This functionality requires the Enhanced Purchase Order module to be enabled on your agency, please contact account management to discuss implementing this on your agency.

The Enhanced Purchase Order module provides more comprehensive tracking and assignment for purchase order numbers, making reporting and management easier. The assignment of purchase order numbers at various levels is the same as the standard functionality with one exception when assigning directly against placements.

Creating Purchase Order Numbers

To create a tracked purchase order number, go to Sales > Purchase Orders. From this screen you can search for existing purchase order numbers or create new ones. Click on Create Purchase Order.

From this screen you can set the below:

PO Number (mandatory) - the number provided to you by your client or your own number

Client (mandatory) - the client to which the purchase order number applies to

Description - this can be used to describe the purchase order number usage for example 'PO for Sept to Dec 2022'

Amount / Hours - enter the limit for either (or both) depending on the purpose or agreement with your client

Invoice Date - if the purchase order number applies to a certain invoice date period this can be set. These dates can also be used by RSM InTime to automatically apply the correct PO to invoices at the point of generation.

Shift/Expense Start Date - if the purchase order number applies to a certain date period worked this can be set. These dates can also be used by RSM InTime to automatically apply the correct PO to timesheets/expenses at the point of creation.

You can choose whether the purchase order number applies to timesheets, expenses and/or adjustments (such as on costs and WHT). You can also decide whether invoicing should be prevented where the purchase order limit(s) set would be exceeded.

Assigning Purchase Orders

When using enhance purchase order functionality, you would normally expect to assign the purchase order number directly against placements. The purchase order number can only be set against placements where the client is the same as the purchase order client. The purchase order number is set on the financial tab.

You can set one purchase order number or multiple numbers against a placement depending on your needs/business process. If your client supplies multiple purchase orders to be used against placements/invoices, for example one PO per quarter, you can set all relevant purchase orders against the placement at the same time. RSM InTime will then automatically apply the correct purchase order number depending on the invoice/sheet date range set on the create Purchase Order screen as can be seen below.

Checking Purchase Order Limits

As items are created and invoiced against the purchase order numbers, RSM InTime will track the value amount or hours against each purchase order number so that limits can be checked and purchase order number can be managed by your agency more efficiently. Go to Sales > Purchase Orders and perform a search for the relevant purchase orders you'd like to check, for example all POs for a specific client, this will return all purchase orders with the set limits and date ranges and the current amounts/hours against each one.

When invoicing items, RSM InTime will check for any applicable purchase order numbers and assign the correct number based on the purchase order set up. If a purchase order number has been used on an item which was not set up via Sales > Purchase Order, the amount and hours will not be tracked. This may occur where a purchase order number is directly applied to a timesheet or expense. The below warning will be shown when invoicing but will not prevent creating the invoice.

If a purchase order limit is exceeded when generating an invoice, you can decide whether invoicing should be prevented or not. If yes, the below warning will be shown and you will not be able to create an invoice otherwise the warning will be shown but you will still be able to create the invoice.

Customisation

Purchase order tracking can be set at shift/expense item level rather than invoiced level. If at shift level, the hours used/spend values in the Purchase Order report will reflect any submitted sheets whereas at invoice level, the hours used/spend values in the Purchase Order report will reflect any sheets actually invoiced.

Colour coding can be set to easily recognise POs within the Purchase Order report which are near the limit or over a over percentage. To set this coding, go to System Administrator > Appearance > Colours & Menu > Purchase Order.