Purchase Planning
Purchase Planning helps you structure future buying: what to buy, when, for which department, and at what estimated cost—before you execute real purchase orders.
Overview
With purchase plans you can:
- Forecast demand over weeks or months
- Align procurement with budgets and projects
- Schedule line items with target dates
- Compare plan vs actual spending and timing after execution starts
Plans are ideal for recurring category buys, project ramp-ups, and annual procurement calendars.
Lifecycle
Draft → Submitted → Approved → (Rejected / Cancelled)
↓
Start Execution → track actuals vs plan| Stage | Description |
|---|---|
| Draft | Building the plan, adding departments and lines |
| Submitted | Enters approval (if your tenant requires it) |
| Approved | Plan is authorized for use |
| Rejected | Returned with reason; edit and resubmit |
| Cancelled | Plan voided; retained for audit if configured |
| Execution | After Start Execution, lines link to real PO activity and reporting compares planned vs actual |
Approval vs execution
Approval means the organization agrees with the plan. Start Execution is the point where the system treats the plan as the operating baseline for follow-up POs and variance views.
Creating a purchase plan
Step 1: Create a new plan
- Open Purchase Planning (or Procurement → Plans, depending on menu labels)
- Click New Plan
- Enter a clear name and description
Step 2: Plan period and scope
| Field | Purpose |
|---|---|
| Period | Planning horizon (e.g. quarter or fiscal year) |
| Department | Owning or requesting department |
| Project (optional) | Tie spend to a project |
| Budget (optional) | Expected budget line for tracking |
Step 3: Add line items
For each planned purchase:
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| Description | What you intend to buy |
| Scheduled date | When you expect to place or need the order |
| Quantity / unit | Expected volume |
| Estimated unit price | For forecast totals |
| Category / notes | Optional coding or justification |
Step 4: Submit
- Review totals and schedule
- Submit (or Save if still drafting)
- Complete approvals if required
Line item management
| Action | When to use |
|---|---|
| Add | New planned need in the period |
| Update | Change dates, quantities, or estimates |
| Delete | Remove a line that is no longer planned |
Keep dates honest
Moving scheduled dates forward or backward improves plan vs actual accuracy when you review execution.
Plan vs actual comparison
After you Start Execution and create POs (or link activity) against the plan:
- Planned amount / date — What the line predicted
- Actual amount / date — What was ordered or received
- Variance — Helpful for budget reviews and the next planning cycle
Use filters by department, period, or project to focus reviews.
Converting to purchase orders
Typical flow:
- Open an approved plan (and ensure execution has started if your process requires it)
- From a line (or bulk action), choose Create PO or Convert to requisition
- The system pre-fills PO or PR fields from the plan line; complete vendor and approvals as usual
Exact buttons depend on your workflow (direct PO vs requisition first).
Plan availability
Purchase Planning is available on Professional and higher plans.
If the module is missing, ask your administrator to verify subscription entitlements.