How to Create, Approve and Track a Partially Confirmed PO in Oracle NetSuite
A vendor purchase order for a customer order has three separate moments that are easy to blur together: the PO is approved, the supplier confirms what they will ship, and the goods arrive at the dock. In Oracle NetSuite each of those belongs in a different place, and only the last one is a receipt.
When a supplier confirms only part of the order, the temptation is to cut the PO to match or to mark it received so the numbers look settled. This guide follows a conceptual walkthrough of one PO for 100 couplers: entered and approved before anything goes to the supplier, a confirmation of 60 recorded as a promise, a follow-up for the other 40, and no receipt because nothing has arrived.
- Who does itPurchasing agent or buyer, with a purchasing manager approving
- How oftenPer purchase requirement
- Steps12 steps · 7 systems
Watch the full workflow
a conceptual walkthrough of the agent's run, with sample data.
In this conceptual walkthrough, an AI agent reads planner01's requirement PR-3317 for 100 HC-2550 couplers for customer order SO-55120, needed on the WH2 dock by 11/16/2026. In NetSuite-style screens it confirms no open PO already covers the item, enters a purchase order to preferred vendor V-2210 Pinecrest Hydraulics with subsidiary and location WH2, and one line of 100 at 18.75 (1,875.00). Policy PO-APR-02 routes totals over 1,000.00 to mgr01, so the agent saves PO-10472, reopens it to confirm it is Pending Approval, and notifies mgr01 rather than approving it. After mgr01 approves at 9:31 and the agent sees that in the record, it emails the PO to the supplier. Pinecrest's acknowledgment SO-PH-88310 confirms 60 shipping 11/09 and estimates the other 40 for 11/30, after the need date. The agent records the confirmation in custom fields and a memo without changing the ordered 100 or posting a receipt, creates follow-up task T-5108 for buyer01, confirms under RCV-01 that there is no dock receiving document, and tells planner01 what the customer order can count on.
Conceptual walkthrough: the screens are generic stand-ins modeled on how Oracle NetSuite lays out this work, not the product's own interface, and every company, vendor and value is sample data. Workflow and screens vary by ERP version and configuration. No vendor partnership is implied.
- 0:25Read the purchase requirement
- 0:44Does an open PO already cover this?
- 0:55Enter the purchase order
- 1:32Does the PO need approval before it goes out?
- 1:44Save, capture the PO number and reopen
- 2:09Approver approves the PO
- 2:40Send the approved PO to the supplier
- 3:05Did the supplier confirm the full quantity on time?
- 4:02Record the promise on the PO, not a receipt
- 4:47Create a follow-up task for the unconfirmed quantity
- 5:20Is there dock evidence for a receipt?
- 5:54Read the final state and tell the requester
Systems involved
You need access to each of these before you start. In the walkthrough the agent works in all of them from one desktop, signed in as the user.
- Oracle NetSuite – purchase ordersOpen PO search, Enter Purchase Orders, approval status, supplier-confirmation custom fields, communication, memo and system notes
- Oracle NetSuite – tasksFollow-up task T-5108 for the unconfirmed quantity
- Oracle NetSuite – receivingOrders pending receipt; receipt only against a dock receiving document
- GmailPurchasing requirement, PO sent to the supplier, supplier acknowledgment and the notice to the planner
- PDF viewerSupplier acknowledgment SO-PH-88310
- SlackPurchasing approvals and Receiving dock channels
- LaunchAI agent run panelRun plan, policies PO-APR-02 and RCV-01, and the closing summary
What you start with
- Purchase requirement PR-3317: HC-2550 × 100 for SO-55120, needed on the WH2 dock by 11/16/2026
- Preferred vendor V-2210 Pinecrest Hydraulics and last cost 18.75
- Approval policy PO-APR-02 (totals over 1,000.00 need purchasing-manager approval)
- Receiving policy RCV-01 (a receipt needs a dated dock receiving document with counted quantities)
- Supplier acknowledgment SO-PH-88310
What you end with
- PO-10472 for 100 × HC-2550, 1,875.00, approved by mgr01 before it was sent
- Supplier confirmation recorded on the PO: 60 confirmed for 11/09, 40 unconfirmed, est. 11/30
- Follow-up task T-5108 for buyer01
- No receipt posted; notice to planner01 copying buyer01
The workflow at a glance
Action Decision Human review Select a step to jump to how it's done.
