Purchase Orders

Scenario 1: Controlling Spend Before It Happens

The Goal: Stop team members from committing the firm to expenses without oversight.

AtomicSam uses a cascading approval system. If a user tries to create a PO above their Create Limit, the system automatically flags it for a manager with the necessary Approval Limit.

• Pro-Tip for Small Firms: Set everyone’s Default Create Limit to $0. This ensures every single commitment is reviewed by a manager before being sent to a supplier.
• The "Unlimited" Hack: Setting a limit to null gives a user absolute authority (best for Directors/Owners).

Scenario 2: Batching Job Costs (The Efficient Way)

The Goal: You have a dozen parts or sub-contractors needed for a specific project and don’t want to type them in manually.

Instead of creating a blank PO, go to your Job Costs dashboard.

1. Filter for the job or project.
2. AtomicSam will automatically group eligible costs by supplier.
3. Click "Generate POs" to create Draft versions with all lines pre-populated.
4. Review and hit Submit to trigger the approval workflow.

Scenario 3: Receiving Goods (The "Three-Way Match")

The Goal: Ensure you only pay for what actually arrived at the office or job site.

When the delivery arrives, don't just "check it off." Open the PO in AtomicSam and use the Receipting tool:

• Partial Receipts: If you ordered 10 units but only 5 arrived, enter "5." The status updates to Partially Received, and the PO remains open so you don't forget the balance.
• The Audit Trail: AtomicSam performs a Three-Way Match automatically. It compares the PO Amount vs. the Goods Received vs. the Supplier Invoice. If these don't line up, the system flags a discrepancy before you send a cent.

Scenario 4: Closing the Loop with Accounting

The Goal: Stop double-handling data between project management and your accounting software.

Once a PO reaches the Received status, you can push it directly to Xero or QuickBooks.

• How it works: AtomicSam exports the PO as a "Bill."
• What carries over: All line items, tax rates, and account mappings (e.g., COGS or Inventory) map 1-to-1 into your accounting suite.
• The Result: Your bookkeeper receives a clean, pre-verified bill that is ready for payment.

Quick Reference: The PO Lifecycle

Status	What it means for your cash flow
Draft	Internal planning; no commitment made yet.
Pending Approval	Awaiting manager sign-off.
Sent	Legally committed to the vendor.
Partially Received	Goods/Services are trickling in; do not pay full invoice yet.
Received	Fulfillment complete; ready for the bill.
Billed/Closed	Data has been synced to your accounting software.