Inventory how-to

How to send purchase orders to suppliers

Build the purchase order from your forecast and reorder points, review the quantities, then approve it and send it as an email to the supplier.

Short answer: Build the purchase order from your forecast and reorder points, review the quantities, then approve it and send it as an email to the supplier. SteadyShelf drafts the PO for you and emails it on approval, but you should still check quantities and terms before sending.

Why the draft matters

A purchase order should reflect what you will actually sell before the next delivery, not a round number you picked by habit. Starting from a demand-based draft means you order less of what is slow and more of what is selling, instead of treating every SKU the same way.

What to check before approving

Before you approve a PO, check the supplier's lead time is current, the case pack and minimum order quantity are correct, and the ship-to address and payment terms are right. A wrong lead time throws off every order-by date that follows, so fix it at the source rather than overriding one PO.

Keeping suppliers informed

Suppliers respond faster to POs that look consistent and arrive on a predictable schedule. Sending the same format each time, with your store name, PO number and SKU details clearly laid out, reduces back-and-forth emails asking for clarification.

Step by step

  1. Set the lead time and safety days for each supplier correctly first.
  2. Let the system generate a draft PO from forecasted demand and reorder points.
  3. Review the suggested quantities, which are already rounded to case packs and minimums.
  4. Adjust any line manually if you know something the forecast doesn't, like a promotion or a product being discontinued.
  5. Approve the PO.
  6. Confirm the email went to the correct supplier contact and check the attached details.
  7. Log the expected delivery date so you know when to expect stock and can watch for lateness.

Worked example

Say your supplier for a candle SKU has a 10-day lead time and you keep 4 safety days. Daily sales run at 3 units, so the reorder point is 3 x (10 + 4) = 42 units. You have 20 on hand and nothing on order, and you want 14 days of cover after the order arrives. Order quantity = 3 x (10 + 14) - 20 = 52 units, which the draft PO then rounds up to 60 to match a case pack of 12.

How SteadyShelf helps

SteadyShelf drafts the PO from your forecast, rounds to case packs and minimums, and emails it to the supplier once you approve it, so you don't write POs from scratch. It does not negotiate terms or track landed cost, so pricing and shipping terms are still your responsibility to check before sending.

$29/month flat, unlimited products and suppliers, 30-day free trial. Run the numbers now with the free reorder point calculator.

SteadyShelf is launching on the Shopify App Store. Join early access to get the install link first.

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FAQ

Can I edit a purchase order after it has been sent?

You can send a revised PO or a follow-up email to the supplier, but treat the original as sent once it is in their inbox. It is better to catch changes during review, before you click approve.

What if a supplier wants the PO in their own format, not email?

SteadyShelf sends POs by email on approval. If a supplier needs a different format or a portal upload, you will need to handle that manually outside the app for now.

Let SteadyShelf do this math for every SKU

Order-by dates per supplier, seasonal forecasts and draft POs for your Shopify store. $29/month after a 30-day free trial.

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