Purchase order error: "You must select an account for this transaction." Other forum advice not working.

I've got you covered, abricoetzer.

Creating a purchase order (PO) in QuickBooks Online is pretty easy. It's possible the PO has line items at the Account details level with no account selected. Or there are items in both levels, that's why you're getting an error. See the screenshot below for your visual reference.

You'd need to select an account if you enter the item in the Category details section. This will help identify your purchases. 

The following steps outlined below will guide you through creating a PO:

1. Click the New ⨁ button.
2. Select Purchase Order.
3. From the Supplier ▼ drop-down menu, select or add a supplier.
4. If you are shipping a product directly to a customer, click the Ship To ▼ drop-down menu and choose the customer.
5. If you're using custom fields, fill them in as needed.
6. In the Category details and/or Item details section, enter the purchases.
7. Click Save and close to complete the entry.

You can also refer to this article for more details: Create purchase orders in QuickBooks Online. It includes apply the PO to a transaction and other important information.

Should you need anything else, please let me know. I'm always around to help ensure your success.

Thank you for your feedback, however, I am still having issues.

Please see this screenshot.

Am I missing something here?

Thanks for getting back to us, @abricoetzer.

It's possible that the item you've selected in the purchase order (PO) doesn't have an expense account. If that the case, ensure to choose one. This can be done by editing its details.

Here's how:

1. In QuickBooks Online (QBO), go to the Sales menu at the left pane to get to the Products and Services page.
2. Locate the item and tick Edit under the Action column.
3. At the bottom, place a checkmark in the Purchasing information, then choose an Expense account in the drop-down.
4. Hit Save and close to complete the process.

Once done, create a test PO again to double-check. Just in case, I'll add these articles for future reference:

• Change the account for a product/service item.
• Edit a product or service.

Reach out to me in the comment section below if you have any other issues or concerns, and I'll get back to you right away. I'm always here to assist. Have a great rest of the day!

Hi, thank you for your response.

Still no luck, unfortunately. 

Please see the screenshot attached. It looks like all the relevant data is there.

Hello again, @abricoetzer. I appreciate you following the recommended steps provided by my colleagues above. I have another solution for you to help fix this issue. 

Let's check the billable accounts that we set up and make it assigned to a single account. Here's how:

1. Click the Gear icon at the top. 
2. Select Account and Settings.
3. In the left menu, hit Expenses. 
4. Go to the Bills and expenses section and click the pencil icon. 
5. Choose In a single account, then Save. 
6. Hit Done. 

Once finished, try to create a Purchase Order again and check if it works. 

Get back to me if you have any other questions by leaving a comment below. I'm more than happy to further assist you. Have a great day!

Hi Mirriam

I tried that and still nothing. Attached is the current setting in the Expenses section. Maybe you spot something there

However, what I did notice, is that I can place a purchase order for items that the type is "Inventory", however, when I insert an item that is of type "Non-Inventory", then it gives the error. At least a move in the right direction.

But still, I need to be able to place an order for Non-Inventory items since a non-inventory item is something I order from suppliers, but I do not monitor the stock holding on that. This specific item I would like to order for instance is for the cut and assembly of one of my finished products. I provide the raw material, and they put it together, therefore, I allocate as non-inventory.

As a test, I tried changing the type from non-inventory to service and ticked the box to say I purchase this from a supplier, however, still the same issue.

Thank you @Jovychris_A 

That solved it.

Purchase order created.

Hello there, @abricoetzer.

I’m glad that the steps shared by my colleague are able to help resolve the issue. For additional reference, I've attached an article you can use about how to make a partial payment or check for reports available to track POs: Purchase Orders in QuickBooks Online.

You're always welcome to post your concerns about QuickBooks here in the Intuit Community. If you need assistance, please click Reply below to start a conversation. I'm always around whenever you need help.

I am having the same problem. when I click on new purchase order it does not give me the option to select an account for this transaction...can someone help??

When I create the P.O. I get a message that says...you must select an account for this transaction? How do I do that?

I am having trouble with P.O. as well. When I create the P.O. it says you must select an account for this transaction but my screen does not give me a place to select an account. HELP!! 

I'm here to help you get past the error message you've encountered and create your Purchase Order transaction in QuickBooks Online (QBO), @Imagine That1.

Purchase Orders (POs) in QuickBooks Online do not affect any of your accounts; instead, they simply help you keep track of what you order.

On the Purchase Order page, other than the Item details section, there's also Category details. Once you've entered information under the Item details section but left the Category column blank in the Category details, then this is the source of the error message.

You'll have to click the Category details drop-down arrow to view and select an account for your PO transaction. Please see the screenshot below for your reference.

In case the issue persists, you can also do browser troubleshooting steps to get rid of any cache-related issues.

You can use a private browser, then log in to your account and create a purchase order. If you can create one successfully, return to your regular browser and clear its cache. This will refresh the system and remove older data that causes viewing and performances issue. 

Also, I'm adding these articles to learn more about copying an estimate onto PO and adding an accepted one to a transaction in QBO:

• Copy an estimate to a purchase order
• Add purchase orders to expenses, bills, or cheques in QuickBooks Online

Please keep me posted on how it goes in the comments below. Let me know if you have other concerns about managing your PO and supplier transactions in QBO. I'll gladly help. Take care always, @Imagine That1.

Hi, it is not a browser issue, tried that. also tried entering the category details and still can't find a place to select an account. 

I appreciate the update that you gave, @Imagine That1.

I'd like to make sure that you'll be able to process a Purchase Order with no issues in QuickBooks Online.

Assigning the billable account to a single account should do the trick and fix this matter. I'd recommend performing the other solutions presented by my peers above, especially the steps shared by MirriamM.

If the same thing happens after following the steps, I'd suggest reaching out to our Customer Care Team. They have the tools that can help isolate the reason behind this matter.

To do that:

1. Click on Help at the top menu bar.
2. Select on the Contact Us button.
3. Enter a brief description of the issue in the What can we help you with? box.
4. Press on Let's talk.
5. Select on Get a callback.
6. Key in your contact details, then tap on Confirm my call.

For your reference, I'm also adding here some resources about managing purchase orders in QuickBooks Online:

• Learn how to create purchase orders and send them to suppliers
• Learn how to add an accepted purchase order to a transaction for your supplier

I'd be pleased to assist you should you need anything else with PO. Just leave a reply below and I'll take care of you.