How to Turn an Approved Requisition into a Purchase Order
Why the approved request and the order drift apart
An approved request is not yet an order. Someone still has to type the supplier, the warehouse, the items, and the prices into the purchasing system. That retyping is where the quantity changes and the link to the approval disappears.
Creating the order too early is the other failure. A draft that nobody approved, or an order created while the same request is also approved on an old replenishment screen, becomes two purchases.
Biznsbook creates one draft purchase order from the requisition when the rules are met, and stores the link. The order is not approved, received, or billed by Procurement.
Why this happens
- The order is typed again from the approval email.
- Supplier or warehouse is missing, so conversion never runs and nobody notices.
- Sourcing was required, but someone still expects an automatic order.
- A replenishment row is approved in the old screen and also converted in Procurement.
Biznsbook addresses this through auto-convert when supplier and warehouse are set, one supplier per direct conversion, the purchase order stays Draft, a requisition node on the document flow in the Procurement module. The module creates a draft purchase order in Purchase. It does not receive stock and it does not post journals.
Buying problems rarely come from one large order. They come from requests that were approved in email, retyped, and then impossible to match. One requisition, with the decision and the draft order attached, removes that gap.
Step-by-step: Turn an Approved Requisition into a Purchase Order
Written for buyers and approvers who need a request on record before a purchase order. The steps follow Procurement in Biznsbook.
- Finish approval first. The requisition must be approved. If it requires sourcing, it stops at Pending sourcing and is not converted. Use a request for quote, then award it.
- Set supplier and warehouse. Auto-convert runs only when both the preferred supplier and the deliver-to warehouse are set. Otherwise the status stays Approved.
- Let auto-convert run, or convert yourself. Auto-convert is on by default. A buyer with edit permission can open an approved requisition and convert it once both are set.
- Expect one draft order. One requisition becomes one purchase order for that supplier and warehouse. Lines use the item, quantity, and estimated price. Splitting suppliers happens only when a request for quote is awarded.
- Leave Purchase in charge of the rest. The purchase order stays Draft. Purchase's own approval still has to run. Procurement never receives the goods and never posts accounts payable or inventory.
- Use the document flow. The link is stored for this direct path too. The purchase order, its goods receipt, and its bill show a leading Requisition node. An order that was not created from Procurement keeps the usual four nodes.
- Watch the replenishment bridge. When the bridge is on, a replenishment or MRP requisition is copied into Procurement and submitted. The old row is not marked approved. Approving it in the old screen and also converting it in Procurement can create two purchase orders. Turn the bridge off before you remove the licence if you want to avoid that.
Review results after the first full monthly cycle. Adjust roles, mappings, or approvals where the same exception repeats.
Inside Biznsbook, open Procurement and then Guide for the seven setup checks. This article explains the business process behind those screens.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Mistake 1: The order is typed again from the approval email. Repeating this each month usually shows up first in a purchase that skipped approval or no longer matches the request.
- Mistake 2: Supplier or warehouse is missing, so conversion never runs and nobody notices. Repeating this each month usually shows up first in a purchase that skipped approval or no longer matches the request.
- Mistake 3: Sourcing was required, but someone still expects an automatic order. Repeating this each month usually shows up first in a purchase that skipped approval or no longer matches the request.
- Mistake 4: A replenishment row is approved in the old screen and also converted in Procurement. Repeating this each month usually shows up first in a purchase that skipped approval or no longer matches the request.
Each of these shows up as an order that does not match the request, or a request nobody can find. Fix it on the requisition rather than with another spreadsheet tab.
Best practices that hold up as you scale
- Finish approval first — The requisition must be approved.
- Set supplier and warehouse — Auto-convert runs only when both the preferred supplier and the deliver-to warehouse are set.
- Let auto-convert run, or convert yourself — Auto-convert is on by default.
- Expect one draft order — One requisition becomes one purchase order for that supplier and warehouse.
- Leave Purchase in charge of the rest — The purchase order stays Draft.
Keep the request, the approval, and the draft purchase order on the same requisition. Purchase still approves, receives, and bills the order.
