How to Track Wholesale Purchase Orders
Learn how to track purchase orders from creation to payment. A practical guide for CPG brands to streamline B2B workflows and avoid costly delays.
Keeping on top of purchase orders (PO) is critical for consumer product brands that sell B2B. A streamlined order process saves time, prevents errors and ensures a smooth purchasing process from start to finish. Whether you’re managing POs manually or with purchase order tracking software, this guide walks you through the entire lifecycle of a PO, from creation to payment clearance, illustrating how to get timely awareness and full visibility.
Why Tracking Purchase Orders Matters for CPG Brands
Purchase order tracking matters because missing even a single po status or shipment update can ripple across your operations.
You risk:
Inventory miscounts because orders weren’t matched
Late shipments due to mismatches in tracking number or delivery date
Chargebacks when PO details don’t align with invoices
Frustrated retailers from lack of real-time insights
Time wasted by employees manually reconciling documents or filing orders
A reliable PO tracker closes these gaps, automates data entry, ensures orders are fulfilled as expected and invoices line up with the original PO and deliveries.
The PO Tracking Lifecycle: From Request to Reconciliation
PO Creation
The buyer sends a PO via EDI, PDF, email or portal. Your business logs the PO number, customer id, quantity, purchase order status, delivery date and payment terms.
A good purchase order tracking software can extract these fields automatically, saving time and avoiding data entry errors.
PO Acknowledgment
Confirm receipt of the original PO and update status to the buyer via email or EDI. This step avoids confusion and lets retailers know the order is moving forward.
Processing
Your team or system validates inventory. If a PO requires adjustment, ask permission to add items or adjust quantities. Then move the PO into your purchasing process with expected delivery and shipment details.
Update the status to "pick and pack" to signal that the order is ready for warehouse action. Notify your warehouse so they can start pulling the order, and generate a packing list, Bill of Lading and Pallet Placard. Make sure the warehouse team is aware of retail compliance requirements and packs orders accordingly.
Here is a template you can download and use.
Fulfillment
Once shipped:
Enter shipment tracking number
Update status to "shipped"
Notify buyer via email or EDI with carrier info and expected arrival
You can use a system like Buddy to push these updates automatically and store records for later reference.
Invoicing
Generate an invoice referencing PO number, customer ID, tracking number, delivery status and remaining amount due. If possible, attached PO to invoice to avoid confusion. Ensure the invoice matches the original PO in price and quantity.
Payment & Close-Out
Monitor payments against payment terms. Once paid, update status to "closed". File all documents, including PO, shipment receipt, Proof of Delivery (POD), Bill of Lading (BOL) and invoice, in the purchase order tracking system.
Pain Points Without Proper Tracking
If you don’t track POs effectively, you're likely to face:
Delays locating a PO number or tracking info
Lost invoices misfiled in email threads
Partial shipments that go unbilled
Team members hunting down basic information
Inability to scale your business's workflow efficiently
For small businesses especially, manual PO management can consume hours each week. A purchase order tracking system or PO tracking software brings visibility and reduces overhead.
Features to Look for in PO Tracking Software
To pick purchase order tracking software that fits your CPG brand, look for:
Compatibility with EDI, PDF, CSV, images, email and manual input
Automated purchase order tracker that extracts basic information
Real-time alerts: new PO received, shipment created, invoice unpaid
Dashboard for end-to-end PO tracking process
Integration with your ERP, inventory and shipping systems
Role-based access for users like sales, logistics and finance
Analytics that show delayed shipments, unbilled POs and PO status breakdowns
Even a simple purchase order tracking system allows you to track shipment, receipt and payments quickly. Check out Buddy for more information.
Implementing a PO Tracking System: A 5-Step Plan
1. Map Your Current Process
Note how many systems are involved. Email, spreadsheets and ERP tools are common. Count the number of manual touchpoints like printed documents or scanned PDFs.
2. Set Core Data Fields
Define what each PO must include: po number, customer ID, date created, status, tracking number and payment terms.
3. Choose Software That Meets Business Needs
Look for PO tracking software that aligns with your scale, format diversity and process complexity.
4. Train Your Team
Start with one workflow, like PO intake or shipping confirmations. Expand over time.
