The Vendor Order (VO) / Vendor Receiving (VR) / Vendor Invoice (VI) process is the three-step workflow Blackpurl uses to manage purchasing from vendors — from placing an order through to paying the invoice. Completing the full process is essential for accurate inventory records and, if you use accounting integration, for keeping your general ledger entries balanced. Sublets must also go through the full VO / VR / VI process.
You can also complete the Vendor Receiving and Vendor Invoice together in a single step. See Process a Vendor Receiving and Vendor Invoice Together for details.
Vendor Ordering (VO)
The Vendor Order is the first step in the VO / VR / VI process. A VO is Blackpurl's name for a purchase order — it records what you are ordering from a vendor and what the order is for, whether that is stock, a special order Customer Order, or a Sublet.
To process a VO, navigate to Ordering > Vendor Orders > Order in the Blackpurl header.
To see what Vendor Orders you need to create and submit, go to the Parts Needed tab and order from there. For more information on this report, see Parts Needed Report.
The following articles explain how to create Vendor Orders:
It is important to keep track of your Vendor Orders. The following articles will help:
A VO does not produce a transaction that integrates into your accounting package — that happens at the VR and VI stages.
Vendor Receiving (VR)
The Vendor Receiving is the second step in the VO / VR / VI process. When goods arrive from a vendor, the VR records what you have physically received.
If you placed a Vendor Order, it is very important that every VR is allocated against the relevant VO. Without this link, unfulfilled Vendor Orders will remain open in the system when the stock has actually arrived.
To process a VR, navigate to Ordering > Vendor Receiving > Receive in the Blackpurl header.
Process all VRs promptly to keep waiting customers happy, shelves stocked, and Part Records accurate in Blackpurl. For step-by-step instructions, see Process a Vendor Receiving (Parts Receiving).
Sublet receivings are handled the same way. See Sublets in Blackpurl for more information.
A VR is not complete until you perform the Commit Receivings action. Parts only appear in stock after the Commit Receiving action is finished. To keep track of in-progress and completed VRs, see Active Receivings Report.
Once you have committed a VR, use these reports to get parts ready for customers:
When a VR is finalized, Blackpurl integrates a transactional journal to your accounting package:
DEBIT — the relevant Inventory General Ledger
CREDIT — the A/P Inventory Accrual General Ledger (a clearing account that waits for the Vendor Invoice to be processed)
The A/P Inventory Accrual General Ledger is a clearing account. It is created by the VR and cleared by the VI — which is why completing the full VO / VR / VI process is essential.
Vendor Invoice (VI)
The Vendor Invoice is the final step in the VO / VR / VI process. This is where you process and finalize the invoice from your vendor, reconciling it against what was received.
To process a VI, navigate to Ordering > Vendor Invoicing > Invoice in the Blackpurl header.
For step-by-step instructions, see Finalise a Vendor Invoice.
It is important to keep track of your Vendor Invoices and ensure that the FINALIZE INVOICE action is completed for each one. To list any VI that has not had the FINALIZE INVOICE action completed, see Recent Vendor Invoices Report.
When the FINALIZE INVOICE action is completed, Blackpurl integrates a transactional journal to your accounting package:
DEBIT — A/P Inventory Accrual General Ledger (clearing out the entry created by the VR)
CREDIT — the relevant Accounts Payable vendor as a document for you to pay
What Could Go Wrong
The following scenarios cover common mistakes and how to correct them.
If you have under-received
Under-receiving means you processed a Vendor Receiving for a quantity of 10 but you actually received 20. To fix this, create another Vendor Receiving for the additional 10 units. Then, when processing the Vendor Invoice, make sure you allocate both Vendor Receivings against it.
If you have over-received
Over-receiving means you processed a Vendor Receiving for 20 but you only received 15. Continue through the full VO / VR / VI process and finalize the VI for the incorrect Vendor Receiving. Then create a Vendor Return for the wrong quantity received. See Process a Vendor Return for Parts.
In your accounting package, offset the Vendor Return Credit Note against the incorrect Vendor Invoice. The difference should equal what the actual Vendor Invoice should have been.
If your Vendor Invoice in Blackpurl does not match the hard copy Vendor Invoice
The correct fix depends on why there is a discrepancy.
If you entered the wrong cost on a line item:
Create a Vendor Return for just that line item, then process a new VR and VI for the line item with the correct cost.
Alternatively, do a cost adjustment on the relevant part and create a new Vendor Invoice (or credit note) matched to the original Vendor Invoice. See Complete a Parts Cost Adjustment.
If you forgot to add the freight component:
Process a separate Vendor Invoice for just the freight amount. In your accounting package, match the freight Vendor Invoice to the original Vendor Invoice so the combined total matches what the vendor actually sent you.
Things to Remember if You Have Accounting Integration
If you use accounting integration, keep the following points in mind.
Blackpurl Support cannot reopen a Vendor Receiving if a Vendor Invoice has already been processed against it. This is because journal and transaction entries — including First In / First Out (FIFO) entries on the relevant Part Records — have already integrated into your accounting package.
If no Vendor Invoice has been processed against the Vendor Receiving, you can reopen it yourself. The Vendor Receiving must be in Stocked status for the reopen option to appear. Navigate to the Vendor Receiving and click the reopen option.
If you make a mistake, keep your bookkeeper informed about what happened and how you corrected it. They may need to do allocations in your accounting package.
Both Xero and QuickBooks Online do not allow duplicate Vendor Invoice numbers. If you are processing a fix-up and want to use the same invoice number for traceability, add a suffix such as A, B, or REF to the number. For example:
You processed Vendor Invoice 12356 and subsequently need to do a Vendor Return matched against it — process the Vendor Return as 12356A or 12356REF.
You processed Vendor Invoice 258258 but forgot to include freight — process a second Vendor Invoice for just the freight as 258258A.