How Biznsbook supports this workflow
auto-convert when supplier and warehouse are set is part of Biznsbook Procurement. It stays on the requisition or the request for quote until a draft purchase order is created in Purchase. Procurement does not receive goods and does not post a journal.
one supplier per direct conversion is part of Biznsbook Procurement. It stays on the requisition or the request for quote until a draft purchase order is created in Purchase. Procurement does not receive goods and does not post a journal.
the purchase order stays Draft is part of Biznsbook Procurement. It stays on the requisition or the request for quote until a draft purchase order is created in Purchase. Procurement does not receive goods and does not post a journal.
a requisition node on the document flow is part of Biznsbook Procurement. It stays on the requisition or the request for quote until a draft purchase order is created in Purchase. Procurement does not receive goods and does not post a journal.
Access is permission-based. Procurement Manager covers requisitions, requests for quote, budgets, and settings. Buyer can create and submit requisitions and run requests for quote. Procurement Approver can view and approve assigned requisitions. Company Admin keeps full access. There is no separate reports screen in this release.
Suggested implementation timeline
- Week 1: License Procurement with Purchase, save Settings once, and confirm the approval workflow. Then try auto-convert when supplier and warehouse are set.
- Week 2: Pilot with one buyer and one approver: raise a real requisition, approve it, and leave the purchase order in Draft until Purchase approval runs.
- Week 3: Add a budget row or leave the mode on Warn, and send one request for quote if you compare suppliers.
- Month 2: Assign Buyer, Procurement Approver, and Procurement Manager. Retire the request spreadsheet for new buys.
- Ongoing: Monthly review using what stays in purchase.
Metrics to track monthly
- Requisitions waiting for approval longer than the escalation hours
- Approved requisitions that still have no purchase order
- Requests for quote past their deadline
- Requisitions warned or blocked by a budget
Start with three metrics; trend direction matters more than a single point-in-time snapshot.
Spreadsheets and email vs Biznsbook Procurement
Compare a typical email-and-spreadsheet buying process with Biznsbook auto-convert when supplier and warehouse are set and the related Procurement capabilities.
| Capability | Manual / Spreadsheet | Biznsbook |
|---|---|---|
| Who creates the order | ❌ A buyer retypes it | ✅ Procurement creates a draft in Purchase |
| Order status | ❌ Often sent immediately | ✅ Draft, until Purchase approves it |
| Supplier split | ❌ Any mix on one order | ✅ One supplier on the direct path |
| Missing supplier | ❌ A blank order | ✅ Stays Approved until both are set |
| Receipt and bill | ❌ Sometimes in another file | ✅ Still done in Purchase |
| Trace back | ❌ An email attachment | ✅ A Requisition node on the order, receipt, and bill |
What stays in Purchase
Receipts, supplier bills, returns, and Purchase approval are unchanged. The only hand-off is a draft purchase order. If the document flow has no procurement link, you still see the usual purchase order, receipt, and bill path without a requisition node.
Write the rule into your buying policy so requesters, approvers, and buyers follow the same steps, and revisit it each quarter.
Frequently asked questions
Is the purchase order already approved?
No. It is created as Draft. Purchase's own approval still has to run.
Why did my approved requisition not convert?
Auto-convert needs a preferred supplier, a deliver-to warehouse, and no sourcing requirement. Otherwise it stays Approved, or Pending sourcing if quotes are required.
Can one requisition become two purchase orders?
Not on the direct path. One requisition becomes one purchase order. Splitting lines across suppliers happens only when a request for quote is awarded, with one draft order per supplier.
Does conversion receive the stock?
No. Procurement does not receive stock and does not post journals.
What if replenishment also created a request?
With the bridge on, that request is copied into Procurement and the old row is held at pending approval. Do not approve the old row as well, or you can get two purchase orders.
Will a second requisition appear while the order is still draft?
It can. Replenishment's check for an open purchase order ignores Draft orders. That is the same gap as the older replenishment flow.
How this differs by industry
Retail
An approved store request with a supplier and the store warehouse becomes one draft purchase order the buyer still has to approve in Purchase.
Wholesale & distribution
A direct replenishment buy converts when the preferred supplier and warehouse are already on the requisition, so the buyer is not retyping the lines.
Manufacturing
An MRP request mirrored by the bridge follows the same conversion rules. Work in progress is unchanged.