Purchasing GuideOverview
Purchasing in Octopos
Track what you ordered, what arrived, what you owe, and what you paid — in one connected workflow.
The Purchasing module has four parts that work together: Purchase Orders, Purchase Receipts, Purchase Bills, and Payments. You don't have to use them in a fixed order. Pick the path that matches how your vendor sends you stock and invoices, and Octopos will let you back-fill any missing step later.
The four paths a purchase can take
Path A — Full cycle
Most common when you place orders ahead of delivery.
Purchase OrderPurchase ReceiptPurchase BillPayment
Path B — Start with a Receipt
Goods just showed up, or you're uploading a vendor invoice.
Purchase ReceiptPurchase BillPayment
Receipt can be entered manually or created by uploading a vendor invoice (AI-parsed — Octopos only).
Path C — Bill from PO, receive later
Vendor billed you before the stock arrived.
Purchase OrderPurchase BillPurchase ReceiptPayment
Stock only updates once the Receipt is confirmed.
Path D — Quick Bill
One-off purchase you just want to record and pay.
Purchase BillPayment
Pick the path that matches how your vendor works. You can always back-fill the missing step later.
What each document answers
| Document | What it answers |
|---|---|
| Purchase Order | What did I order? |
| Purchase Receipt | What arrived, and at what cost? |
| Purchase Bill | What do I owe? |
| Payment | What did I pay? |
Jump into a feature
Step 1
Purchase Orders
Commit to a vendor, track what's coming in, and plan your spend.
Step 2
Purchase Receipts
Confirm what physically arrived and update your inventory and true costs.
Step 3
Purchase Bills
Record the vendor's invoice — what you owe and when it's due.
Step 4
Payments
Record money paid against one bill, or split a payment across many.