If you work in a small business, it’s likely that you have an informal system for purchase order management and procurement. Perhaps staff just send a quick message to an administrator asking for materials. Or maybe they pick up the phone to place an order with the supplier directly.
Inefficiencies and communication problems can lead to incorrect orders, shortages, and supply chain disruption. All of which is bad news for your customers. On top of that, overspending and stockpiles can make a dent in your cash flow.
Imagine that you place an order with a supplier on the phone. On the day the shipment arrives, a colleague accepts the delivery but the invoice shows a higher price than the original quote. Certain items are missing and some goods arrive damaged. Unless the same person places the order and receives the delivery, there can be a delay before anyone spots mistakes. By that point, the invoice may have already been processed and it’s more difficult to solve the problem with the vendor.
Did your colleague already place the order? Maybe you ordered “two” boxes on the phone but the person in the office thought you said “ten”. Communication issues can be avoided with a formal purchase control system, but it’s not always easy to design and implement a system from scratch.
Specialist purchase control and procurement software packages aren’t cheap, and these programs can be overly complex for small businesses. Instead, you can create your own purchase order management solution with the tool you already use: spreadsheets.
Get the free template and start managing your purchase orders
Why use Google Sheets to manage purchase orders?
- Flexible: Spreadsheets allow you to create a system that’s tailored to your business. You can adapt and expand it over time, without IT support.
- Accessible: Google Sheets is cloud-based so you can manage your purchase order data from anywhere, at any time. All you need is an internet connection. On top of that, you won’t waste money on expensive and unnecessary software.
- Compatible with everything: All other software packages integrate with Google Sheets. This means you can easily import data from other parts of the business and centralize everything in Google Sheets.
- Easy to use: Most people use spreadsheets at some point. Therefore, the entire team will be able to use the system without training. As a result, it’s future-proof and easy to maintain.
How to get started
Sheetgo’s Purchase order management template is a ready-to-use Google Sheets file for tracking purchase orders from request to delivery. It works for any business, in any sector — there is nothing to install and nothing to connect. Get your free copy, and start logging orders in minutes.
What you get with this template:
When you get the Sheetgo purchase order management template, you receive a single Google Sheets file with everything in one place:
- A Suppliers register and an Orders log where teams record purchase requests.
- A Received tab to record deliveries as they arrive.
- An Open POs tab that shows what is still outstanding — ordered minus received — for every order line.
How to get the template
Click on the button below to get Sheetgo’s Purchase order management template, then:
Step 1: Enter your orders
First, list the companies you buy from in the Suppliers tab. Then, in the Orders tab, log each order line: order number, date, supplier, item, unit price and quantity.
Leave the gray Total column alone — the template fills it in with a built-in formula. The Read me tab explains what goes in each column.
Start managing your purchase orders
Step 2: Register deliveries
When new deliveries arrive, log them in the Received tab: order number, item, received date and quantity received.
The Open POs tab then shows what is still outstanding — ordered minus received — for every order line.
If deliveries are accepted by another colleague or team, you can share the file with them and ask them to fill out this tab.
Start managing your purchase orders
Frequently asked questions
Is the purchase order template free?
Yes. It is a Google Sheets file you copy to your own Drive, with nothing to install.
How does it track what is still outstanding?
The Open POs tab compares what you ordered against what you have recorded as received, and shows the difference per order line.
Can it send the purchase orders for me?
No. It is a spreadsheet for logging and tracking orders. Sending orders and chasing suppliers is what Sheetgo’s supply-chain virtual employee does.
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