Documentation
Purchase Requisitions
Purchase Requisition records an internal demand before supplier commitment. It gives requesters and buyers a controlled place to define what is needed, when it is needed and the estimated commercial context before a Purchase Order is created.
When to use Purchase Requisition
Use Purchase Requisition when an internal user or department needs goods or services but the organization is not yet making a supplier commitment. The requisition records demand first; Purchasing can then approve it, source it through RFQ, or convert it to a Purchase Order according to policy.
A requisition does not itself mean goods have been ordered, reserved or received.
Screen structure
| Area | Purpose |
|---|---|
| General tab | Defines requisition identity, supplier context, requisition/needed-by dates, operating location and comments. |
| Lines tab | Defines the items being requested, requested quantity, UOM, estimated purchase price and line notes. |
| Status path / Actions | Controls Draft, Submitted, Approved/Rejected and Cancelled lifecycle and the transition to a Purchase Order. |
General tab – field reference
| Field | Requirement | Meaning / significance |
|---|---|---|
| Requisition Number | System generated | Read-only document number allocated by the Purchase Requisition sequence. |
| Supplier | UI-required | Suggested/intended Supplier carried into downstream conversion. The server also requires a Supplier when converting the requisition to a Purchase Order. |
| Requisition Date | Operationally required | Date on which the internal requirement is recorded. |
| Needed By Date | Optional but important | Requested need date. When converted to a Purchase Order, it is used as the PO Expected Delivery Date. |
| Location Type | Defaulted / installation-controlled | Class of operating location. It defaults from the signed-in user and can be changed only when multi-location defaults permit it. |
| Location | Defaulted / operationally important | The operating location for the demand. The lookup follows the selected Location Type. |
| Comments | Optional | Header explanation, requester context or purchasing notes. |
Lines tab – field-by-field
| Field | Requirement | What it means / how it behaves |
|---|---|---|
| Line No | System managed | Sequence of the requisition line. New lines receive line numbers automatically. |
| Item Name | UI-required | Selects the Inventory Item/Product. The lookup also shows Verified status, Item purchasing price and current On Hand Qty to help the requester/buyer make a better decision. |
| Quantity | Mandatory for submit | Requested quantity. Server submission validation requires quantity greater than zero. |
| UOM | Operationally mandatory | Unit in which the quantity is requested. The active requisition grid treats UOM as an editable text value, so verify it explicitly. |
| Unit Price | Estimate / editable | Estimated unit price. Selecting an Item seeds this from the Item purchasing price when available, but it is not guaranteed to be the final PO price. |
| Notes | Optional | Line-specific specification, use case or buyer guidance. |
What is mandatory before Submit
- At least one requisition line must exist.
- Every submitted line must have Requested Quantity greater than zero.
- The server accepts a line with an Item or a Description; the active web grid is Item-oriented and requires Item selection for normal operation.
- Supplier should be selected if the requisition is expected to convert directly to a Purchase Order.
- Check Needed By Date, Location and UOM because they shape downstream purchasing execution.
Status lifecycle
| Status | Meaning | Typical next action |
|---|---|---|
| DRAFT | Request is being prepared and can be edited. | Apply or Submit. |
| SUBMITTED | Request has been submitted for procurement/approval decision. | Confirm/Approve or Reject. |
| APPROVED | Internal request is accepted for purchasing action. | Create Purchase Order or use sourcing/RFQ according to policy. |
| REJECTED | Request was rejected and can be corrected/resubmitted when allowed. | Correct the request and Submit again. |
| CANCELLED | Request was cancelled and should no longer be acted on. | Create a new requisition if demand reappears. |
Actions – what each one does
| Action | When available | Effect / significance |
|---|---|---|
| Apply | While maintaining the record | Saves and keeps the requisition open. Use this while preparing lines or before a lifecycle action. |
| Submit | DRAFT or REJECTED | Validates the requisition and moves it to SUBMITTED. |
| Confirm | SUBMITTED when no approval template is configured | Accepts the submitted requisition and moves it to Approved. |
| Approve | SUBMITTED when an active approval flow is configured | Approval-path equivalent of Confirm. The label follows approval configuration. |
| Reject | SUBMITTED | Rejects the request so it is not treated as approved demand. |
| Unconfirm | APPROVED | Returns an Approved requisition to an editable/non-approved state according to the server lifecycle. Use only when downstream purchasing has not made the decision obsolete. |
| Cancel | Any non-cancelled saved requisition when permitted | Stops the requisition from further use. |
| Create Purchase Order | Intended after approval | Starts a Draft Purchase Order using the requisition as its source. |
Create Purchase Order – what is carried forward
The requisition-to-PO conversion requires a Supplier and active requisition lines. It creates a new Draft Purchase Order, not an automatically approved order.
The conversion maps active line quantity, estimated unit price, UOM, description, discounts/tax amounts where present, line notes and batch reference. It also carries the requisition reference, Organization/Location, Currency, Payment Terms and uses Needed By Date as Expected Delivery Date.
Practical operating example
A department needs 25 printer cartridges by 25 August. The requester selects the Item, sees current On Hand quantity and Item purchase price, enters Quantity 25, verifies the UOM, sets Needed By Date, adds a short justification in Comments and submits. After approval, Purchasing can source competitively through RFQ or create the Draft PO and resolve the final commercial price there.
Related pages
Frequently asked questions
Does Purchase Requisition reserve inventory?
No. The Item lookup can display On Hand quantity, but the requisition records demand; it does not reserve inventory.
Is the Unit Price on a requisition the final Purchase Order price?
No. It is an estimate and may be seeded from Item purchasing price. The PO can reprice or use a controlled manual price.
Why do I see Confirm instead of Approve?
Confirm is used when no active Purchase Requisition approval template exists. Approve is used when the approval flow is configured.
What does Needed By Date become on the PO?
The requisition conversion uses Needed By Date as the generated Purchase Order Expected Delivery Date.