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Release: Australia · Updated: 2026-03-12 · Official documentation · View source

Create a purchase order

You can create a purchase order. Purchase orders specify assets to order from a single vendor.

Before you begin

Role required: procurement_admin or procurement_user

About this task

For example, an organization can create a purchase order to buy 20 laptop computers or 10 servers. Information on a purchase order enables physical and financial tracking of the assets that were ordered.

You can also use a transfer order if an asset is already owned by an organization. A transfer order is used to internally transfer assets from one stockroom to another instead of purchasing the assets. For example, a company stockroom in New York has five laptops that are needed in Boston. You create a transfer order to move the laptops from the New York stockroom to the Boston stockroom.

After you create a purchase order, the Receiving Slip related list is available on the Purchase Order form. A receiving slip is created manually or automatically when the item is received. The Receiving Slip related list shows all receiving slips related to the purchase order. After a receiving slip is added to a purchase order, all fields on the purchase order record become read-only.

Procedure

  1. Navigate to All > Procurement > Orders > Purchase Orders.

  2. Click New.

  3. Complete the form.

FieldDescription
NumberThe unique number identifying the purchase order.
Due byThe date by which the purchase order Total cost must be paid.
VendorThe supplier to which the purchase order was issued.
Ship toThe stockroom to which the items on the purchase order should be shipped.Note: This field is required but doesn't affect creating requisitions for software on Coupa.
PO dateThe date on which the purchase order was created.
StatusThe status of the purchase order: Canceled, Ordered, Received, Requested, or Suspended.
Assigned toThe user to whom the purchase order is assigned.
Bill toThe location responsible for paying the purchase order Total cost.
Short descriptionA brief description of the purchase order.
General section
ShippingThe delivery method to be used when shipping the items on the purchase order.
TermsThe purchase order payment terms: Credit, Net 30 days, or Net 90 days.
Ship rateThe amount that must be paid for the delivery method specified in the Shipping field.
Total costThe sum of all item costs on the purchase order and the shipping costs.
DescriptionA full description of the purchase order contents.
Details section
Initial requestThe record number of the request that requires the items on the purchase order.
Requested by

The user requesting the items on the purchase order.Note:

The email ID or email address of the user requesting the items on the purchase order must be the same on both Coupa and ServiceNow Procurement application.

RequestedThe date the user in the Requested by field requested the items on the purchase order.
OrderedThe date and time of clicking the Order button on the Purchase Order form.
Expected deliveryThe date the items associated with the purchase order are expected to arrive in the stockroom identified in the Ship to field. This field can’t be edited when the purchase order has a Status of Received or Canceled. (For more information about this field, seePurchase order expected delivery date.)
ReceivedThe date and time at which the purchase order status changed to Received.
ContractThe record number of the contract with the vendor from which the items on the purchase order are ordered.
DepartmentThe department responsible for paying for the purchase order.
Budget numberThe budget number related with the purchase order.
Vendor accountThe vendor account related with the purchase order.
  1. Click Submit.

What to do next

Add purchase order line items to specify what you are ordering from this vendor.

Parent Topic:Procurement purchase order management for assets

Related topics

Track a request from the service catalog

Cancel a request from the service catalog

View and edit a catalog task

Create an asset and reserve it for the requester

Manage transfer orders