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ClickUp Purchase Order Guide

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How to Create Purchase Orders with ClickUp

ClickUp can replace static spreadsheets by giving you a flexible, automated system for creating, tracking, and optimizing purchase orders from request to payment.

This walkthrough shows you how to move beyond basic Excel templates and build a simple, scalable purchasing workflow in a modern workspace.

For reference on traditional spreadsheet-based templates and terminology, see the original guide on purchase order templates in Excel.

Why Move Purchase Orders into ClickUp

Static spreadsheets get messy as teams grow. You risk inconsistent formats, missing approvals, and poor visibility into vendor spend.

Using a collaborative workspace helps you:

  • Standardize purchase order data and fields
  • Automate approvals and status changes
  • Attach quotes, invoices, and contracts in one place
  • Track spend by vendor, department, or project
  • Create reports and dashboards without rebuilding formulas

The structure used in Excel templates can be replicated and improved inside a unified system.

Plan Your Purchase Order Structure in ClickUp

Before building anything, outline what information and steps your purchase orders must include.

Define Required Purchase Order Fields

List the standard fields you capture today in spreadsheets, such as:

  • PO number
  • Requestor and department
  • Vendor name and contact
  • Order date and required-by date
  • Item description and category
  • Quantity and unit price
  • Subtotal, tax, and total
  • Payment terms and currency
  • Approval status and approver

Knowing these up front helps you design custom fields that mirror and improve on your old Excel forms.

Map Your Approval Workflow

Next, sketch the steps every purchase request should follow:

  1. Request submitted
  2. Manager review
  3. Finance approval (if needed)
  4. PO sent to vendor
  5. Goods/services received
  6. Invoice matched and closed

This approval path becomes the backbone of your task statuses and automations.

Set Up a Purchase Order Space in ClickUp

Create a dedicated location so all purchase orders live in one structured system.

  1. Create a new Space and name it something like “Procurement” or “Purchase Orders”.

  2. Add a Folder inside the Space called “Purchase Orders”.

  3. Create one or more Lists to separate types of purchases, such as “Operational Purchases”, “Capital Purchases”, or “Vendor Contracts”.

This structure mirrors how you might have used multiple Excel files or tabs, but keeps everything connected.

Configure Purchase Order Statuses in ClickUp

Use clear, linear statuses so anyone can see where a request stands:

  • Draft
  • Submitted
  • Manager Review
  • Finance Review
  • Approved
  • Sent to Vendor
  • Received
  • Closed

Adjust labels to match your existing policies so adoption is smooth.

Create Purchase Order Custom Fields in ClickUp

Custom fields let you recreate and enhance the data you tracked in spreadsheets.

Key Financial and Vendor Fields

Add custom fields to your List such as:

  • PO Number (Text or Auto-ID)
  • Vendor (Text or Dropdown with vendor list)
  • Department (Dropdown)
  • Category (Dropdown: IT, Marketing, Operations, etc.)
  • Order Date (Date)
  • Required By (Date)
  • Currency (Dropdown)

These replace manual columns and ensure consistent data entry.

Cost and Quantity Fields

Purchase orders often need line-level detail. You can approximate this with numeric fields:

  • Quantity (Number)
  • Unit Price (Number with currency)
  • Estimated Total (Number)
  • Final Total (Number)

For more complex orders with many line items, store the itemized details in a table inside the task description or as a linked document.

Build a Reusable Purchase Order Template in ClickUp

Task templates act like your Excel purchase order templates but inside a live system.

  1. Open the List where you want new purchase orders to live.

  2. Create a new task and name it “Purchase Order Template”.

  3. Fill in the task description with a clear purchase order layout, such as:

    • Vendor details
    • Ship-to and bill-to addresses
    • Table for items, quantities, and prices
    • Terms and conditions

  4. Pre-configure your custom fields with placeholder values if needed.

  5. Click the template options in the task and save it as a task template (e.g., “Standard Purchase Order”).

Now every new purchase order can follow the same consistent structure without you rebuilding spreadsheets.

Using the Purchase Order Template

  1. From the List, click to create a new task.

  2. Choose your saved purchase order template.

  3. Rename the task to include the PO number and vendor (for example, “PO-1042 – ACME Supplies”).

  4. Complete the custom fields and description sections.

  5. Attach quotes or supporting documents directly to the task.

This keeps each purchase order neatly organized and searchable.

Automate Approvals and Notifications in ClickUp

Automations reduce manual follow-up and prevent stalled approvals.

Set Up Status-Based Automations

Examples of helpful rules include:

  • When status changes to Submitted, automatically assign the task to the requester’s manager.
  • When status changes to Manager Review, notify finance if the total exceeds a threshold.
  • When status changes to Approved, post a comment prompting the requester to send the PO to the vendor.
  • When status changes to Received, notify accounts payable to match the invoice.

These rules mirror manual email chains but happen automatically inside your workspace.

Use Views to Track Purchase Activity

Different views help stakeholders see what matters to them:

  • List View for detailed fields and filtering by vendor or department
  • Board View for a Kanban-style pipeline of purchase order statuses
  • Table View for quick comparison of totals, dates, and categories

Managers can filter by “Submitted” and “Manager Review” to focus on pending approvals.

Report on Spend and Vendor Performance in ClickUp

Once purchase orders live in a single system, reporting becomes easier than with disconnected files.

Monitor Budget and Category Spend

Use filters and grouping to answer questions such as:

  • How much has each department spent this quarter?
  • Which vendors account for most of our spend?
  • Which categories are trending up in cost?

Custom fields for department, category, and totals make these reports straightforward.

Track End-to-End Purchase Order Cycle Time

Measure the time from “Submitted” to “Closed” to identify bottlenecks:

  • Are approvals slow at manager or finance level?
  • Do certain vendors have longer delivery times?
  • Are invoices staying open after goods are received?

Improving these metrics gives you a smoother, more predictable purchasing process.

Next Steps and Further Optimization with ClickUp

Once your basic purchase order workflow is running, you can layer on improvements such as recurring orders, vendor-specific templates, and tighter budget controls.

If you want expert help designing scalable, automated workspaces tailored to your procurement or finance stack, explore consulting services from ConsulTEVO.

By moving beyond static spreadsheets and building a dedicated purchasing system, you get better visibility, fewer errors, and a faster path from request to payment.

Need Help With ClickUp?

If you want expert help building, automating, or scaling your ClickUp workspace, work with ConsultEvo — trusted ClickUp Solution Partners.

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