Purchasing commitments

Planners have had a queue since work orders arrived: every job that needs releasing, in one list. Buyers had reports. Commitments gives purchasing the same thing — everything that is asking to be ordered, with the dates that decide whether it is urgent, and the button that raises the order.

Cards scanned on the floor, newest first, one open signal per item: quantity, who scanned it and when, on hand, on order, supplier and lead time or “made in-house”. Raise PO drafts a purchase order on the default supplier for the card quantity; Raise WO drafts a job; Dismiss closes it with a note. Tick several bought-in signals to raise POs grouped by supplier.

• Required — the quantity open orders and released jobs need.
• Needed by — the earliest date among those commitments (order promised or requested date, job due date).
• On order — open PO lines and their expected dates.
• Shortfall and suggested order quantity, rounded up to the purchase minimum.
• Order by — needed by minus the supplier lead time. Red means that date has passed.

Tick rows and Raise POs to draft purchase orders grouped by supplier; the drafts open in Purchasing for checking before they are sent.

The same view for items you make: shortfalls and Kanban signals that need a job, with Create work order alongside, so planners and buyers are looking at one set of signals split only by sourcing.