Microsoft Great Plains POP: Purchase Order Processing – overview for consultant

by Vincent Ong

Alba Spectrum Technologies

USA: 1-866-528-0577, 1-630-961-5918, Deutschland (0177) 8349 806, help@albaspectrum.com   

Microsoft Business Solutions Great Plains is marketed for mid-size companies as well as Navision (which has very good positions in Europe and emerging markets where it can be easily localized). 

Great Plains Purchase Order Processing (POP) module makes up one-third of the core Great Plains Inventory and Order Processing group (the other two being Inventory Management and Sales Order Processing). POP seamlessly integrates with other Great Plains modules (GL, PM, FA, SOP, etc.) allowing for a tightly-knit information system. Gone are the days when invoices from purchases have to be asked from other departments. Great Plains POP module empowers its users by allowing access to mission-critical information including audit control and purchase activity analysis (with proper security permission, of course).

Great Plains prides itself of being able to empower its users in streamlining business processes by being in control. It also improves accuracy and increases employee productivity by automating routine purchasing tasks. POP lets you establish long term contracts using blanket purchase orders to record and track extended purchases, giving you greater negotiating power with your vendors and simplifying contract purchase processes. The latest versions include capabilities to accurately record and track landed costs as well as auto-generation of purchase orders.

Features:

• Multiple Ship-To Addresses – Enter a ship-to address for each line item on a purchase order, reducing documentation for items shipped to multiple addresses.
• Mapping – Map purchase order line numbers to line items, automatically, to expedite purchase orders.
• Alerts– Establish alerts that prevent employees from issuing invalid purchase orders.
• Flexible Control of Processes – Control purchasing processes with cost variance tracking, easy transfer of information, receiving/invoicing against multiple purchase orders, comprehensive receipt information, posting, and 1099 reporting.
• Line-Item Level Visibility – Manage purchase orders at the line-item level with automated roll-up of similar items, free on-board (FOB) designation, individual line item release to vendor dates, and multi-site delivery.
• Purchase Order Tracking - Get instant answers with complete tracking of open or historical purchase order and receiving documents by order number, item number, or date.
• Audit Control– Maintain audit control with cancelled item tracking, line-item ordering and status information, document revision tracking, and customized landed cost definition.
• Multi-Currency Transactions – Enter, track, and report multicurrency transactions in the originating or functional currency, translated using exchange rate tables, with special functionality for European Union customers.

• Drop Shipment – Drop-ship orders directly from supplier to customer and bypass the typical inventory update process.
• Reports – Analyze purchase activity with Purchase Order Status, Invoice Cost Variance, and posting reports. Integrate with Microsoft Great Plains modules such as Crystal Reports for further report flexibility and power.
• Requisition Management for Microsoft Business Portal – Eliminate paper-based requisitions by creating requisitions via a Web browser, with automatic approval routing and e-mail notification. View purchase requisitions in process as they route from employees to supervisors and purchasing, with customized tracking and validation of commitments against budgets.
• PO Generator – Automate purchasing through order point or min/max settings. PO Generator determines quantities needed based on the stock situation in relation to the stock goals and generates a suggested purchase order that can be reviewed and edited prior to release. Also, automatically create purchase orders in response to quantity shortages on customer orders and manage these documents from within POP.

Good luck with implementation, customization and integration and if you have issues or concerns – we are here to help!  If you want us to do the job - give us a call 1-630-961-5918 or 1-866-528-0577! help@albaspectrum.com

Vincent is a Great Plains specialist in Alba Spectrum Technologies ( http://www.albaspectrum.com  ) – USA nationwide Great Plains, Microsoft CRM customization company, serving clients in Chicago, Houston, Atlanta, Phoenix, New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, San Diego, Miami, New Orleans, Toronto, Montreal and having locations in multiple states and internationally