Inventory how-to

How to track open purchase orders

Track open purchase orders by keeping one list that shows what you ordered, what supplier, when it is due, and what has arrived so far.

Short answer: Track open purchase orders by keeping one list that shows what you ordered, what supplier, when it is due, and what has arrived so far. Update it every time a shipment comes in, even a partial one, so your on-hand and on-order numbers stay correct.

What an open PO record needs

For each purchase order you want: supplier name, order date, expected arrival date (based on lead time), SKUs and quantities ordered, quantities received so far, and quantities still outstanding. Without this, you cannot tell if a PO is late or what is still owed to you.

Why this matters for reordering

If you do not track open POs accurately, your order quantity math breaks. Order quantity should subtract both on-hand stock and on-order stock. If you forget about stock already on order, you will over-order and end up with excess inventory sitting in a warehouse.

Handling partial receipts

Partial shipments are the main thing that makes manual tracking messy. When half a PO arrives, you need to update received quantities per SKU, not just mark the whole PO as done. Keep the PO open until every line is fully received, and note the new expected date for the remainder if the supplier gives one.

A simple manual system

If you are tracking this by hand, a spreadsheet with one row per PO line (not per PO) works better than one row per order. Columns: SKU, supplier, qty ordered, qty received, qty outstanding, order date, due date, status. Review it weekly alongside your sales data.

Step by step

  1. List every open PO with SKU-level detail, not just order totals
  2. Record the due date for each PO based on the supplier's lead time
  3. When stock arrives, log received quantities against the PO immediately, including partials
  4. Recalculate quantity outstanding per SKU after every receipt
  5. Flag any PO past its due date for follow-up with the supplier
  6. Subtract on-order quantities from new order calculations so you do not double-order
  7. Review open POs weekly alongside your reorder list

Worked example

Riverside Hardware places a PO for 200 units of a hinge SKU from a supplier with a 14-day lead time, ordered on June 1, due June 15. On June 10, 120 units arrive. The PO stays open with 80 units outstanding. When Riverside later checks if it needs to reorder that hinge, it counts on-hand stock plus the 80 still on order, so it does not place a duplicate order for stock that is already coming.

How SteadyShelf helps

SteadyShelf tracks this for you automatically. Each purchase order it drafts stays open until stock is received, supports partial receiving against individual SKUs, and feeds the remaining on-order quantity straight back into its reorder math so you will not accidentally double-order. You do not need a separate spreadsheet for this.

$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

Does SteadyShelf track POs across multiple warehouse locations?

No. SteadyShelf does not handle multi-location transfers or per-location forecasts. It tracks purchase orders and received stock at the store level, so if you split receiving across locations you will need to manage that split manually.

What happens to the order-by date if a PO is late?

SteadyShelf does not automatically change supplier lead times based on a late delivery. If a supplier is consistently slow, update that supplier's lead time or safety days manually so future order-by dates account for it.

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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