A purchase order is the written order you send a vendor before they deliver, so the bill can be checked against it later.
What SAP B1 does on its own
Purchase orders with approvals.
What you need in SAP B1
- Purchasing authorisation
- Full authorisation for Administration > Approval Process > Approval Templates to set approval
Setting it up in SAP B1
Where to find it: Purchasing - A/P > Purchase Order
- Set up the rule in Administration > Approval Process > Approval Templates. Enter a name and tick Active.
- On the Originator tab pick the users who need approval.
- On the Documents tab pick Purchase Order and on Stages pick the stages.
- On the Terms tab choose Always or When the Following Applies.
- Go to Purchasing - A/P > Purchase Order, choose the vendor and items, then Add. The order is held as a draft and sent to the approver.
- The approver opens the draft and chooses Go To > Approve/Reject.
Good to know in SAP B1
- Approvers get a message in Business One and can also get an email.
- Tick Active when Updating Documents Not Generated by Approval Process to also require approval for edits to existing documents.
- A purchase order posts no value to the accounts, but the ordered quantity shows in the Inventory Status report.
How to do it in SAP B1
How to raise a purchase order and get it approved in SAP B1
In SAP B1, create a purchase order with the vendor, lines and prices. Submit it for approval and send it to the vendor only after it is approved.
How to match a vendor invoice to a purchase order in SAP B1
In SAP B1, open the purchase order, compare each A/P invoice line to the purchase order line on quantity and unit price and query any difference before you approve.
How to handle a partial delivery against a purchase order in SAP B1
In SAP B1, keep the purchase order open, check each A/P invoice against what has been billed so far and close the purchase order only when the last delivery is invoiced.
What Pulsify adds
- Raise and approve the purchase order in SAP B1 as you do now.
- Open purchase orders come into Pulsify from SAP B1.
- When the A/P invoice arrives, Pulsify matches it to the purchase order line by line and flags differences.
- A panel shows how much of the purchase order has been billed and what is left.
Pulsify connects to SAP B1. We set up the connection for you. More about purchase orders in Pulsify.
What Pulsify does not do
- Raising purchase orders in Pulsify is for Xero only. In SAP B1 you raise them in SAP B1.
More help
- Purchase orders for Business Central
- Purchase orders for MYOB Acumatica
- Purchase orders for Sage 200
- Supplier statement reconciliation for SAP B1
- Invoice approvals for SAP B1
- Invoice capture for SAP B1
- All SAP B1 how-to guides
Sources
Last checked 2026-10-19.
Common questions
Can Business One hold a purchase order for approval?
Yes. With an approval template for Purchase Order, the order is saved as a draft and sent to the approver.
How do I approve many orders at once?
Use Administration > Approval Process > Approval Decision Report.
Does the order of stages matter?
No. Stages in one template have the same level, so no approver has priority.
Should every purchase have a purchase order?
Most teams set a dollar amount or a supplier list. Regular small bills such as power often skip a PO and go through approval instead.
Pulsify setup guides
Want this done for you?
Book a call to see how Pulsify handles purchase orders in SAP B1.