How to Use Purchase Orders?

How to Use Purchase Orders?

Idea
Overview
The new Purchase Order (PO) feature allows RTOs to consolidate student invoices under a single company invoice for employers, streamlining billing and payment. It includes creation, linking to enrolments, credit validation, and invoicing workflows within the SMS.

Notes
Step-by-Step Guide to Using Purchase Orders
1. How to Configure Company for Purchase Orders

  • Navigate to Companies > Details Tab.

  • Set Type = Employer.

  • Set Credit Type = Credit (if applicable) and define Credit Limit and Payment Terms.


2. How to Access the Purchase Orders Tab

  • Go to Companies > Purchase Orders Tab.

  • Only visible if:

    • Company Type = Employer

    • Credit Type = Credit

    • Subscribed to Compliance Plus 

3. How to Create a Purchase Order

  • Click New in the Purchase Orders tab.

  • Complete the fields:

    • Company Purchase Order #

    • Estimated Amount

    • Upload Purchase Order File

  • Save to create the Purchase Order.

4. Link Purchase Orders to Student Enrolments

  • In Students > Enrolment Tab > Action > Edit ("Enrolment Wizard"), select the appropriate Employer and toggle Invoice to Employer.

  • Choose an available Purchase Order from the dropdown.

  • All generated invoices for the enrolment are linked to the PO.

    • These invoices will:

      • Have no individual due dates

      • Not send payment reminders

      • Not export to Xero or MYOB

      • Be highlighted in purple

5. How to modify linked invoices

  • Student invoices can be reassigned to another PO or changed to invoice directly to the student/employer if the PO is not yet invoiced.

    • Select your student

    • Go to the Financial Tab

    • Go to the Invoices Tab

    • Click Action then the Edit

    • Select the new Purchase Order

    • Click Save


NOTE: Invoices linked to a Purchase Order cannot be edited if:
  1. Invoice is already Paid
  2. Invoice set to Invoice to Student
6. Monitor Credit Used


  • In the Purchase Orders table, expand a PO to view:

    • Related student invoices and amounts

    • Calculated or Actual Credit Used

  • System enforces Credit Limit validations for both Cash and Credit companies.

    • Cash: PO cannot be applied without credit

    • Credit: PO cannot exceed remaining credit

7. Invoice a Purchase Order

  • In Purchase Orders Tab, click Actions > Invoice.

  • System sets Due Date based on company Payment Terms.

  • Linked student invoices inherit the PO invoice due date and payment status.

  • PO invoice is created in Finance > Invoices, highlighted in blue.

8. View Purchase Order Invoice

  • Navigate to Companies > Invoices Tab.

Info
NOTE: The Invoices tab will not show until an invoice is issued to the Company.

  • Select the Company PO invoice and click Actions > View.

  • Invoice report displays:

    • Related Invoice IDs

    • Purchase Order ID

    • Description, GST, and Amount

9. Bulk Import & Enrol Support

  • Include Purchase Order ID column in import template.

  • PO enrolments must meet:

    • Valid Employer ID

    • Invoice to Employer = Yes

    • PO exists, matches Employer ID, and is not invoiced

  • System validates credit limits before import.

10. Company Portal Access

  • Company contacts can view POs and related invoices only.

  • Cannot create or edit Purchase Orders. Please contact your RTO SMS Administrator to create/edit POs.

11. How to Use Company Purchase Orders in Smart Enrol Form
This guide explains how students can select a Company Purchase Order when enrolling through a Smart Enrol Form with Invoice to Employer enabled. Using a purchase order ensures enrolment costs are allocated to the correct employer and simplifies the invoicing process.

  1. Allow Purchase Orders in Smart Enrol
    1. Go to the Companies page > Details tab, if a Company is allowed to have Purchase Orders, Enable Allow Purchase Orders in Smart Enrol 

  2. The Purchase Order dropdown is displayed in the Smart Enrol Form only when all of the following conditions are met:

    • Invoice to Employer is selected during enrolment.
    • The selected Company has Allow Purchase Orders in Smart Enrol enabled.
    • The selected Company has one or more Purchase Orders configured on the Companies > Purchase Orders page.


  3. If the selected Company has Allow Purchase Orders in Smart Enrol disabled or no purchase orders have been configured on the Companies > Purchase Orders page, the Purchase Order No. text field will be displayed instead of the Purchase Order dropdown.
  4. Enter the purchase order number manually in the Purchase Order No. field, if required.


  5. Note: The Purchase Order functionality in the Smart Enrol Form behaves the same way as it does when adding enrolment manually by admin.

    Example of manually adding student enrolment by admin


  6. If the selected Company has Allow Purchase Orders in Smart Enrol enabled and one or more purchase orders have been configured on the Companies > Purchase Orders page, select the required Purchase Order from the dropdown.
  7. Once selected, the Purchase Order No. field is automatically populated with the corresponding purchase order number.


  8. When Purchase Order dropdown is set in Smart Enrol, all payment for Invoices will be made via the Company Purchase Order. On Payment Stage of Smart Enrol, the Payment Gateway UI display will be replaced with:
    • Cost of the Program with Total Invoice Amount
    • The costs of this Program will be processed via Company Purchase Order [Purchase Order Value]
    • Proceed button will replace Pay button and will work, similar to Pay Later button.



Congratulations on completing this tutorial. We hope this has been helpful to you and your organisation. For any questions or concerns regarding this function, please reach out to us via email at support@eskilled.com.au

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