ShipHero's purchase order functionality helps you manage your inventory from start to finish. While the default statuses provide basic information, they often don't offer the detailed visibility your team needs to track a PO through the entire procurement process.
That's where custom purchase order statuses come in. By creating your own statuses, you can customize your workflow, improve team communication, and keep operations moving smoothly.
ShipHero's Default PO Statuses
There are three default statuses available in ShipHero:
- Pending: This is for open purchase orders that are waiting to be delivered or processed by the warehouse. The quantities in these POs are automatically included in your **On Order** and **Sell Ahead** amounts.
- Canceled: Use this for purchase orders that have been canceled and are no longer expected to be delivered. Quantities for Canceled POs are disabled from your On Order and Sell Ahead amounts.
- Closed: This is for purchase orders that have been fully received and finished being processed. The quantities are also disabled from your On Order and Sell Ahead amounts.
How to Create a Custom PO Status
IMPORTANT NOTE: Do not recreate ShipHero's default statuses (e.g., "Pending," "Closed," or "Canceled") as this can cause data issues. Stick to creating custom statuses that fit your specific workflow.
Follow these simple steps to create a new status:
- Go to the Purchase Order Statuses page.
- Click the +Add Status button.
- Name your new status (e.g., "In Transit," "Awaiting Inspection," "Partial Shipment").
- Choose whether this status should include product quantities in the **Sell Ahead** and **On Order** amounts.
- Click Save Changes.
The "Add Status" screen in ShipHero.
Understanding On Order & Sell Ahead
When you create a custom status, you'll need to decide if it should count towards your **On Order** and **Sell Ahead** quantities. This is crucial for accurate inventory management and sales forecasting.
- On Order: This quantity is used for your internal inventory tracking and shows how many units you have currently on order from your vendors.
- Sell Ahead: This quantity is pushed to your e-commerce channels (like Shopify or Amazon) and allows you to sell products before they physically arrive at your warehouse.
Example Purchase Order Workflows
Below is an example of a procurement workflow using custom statuses. This workflow shows how a team can manage the PO from initial approval to final delivery, with each status providing a clear signal to all departments.
Example custom statuses configured in ShipHero.
| Example PO Status | Example Procurement Process Defined |
|---|---|
| Waiting for Purchase Manager Approval: | A draft purchase order requiring approval from the Purchasing Manager. - Sell Ahead and On Order settings are disabled because the PO isn't approved yet. |
| Approved to Send to Vendor: | The purchase order has been approved by the manager but not yet sent to the vendor. - Sell Ahead and On Order are still disabled. |
| Sent to Vendor: | The Purchasing Team has sent the purchase order to the vendor. -On Order is now enabled for internal tracking, but Sell Ahead is still disabled to prevent oversells in case the vendor is unable to fulfill the request. |
| Vendor Confirmed: | The vendor confirmed they have received the purchase order and can fulfill the quantities. - On Order and Sell Ahead settings are enabled, allowing for presales if used. |
| In Transit: | The vendor has shipped the PO and it is on the way to the warehouse. The team can now update the tracking information and expected date on the PO, giving the warehouse team more visibility to prepare for the arrival. - On Order and Sell Ahead settings are enabled. |
| Received at Warehouse: | The PO has been delivered to the warehouse and is being processed by the inventory team.- On Order and Sell Ahead settings are enabled. |