- 01 Action · Gmail Read the purchase requirement
- 02 Decision · Oracle NetSuite – purchase orders Does an open PO already cover this? Yes Use or expedite the existing PO instead of creating a new one. No Create a new purchase order.
- 03 Action · Oracle NetSuite – purchase orders Enter the purchase order
- 04 Decision · Oracle NetSuite – purchase orders Does the PO need approval before it goes out? Yes Save and route to the approver; hold the vendor send. No Save and send to the vendor.
- 05 Action · Oracle NetSuite – purchase orders Save, capture the PO number and reopen
- 06 · Human review · Slack + Oracle NetSuite Approver approves the PO
- 07 Action · Gmail Send the approved PO to the supplier
- 08 Decision · PDF viewer + Oracle NetSuite Did the supplier confirm the full quantity on time? Yes Record the confirmation and wait for the goods. No Record what was confirmed and open a follow-up for the rest.
- 09 Action · Oracle NetSuite – purchase orders Record the promise on the PO, not a receipt
- 10 Action · Oracle NetSuite – tasks Create a follow-up task for the unconfirmed quantity
- 11 Decision · Oracle NetSuite – receiving + Slack Is there dock evidence for a receipt? Yes Receive the counted quantity on the dock date, then reopen to verify. No Do not receive; the PO stays pending receipt.
- 12 Action · Oracle NetSuite + Gmail Read the final state and tell the requester
Step-by-step: how to do it
-
Action · Gmail · 0:25 in the video
Read the purchase requirement
Open the requirement and note the item, quantity, the date it must be on the dock, the location, the customer order it is for, the preferred vendor and the last cost. Note how much slack there is before the customer ship date.
In the videoPR-3317 from planner01.
- Item
- HC-2550 Hydraulic coupler 1/2" NPT
- Qty
- 100 EA
- Needed on dock
- 11/16/2026
- Location
- WH2 · Grand Rapids
- For
- SO-55120, customer ships 11/18
- Preferred vendor / last cost
- Pinecrest Hydraulics (V-2210) · 18.75
-
Decision · Oracle NetSuite – purchase orders · 0:44 in the video
Does an open PO already cover this?
Search open purchase orders for the item at the location before creating anything, so you do not order the same need twice.
- If yes Use or expedite the existing PO instead of creating a new one.
- If no Create a new purchase order.
In the video0 open purchase orders for HC-2550 at WH2 · Grand Rapids
-
Action · Oracle NetSuite – purchase orders · 0:55 in the video
Enter the purchase order
Go to Transactions > Purchases > Enter Purchase Orders. Enter the vendor named on the requirement, the subsidiary, and the location the customer order ships from. Add the stock line with item, quantity, rate and expected arrival date, and check the line amount and that received and billed are blank. The PO number is assigned on save.
In the video- PO #
- To be generated
- Vendor
- V-2210 Pinecrest Hydraulics
- Subsidiary
- Lakeshore Dist. US
- Location
- WH2 · Grand Rapids
- Line
- HC-2550 · 100 EA × 18.75 = 1,875.00 USD
- Expected arrival
- 11/16/2026
-
Decision · Oracle NetSuite – purchase orders · 1:32 in the video
Does the PO need approval before it goes out?
Check the order total against your approval policy. If it needs approval, nothing goes to the supplier until it is approved.
- If yes Save and route to the approver; hold the vendor send.
- If no Save and send to the vendor.
In the video- PO-APR-02 · Total > 1,000.00 USD Route to mgr01 (test)
- This PO
- 1,875.00
- Vendor send · only when Approved Email to vendor disabled
- This PO
- Not yet approved
-
Action · Oracle NetSuite – purchase orders · 1:44 in the video
Save, capture the PO number and reopen
Save the order and write down the PO number and approval status. Then close it, search for it by number, open it again and check vendor, location, quantity, rate and arrival date persisted and the status is still pending.