5. Track Results and Refine
Watch for fewer errors, faster delivery and on-time payments. Adjust workflows as you learn.
How Buddy Helps CPG Brands Track POs
Buddy supports every stage of the PO tracking process.
Captures incoming purchase order from email, spreadsheet, portal or EDI
Automatically populates fields like PO number, customer ID, vendor and basic information
Lets your team add items or adjust quantities in a simple interface
Tracks PO status in real time and links shipment details and tracking number
Generates invoices that match the original PO and align with payment terms
Generates order alerts and approvals in Slack
Sends automatic updates on status and delivery to buyers and internal teams
Stores a searchable digital record of all documents
Centralizes communication across different systems
Example:
A mid-size CPG brand processed 5,000 POs a year, mostly by email and PDF. Before Buddy, it took 30 minutes to an hour per PO. After implementation, that dropped to under 5 minutes. Late shipments fell by 60 percent. Missed email updates stopped entirely.
PO Tracking in Action
Scenario:
A retailer places a PO for 10 sunscreen bottles (PO-12345) via email.
Buddy captures the email and reads the PO number, retailer name (Customer ID: RETL006), item, quantity and requested delivery date.
You get timely awareness that PO-12345 is ready.
You verify inventory and add one booster pack to the PO.
Buddy updates status to "Confirmed" and sends the acknowledgment.
Buddy sends an internal slack alert and you notify warehouse to pick and pack.
Once shipment and tracking number is created, warehouse notifies you via email or Slack and Buddy auto-detect and updates system.
Status changes to "Shipped" and buyer receives update.
An invoice is generated referencing the original PO and showing cost, payment terms and remaining amount.
On payment, status changes to "Closed". All files are stored.
Metrics to Monitor
Tracking purchase orders supports better operations and cash flow.
Key Metrics:
Metric | Why It Matters |
|---|---|
% of POs acknowledged in 24 hours | Builds trust with buyers |
% of POs shipped by requested date | Measures fulfillment accuracy |
Invoice accuracy rate | Prevents payment delays |
Time to payment | Affects financial health |
Manual steps per PO | Indicates process inefficiency |
Monitoring these metrics in your purchase order tracking system can show where improvements are needed.
Final Thoughts
A strong PO tracking process helps brands manage wholesale orders consistently. It brings real time visibility from intake through to payment. This results in smoother operations, stronger retailer relationships and healthier cash flow.
Whether you use spreadsheets or modern purchase order tracking software, the system should give your team clear access to each order’s history, status and next steps.
Ready to streamline your purchasing process and simplify how you track orders? Buddy can help you do that faster, with fewer errors and better insights.
FAQ
FAQ 1: What should a purchase order include?
A standard purchase order should include the PO number, buyer and supplier information, shipping and billing addresses, product SKUs, quantities, unit price, total cost, payment terms, and expected delivery date. Capturing this basic information correctly ensures the PO flows smoothly through your purchasing process, from inventory check to invoicing.
FAQ 2: Why is purchase order tracking important for wholesale CPG brands?
For CPG brands selling B2B, tracking purchase orders helps prevent costly mistakes. Missed PO updates can lead to shipment delays, chargebacks or lost revenue. With a reliable PO tracking process, brands reduce manual errors, ensure timely deliveries and improve retailer relationships.
FAQ 3: How does a PO move through the order lifecycle?
The PO lifecycle includes creation, acknowledgment, processing, fulfillment, invoicing and payment. After the order is received, it's confirmed, picked and packed, then shipped. Tracking number and delivery status are updated, followed by invoicing and final payment reconciliation. Each step can be automated using PO tracking software like Buddy.
FAQ 4: What tools help with purchase order tracking?
Effective PO tracking software should support EDI, PDF, email and CSV formats. Look for tools that extract data automatically, update PO status in real time and integrate with ERP or warehouse systems. Software like Buddy also helps generate packing lists, Bills of Lading and send real-time updates via Slack or email.
FAQ 5: How can I improve my company’s PO tracking process?
Start by mapping your current purchasing process and identifying manual steps. Set standard PO data fields, train your team and choose tracking software that fits your business needs. Monitor metrics like on-time shipping, invoice accuracy and PO acknowledgment rate. For templates and tools, visit Buddy's free operations template library.
