there are times when a buyer wants to order additional goods or services from the supplier based on the invoice they received. In this case, a feature that directly converts this type of entry would be very helpful. We love to hear your feedback regarding this matter, as it will help us improve our software. Here's how:

 

  1. Open QBDT, then go to the Help menu.
  2. Choose Send Feedback Online.
  3. Select Product Suggestions.
  4. Set the appropriate type and area.
  5. Enter your comments, then press Enter.

 

sendfeedback.PNG

 

In the meantime, consider using a third-party PO management application that will help automate your company’s sale-purchase mechanism and streamline the procurement process. You may visit our market here to search for one: https://desktop.apps.com/home.

 

Thanks for visiting the Community, ThisGuy1. As always, you can tap me whenever you need some guidance in completing your tasks in the program. Take care and enjoy your day!

ThisGuy1
Level 2

Purchase Order to Invoice or Vice-Versa

Hi. Thanks for the info, but let me be more clear:

I am a reseller. I don't hold inventory. When a client places an order with me I have to get the supplies from my vendor and that vendor ships them to my client. It goes like this:

Client - Requests an item
I contact my vendor  - THIS initiates a PO for the Vendor
I then need to send an invoice to my client - THIS is where I want to convert the PO (from the vendor) into an INVOICE (for my client).

Currently I am having to write up a PO and then write up the exact same information again for the INVOICE. It's a time consuming process with 50+ line items.

How can I convert the PO to and Invoice and make this seamless without adding the billable expense?


I don't track the items as they are non-inventory and I don't track time.

 

Thank you!

MirriamM
Moderator

Purchase Order to Invoice or Vice-Versa

We're taking note of your feedback, @ThisGuy1.

 

I understand that converting the purchase order (PO) to an invoice can help save you time instead of converting the PO to a billable expense. However, connecting the PO to a billable expense is the best workaround you can consider right now.

 

We recognize that each company has unique needs, and I know how the feature you're looking for would benefit and empower your business. I'd recommend submitting your feedback to help improve the program by going to the Send Feedback Online feature in QuickBooks Desktop.

 

You can also visit this page or the What's New section on your QuickBooks Desktop to get updates on our latest news about product improvements.

 

In addition, you can read through the links below about the workflows for tracking your income and expense transactions:

 

 

As always, feel free to check out our help articles in case you need tips and related links while working with QuickBooks in the future.

 

Let me know if you have other concerns while managing QuickBooks. I'll get back to you right away. Have a great day.

dllaw
Level 1

Purchase Order to Invoice or Vice-Versa

I have the same issue.


I just want to convert a PO i issued to a vendor into an invoice so I can bill the exact same items to my customer. 

QB lets you convert an estimate into a PO. The same should be an option from PO to invoice. 
It's a linear process of most business and is apparently something QB has left out (at least a simple way to do it).

The solution suggested above is no easier or efficient than me just entering everything manually myself.


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