# Create or change a purchase order

Save a draft order, approve it and mark it sent before recording deliveries.

Canonical: https://demo.qixcount.com/help/bills-and-vendors/create-a-purchase-order

Who can do this: Business owners

Where: Purchases, then Purchase orders

A purchase order records what you plan to buy. It does not create a bill or post an amount owed to the vendor.

## Create a draft

1. Open **Purchases**, then **Purchase orders**.
2. Select **New Purchase Order**.
3. Choose **Vendor**. Select an existing vendor if you will later convert the order to a bill.
4. Enter **Order Date**.
5. Enter **Expected Delivery** if needed, on or after the order date.
6. Enter **Shipping Address** if needed.
7. Enter a description, expense account, quantity and unit price for each line. Use **Add Item** for another line.
8. Review the tax rate, **Notes** and **Terms & Conditions**.
9. Select **Create Purchase Order**.

You land on the saved order. Each line needs a description of at most 500 characters, a quantity of at least 0.0001 and a nonnegative price. The tax rate accepts 0 to 100. Notes and terms each allow 2,000 characters; the shipping address allows 1,000.

## Approve and mark sent

1. Review the draft's lines and total.
2. Select **Approve**.
3. Complete the [approval request](https://demo.qixcount.com/help/period-close-and-audit/approvals-in-use) if a workflow applies.
4. After approval, select **Mark as Sent**.

Approval needs at least one line and a total greater than zero. When no workflow request is required, approval changes the order directly to approved. Marking sent records its status and time; it does not email the vendor or create a bill.

## Change or cancel an order

Only drafts offer **Edit**. Select it, change the order and select **Update Purchase Order**. Saving replaces the draft's lines. Opening edit after the draft stage returns you to the order with a message.

**Cancel Purchase Order** asks for confirmation and is available for draft, pending approval, approved or sent orders. Once receiving has begun, this action is unavailable.

Next, [receive goods](https://demo.qixcount.com/help/bills-and-vendors/receive-goods), then [bill the order](https://demo.qixcount.com/help/bills-and-vendors/bill-a-purchase-order).

## Who can do this and what you need

Only business owners can use these actions.