In the video- PO
- PO-10472
- Message
- Submitted for approval to mgr01 (test)
- Saved
- 09:08:03
- Reopened
- Vendor, location, 100 × 18.75, arrival 11/16 · Pending Approval · not sent
-
Human review · Slack + Oracle NetSuite · 2:09 in the video
Approver approves the PO
Tell the approver the PO is waiting, with item, quantity, total, need date and the rule. The approver decides in the ERP; the person who entered the PO does not approve it. When they say it is done, reopen the PO and check the approval yourself rather than trusting the message.
In the video- Card
- PO-10472 · Pinecrest Hydraulics · Pending Approval
- Decision
- mgr01: 'Checked against PR-3317 — approved PO-10472 in the ERP.'
- Approval step
- PO-APR-02 · mgr01 (test) · Approved · 11/02 09:31
- Status
- Pending Receipt
-
Action · Gmail · 2:40 in the video
Send the approved PO to the supplier
Only after approval, email the PO to the supplier from the purchasing mailbox with the PO attached, and ask them to confirm quantity, price and ship date. Check Sent Items shows it went after the approval time.
In the video- To
- orders@pinecrest-hyd.test
- Subject
- Purchase order PO-10472 — please acknowledge
- Attachment
- PO-10472.pdf
- Sent
- 9:35 AM, after the 9:31 approval
-
Decision · PDF viewer + Oracle NetSuite · 3:05 in the video
Did the supplier confirm the full quantity on time?
Read the acknowledgment and check it references your PO and the ordered quantity. Compare what is confirmed and when it ships against the need date. An acknowledgment is a promise; nothing has shipped or been counted yet. Open the PO beside it and leave the ordered quantity alone.
- If yes Record the confirmation and wait for the goods.
- If no Record what was confirmed and open a follow-up for the rest.
In the videoSO-PH-88310: 'Partial confirmation: 60 of 100 allocated from stock, ships 11/09.'
- 60 EA · HC-2550 Before 11/16
- Ship
- 11/09
- Arrives
- ~11/12
- 40 EA · balance, not yet allocated After 11/16 need date
- Estimate
- 11/30 (not committed)
- PO-10472 still shows 100 ordered, 0 received
-
Action · Oracle NetSuite – purchase orders · 4:02 in the video
Record the promise on the PO, not a receipt
Record the supplier's confirmation in the fields your company uses for it (in the walkthrough, supplier-confirmation custom fields): acknowledgment reference and date, confirmed quantity and ship date, unconfirmed quantity and the supplier's estimate. Link the emails and add an internal memo of what was and was not promised. Do not cut the ordered quantity or post a receipt. Save, reopen and check every field.
In the video- Supplier ack ref / date
- SO-PH-88310 · 11/02/2026
- Confirmed
- 60 · ship 11/09/2026
- Unconfirmed
- 40 · 11/30 est. (not committed)
- Memo
- PARTIAL. 60 of 100 confirmed, ship 11/09. 40 not allocated … No receipt recorded: no goods on dock.
- Reopened
- Ordered still 100 · Received still 0
-
Action · Oracle NetSuite – tasks · 4:47 in the video
Create a follow-up task for the unconfirmed quantity
Create a task linked to the PO for the unconfirmed units, owned by a buyer, with a due date and priority that leave time before the need date. Put the customer-date risk and the options in the details, then find the task again from the PO to check it saved.
In the video- Task
- T-5108 · PO-10472: 40 × HC-2550 unconfirmed — SO-55120 at risk
- Assigned to
- buyer01 (test)
- Due / priority
- 11/04/2026 · High
- Options
- Firm date, split ship to customer, or second source
-
Decision · Oracle NetSuite – receiving + Slack · 5:20 in the video
Is there dock evidence for a receipt?
Record a receipt only when there is a dated dock receiving document with counted quantities. A supplier's promised quantity never qualifies. Check with receiving whether anything arrived; if not, leave the PO pending receipt.
- If yes Receive the counted quantity on the dock date, then reopen to verify.
- If no Do not receive; the PO stays pending receipt.
In the video- Rule
- RCV-01: a receipt needs a dated dock receiving document with counted quantities
- Receiving dock, 11/02
- 'Nothing from Pinecrest on the dock today.'
