Your First Purchase Order

This guide walks you through creating your first purchase order with OrderDay's AI-powered recommendations.

Before You Start

Make sure you've completed:

1. ✅ Shopify app installed
2. ✅ At least one supplier added
3. ✅ Supplier costs configured for products
4. ✅ Initial product sync completed

Step-by-Step Guide

1. Navigate to Order Day

Click Order Day in the sidebar to access the order builder.

2. Review AI Recommendations

OrderDay analyzes your inventory and suggests order quantities based on:

• Sales velocity: How quickly each product sells
• Current stock levels: What's in stock right now
• Lead times: How long until the order arrives
• Reorder points: Minimum stock before running out

Each product shows:

• Product name and SKU
• Current stock quantity
• Recommended order quantity
• Supplier and unit cost
• Extended total (quantity × cost)

3. Filter the Product List

Use the filter panel to focus on specific products:

By Inventory Status

• Low stock only (recommended for first order)
• Out of stock
• All products

By Supplier

• Select specific suppliers
• Multi-supplier products shown with best price

By Stock Percentage

• Products below 50% stock level
• Custom threshold filtering

Example: To order only low-stock items from "Acme Pet Supplies":

1. Click Filters
2. Select Low Stock Only
3. Choose Acme Pet Supplies
4. Click Apply

4. Adjust Quantities

The AI recommendations are starting points. Adjust based on your needs:

• Seasonal demand: Increase for holidays or peak seasons
• Promotions: Stock up before sales events
• Storage capacity: Don't over-order if space is limited
• Cash flow: Order less if budget is tight

Tip: Click the 📊 icon next to a product to see sales history and velocity trends.

5. Review Order Total

The order summary shows:

• Number of items
• Total quantity (units or cases)
• Subtotal (before shipping/tax)
• Supplier breakdown (if ordering from multiple suppliers)

6. Generate Purchase Order

1. Click Generate Purchase Order
2. Review the PDF preview
3. Check supplier information is correct
4. Verify line items and totals

The PDF includes:

• Order date and PO number
• Supplier contact information
• Itemized product list with SKUs
• Quantities and pricing
• Order total
• Delivery instructions (if configured)

7. Send to Supplier

You have three options:

Option 1: Email Directly

1. Click Email to Supplier
2. OrderDay sends the PDF automatically
3. Email includes:
   • PDF attachment
   • Order summary in email body
   • Reply-to set to your email

Option 2: Download PDF

1. Click Download PDF
2. Save to your computer
3. Attach to your own email or print

Option 3: Save as Draft

1. Click Save Draft
2. Return later to complete
3. Drafts are saved in Order History

8. Track the Order

After sending:

1. Order appears in Order History with status "Sent"
2. Mark as "Received" when inventory arrives
3. OrderDay updates inventory expectations
4. Sales velocity calculations refresh

Understanding AI Recommendations

How Quantities Are Calculated

Recommended Qty = (Lead Time × Daily Sales) - Current Stock + Safety Stock

Example:

• Product sells 5 units per day
• Lead time: 7 days
• Current stock: 10 units
• Safety stock: 10 units (2 days)

Calculation:

(7 days × 5 units/day) - 10 + 10 = 35 units

OrderDay recommends ordering 35 units.

Safety Stock

Safety stock provides a buffer against:

• Sales spikes
• Delivery delays
• Stockouts

Default: 20% of lead time demand (configurable in Settings)

Multi-Supplier Products

For products with multiple suppliers, OrderDay:

1. Compares unit costs
2. Considers lead times
3. Shows potential savings
4. Allows manual supplier selection

Badge indicators:

• 🟢 Best Price: Lowest cost supplier
• 🟡 Faster: Shorter lead time
• 💰 Save $X.XX: Savings vs. current supplier

Common Scenarios

Scenario 1: First-Time Stocking

For new products with no sales history:

1. OrderDay uses category averages
2. Defaults to minimum order quantities
3. Manual override recommended
4. Adjust after first sales cycle

Scenario 2: Seasonal Products

For products with seasonal demand:

1. Increase quantities before peak season
2. Reduce after season ends
3. Use sales history from previous year
4. Set custom reorder points seasonally

Scenario 3: Case vs. Unit Ordering

Some suppliers sell by case (e.g., 12-pack):

• Case Qty: Order in multiples of case size
• Unit Qty: Order individual units
• OrderDay auto-converts based on supplier settings

Example: 35 units needed, 12 per case = Order 3 cases (36 units)

Tips for Success

1. Start small: Your first order doesn't need to be perfect
2. Check weekly: Review recommendations at least weekly
3. Adjust reorder points: Fine-tune based on actual sales
4. Compare suppliers: Multi-source to get best prices
5. Track lead times: Update if suppliers are consistently late

Troubleshooting

"No products to order"

This means all products are adequately stocked. Try:

• Lowering the stock percentage filter
• Checking products individually
• Adjusting reorder points in Settings

Quantities seem too high/low

AI recommendations improve over time. Initially:

• Check sales velocity calculations
• Verify current stock levels are accurate
• Adjust safety stock percentage
• Override recommendations as needed

Multi-supplier confusion

If unsure which supplier to choose:

• Click the 🛈 info icon for supplier comparison
• Consider price, lead time, and reliability
• Order from multiple suppliers to diversify

Next Steps

• Supplier Management - Advanced supplier features
• Order Day Workflow - Deep dive into the order builder
• Inventory Tracking - Set up stock alerts

Need Help?

• FAQ
• Email Support
• Live chat (bottom-right corner)