# Orders

***

#### **What's the difference between a purchase order and a sales order?**

A **purchase order (PO)** records items you're buying from a supplier. A **sales order (SO)** records items you're selling to a customer.

Both are managed under the <mark style="color:$primary;">`Purchases & Sales`</mark> feature, but they map to different inventory transactions: a PO results in a <mark style="color:$primary;">`Stock In`</mark> when items are received, while an SO results in a <mark style="color:$primary;">`Stock Out`</mark> when items are shipped.

#### **What do the different order statuses mean?**

Order statuses update automatically based on how much of the order has been received or shipped.

*Purchase orders:*

* **Draft** — Created but not yet sent to the supplier.
* **Ordered** — Placed and awaiting delivery.
* **Partially Received** — Some items have arrived; others are still pending.
* **Received** — All items have been received.

*Sales orders:*

* **Draft** — Created but not yet confirmed with the customer.
* **Confirmed** — Confirmed by the customer, but no items shipped yet.
* **Partially Shipped** — Some items have shipped; others are pending.
* **Shipped** — All items have shipped.

{% hint style="warning" icon="lightbulb" %}
Inventory levels *only* change once items are received (PO) or shipped (SO). \ <mark style="color:$primary;">`Draft`</mark> and <mark style="color:$primary;">`Ordered`</mark>/<mark style="color:$primary;">`Confirmed`</mark> statuses **don't affect stock**.
{% endhint %}

#### **What's the difference between "Partially Receive/Ship" and "Receive/Ship All"?**

When you open a purchase order or sales order, you'll see two buttons:

* **Receive All / Ship All** — Marks the entire order as <mark style="color:$primary;">`Received`</mark> or <mark style="color:$primary;">`Shipped`</mark> in one step and stocks all items in or out at once.
* **Partially Receive / Partially Ship** — Opens a new transaction screen where you select the location, enter the quantity received or shipped, and tap **Submit**. The order moves to <mark style="color:$primary;">`Partially Received`</mark> or <mark style="color:$primary;">`Partially Shipped`</mark>, and you can repeat this until everything is accounted for.

<figure><img src="/files/gyJpRl3XgOR2jWzmknGg" alt=""><figcaption></figcaption></figure>

#### **What does "Stock In/Out items immediately" do?**

This checkbox appears at the bottom of the order creation screen. If you check it before saving the order, BoxHero creates the order *and* stocks the items in or out in a single step — the order is created with a <mark style="color:$primary;">`Received`</mark> or <mark style="color:$primary;">`Shipped`</mark> status right away. Leave it unchecked if you're creating the order ahead of time and will record receipt or shipment later.

<figure><img src="/files/D0sJsSlbhMVzEBg41mAd" alt=""><figcaption></figcaption></figure>

#### **How do I select a location in an order?**

You don't choose a location when creating an order itself. Locations are selected later, when items are received or shipped via inventory transactions (**Stock In** for purchase orders, **Stock Out** for sales orders).

#### **Can I attach files or notes to an order?**

Yes. Every order includes a <mark style="color:$primary;">`Memo`</mark> field where you can add internal notes, payment terms, special packaging instructions, or supplier remarks. Memos also support file attachments and hashtags.

<figure><img src="/files/Fd3s0ipfi0h2ngXtwTSs" alt=""><figcaption></figcaption></figure>

#### **I updated an order, but the item quantity didn’t change. Why?**

If an order already has <mark style="color:$primary;">`Stock In`</mark> or <mark style="color:$primary;">`Stock Out`</mark> transaction records associated with it, editing the order itself won't update inventory levels. You'll also need to edit the related transaction to adjust quantities.

#### **If I update an item’s pricing, will existing orders be affected?**

No. Updating item prices does not change orders that have already been created. Existing orders keep the original prices from the time they were created.

#### **How do I process a returned item?**

For sales returns, open the original sales order and click <mark style="color:$primary;">`+ Add Return`</mark>. Select the returned item, enter the quantity, choose the location where the item will be stocked back in, and tap <mark style="color:$primary;">`Stock In`</mark> to complete the return.

You can view all recorded returns under the <mark style="color:$primary;">`Returns`</mark> tab, or find the <mark style="color:$primary;">`Returned Items`</mark> entry inside the related sales order.

<figure><img src="/files/ntTuP642AzVIiipxbBK7" alt=""><figcaption></figcaption></figure>

#### **Why aren't returned items showing in my Sales Report?**

Returns appear in <mark style="color:$primary;">`Reports`</mark> > <mark style="color:$primary;">`Sales`</mark> based on the **return date**, not the original sale date. Make sure the return date falls within the date range you're viewing.

#### **How do I add, edit, or delete tax and discount options?**

Manage tax and discount options under <mark style="color:$primary;">`Settings`</mark> > <mark style="color:$primary;">`Orders`</mark>. From there, you can create new options, edit existing ones, or remove options you no longer use. You can also apply the same rate (e.g., 10%) to all items in an order at once using the <mark style="color:$primary;">`Apply to All`</mark> action.

#### **Can I customize my purchase orders and sales invoice?**

Yes. You can personalize the layout and content of your purchase orders and sales invoices by adding or removing fields. Go to <mark style="color:$primary;">`Settings`</mark> > <mark style="color:$primary;">`Orders`</mark> and update your <mark style="color:$primary;">`Print Layout`</mark> and <mark style="color:$primary;">`Custom Fields`</mark>.

{% content-ref url="/spaces/lRf1QqJGoevCQqGbfI80/pages/sxVUqKpmJS07Fpz3Bb7q" %}
[Purchases & Sales](/docs/key-features/purchase-and-sales.md)
{% endcontent-ref %}

#### **Can I export my order details?**

Yes. Open any order and click the <mark style="color:$primary;">`...`</mark> menu in the top right corner. From there you can:

* **Export to Excel** — Download order data for reporting or accounting.
* **Print PDF** — Generate a clean copy of the purchase order or sales invoice.
* **Send Email** — Send the PO or sales invoice directly to your supplier or customer without leaving BoxHero.


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