- PO-10472
- Open qty 100 · receiving document on file: none
-
Action · Oracle NetSuite + Gmail · 5:54 in the video
Read the final state and tell the requester
Reopen the PO one last time and read its state from the record and its change history. Then tell the requester what the customer order can count on, copying the buyer who owns the follow-up.
In the video- End state
- Approved · ordered 100 · received 0 · confirmed 60 for 11/09 · 40 outstanding
- System notes
- mgr01 approval 09:31 before the 09:35 vendor email; no receipt entries
- To / cc
- planner01@lakeshore-dist.test · buyer01@lakeshore-dist.test
- Subject
- PR-3317 / PO-10472 — 60 confirmed, 40 at risk for SO-55120
- Sent
- 10:53 AM
- 60 Confirmed · arrive ~11/12 · on time
- 40 Not confirmed · est. 11/30 · buyer01 · T-5108
- 0 Received · receipt only from dock count
Rules, exceptions and controls
Rules to follow
- Check for an open PO on the same item and location before creating one.
- POs over 1,000.00 need purchasing-manager approval, recorded in the ERP (PO-APR-02).
- Nothing is sent to the supplier until the PO is approved.
- A supplier acknowledgment is recorded as a promise; the ordered quantity is not cut to match it.
- A receipt needs a dated dock receiving document with counted quantities; a promise never qualifies (RCV-01).
- Any quantity arriving after the need date is flagged as a customer-date risk with an owner.
When something doesn't match
- Partial confirmation: Pinecrest confirms 60 of 100 shipping 11/09; 40 estimated 11/30, after the 11/16 need date — task T-5108 for buyer01.
- Estimated, not committed: the 11/30 balance date is recorded as an estimate.
- PO shows pending receipt but no goods arrived — Receive is not used.
- Approval required on a 1,875.00 PO — the agent notifies mgr01 and cannot approve its own PO.
Controls and audit trail
- Duplicate open-PO search before entry.
- Separation of duties: the agent enters, mgr01 approves in the ERP.
- Vendor email sent only after the approval time, checked in the system notes.
- Reopen-and-verify after every save, including the task.
- Ordered stays 100 and received stays 0 until a dock document exists.
Practitioner tips
- Put the customer order and need date on the PO so a partial confirmation is judged against the right date.
- Keep the supplier's promise separate from the receipt; a promise in the received column shows stock that is not on the shelf.
- Record the balance estimate as an estimate and set a follow-up date well before the need date.
- Give the follow-up task options, not just a problem: firm the date, split the customer shipment or find a second source.
- Tell the requester in numbers: what is confirmed, what is not, what has been received.
About this walkthrough
In the walkthrough, the agent enters PO-10472 for 100 couplers, has mgr01 approve it before sending, records Pinecrest's partial confirmation of 60 without cutting the PO or posting a receipt, creates follow-up task T-5108 for the 40 unconfirmed units and tells planner01 what SO-55120 can count on.
Documented the way you'd train a new hire — and the same way an agent learns it.
Frequently asked questions
How do you create a purchase order in Oracle NetSuite?
Go to Transactions > Purchases > Enter Purchase Orders, enter the vendor, subsidiary and location, add the item lines with quantity, rate and expected arrival, then save. NetSuite assigns the PO number on save, and your approval routing decides whether it needs approval first.
What should you do when a supplier confirms only part of a PO?
Record what they confirmed and when, record the balance and its estimate as unconfirmed, leave the ordered quantity as it is and open a follow-up task with an owner and the customer-date risk.
Should a partial supplier confirmation be entered as a receipt?
No. A confirmation is a promise to ship. Receive only what is counted on the dock on a dated receiving document.
Can a PO be sent to the supplier before it is approved?
It should not be. In the walkthrough the vendor email is disabled while the PO is pending, and it is sent only after mgr01's approval is confirmed in the record.
Why not reduce the PO to the confirmed quantity?
Because you still need 100. Cutting the PO hides the shortfall from the planner and from open-PO reports; the unconfirmed 40 should stay visible until the buyer decides what to do.
Can an AI agent handle PO approval and supplier confirmations in NetSuite?
This video is a conceptual walkthrough with generic stand-in screens and sample data, not a recording. It shows how an agent could enter and track the PO while a manager approves it and a buyer owns the shortfall.