A purchase order flows straight into your stock: create the PO, receive it, and BakeOnyx updates ingredient levels and costs automatically — which then flow through to your recipe and product costs. Here's the full supply-chain workflow.

The Purchase Order Workflow

BakeOnyx streamlines your ordering process so you always know what you have and what it costs. Here’s how it works:

Step 1: Check Your Stock Levels

Before you order, it’s good to know what you already have.

Navigate to the Ingredients page at /dashboard/ingredients.
Here you'll see a list of all your ingredients and their current stock levels.
Ingredients that are running low will show a Low Stock Alert if their quantity has dropped below the Reorder Point you’ve set.
For a look ahead, visit the Inventory Predictions page at /dashboard/inventory/predictions. This can help you spot ingredients that might run low soon based on upcoming sales orders.

Step 2: Create a New Purchase Order

When you're ready to order, follow these steps:

Go to the Purchase Orders section at /dashboard/purchase-orders.
Click the New Purchase Order button.
Select a Supplier from your existing list. You can manage your suppliers on the Settings page at /dashboard/settings/suppliers.
Add items to your order:
- Click Add Item.
- Choose the Ingredient you want to order.
- Enter the Quantity you need.
- Input the Unit Cost you expect to pay.
BakeOnyx will automatically create a unique PO number for you, like PO-231027-001.
Your new purchase order will start with a status of Draft.

Step 3: Send the Order to Your Supplier

Once you've added all your items and are happy with the details:

Change the PO status to Ordered.
You can then choose to Print the purchase order or Export it as a PDF to send to your supplier.

Step 4: Receive Your Shipment

When your ingredients arrive:

Go back to the Purchase Orders page at /dashboard/purchase-orders.
Find the relevant purchase order and click to open it.
Click the Receive button.
For each ingredient that arrived, enter the actual Quantity Received.
You can also add any relevant Quality Notes here.

Note: You don't have to receive the entire order at once. If only part of your shipment arrives, you can log the partial quantity. The PO status will automatically update to Partial Received, and you can receive the rest later.

Step 5: Automatic Stock Updates

As soon as you log the quantities received, BakeOnyx automatically updates your ingredient stock levels. Your inventory counts will now reflect what you actually have on hand.

Step 6: The Cost Cascade Begins

This is where the magic happens! When you receive ingredients at a different cost than you initially planned:

BakeOnyx updates the cost of that specific ingredient.
Then, it automatically recalculates the cost of every recipe that uses that ingredient.
Finally, it updates the cost of every product that is made from those recipes.

This ensures your food cost reports and product pricing are always based on your most current ingredient expenses.

Purchase Order Statuses

Your purchase orders move through a clear lifecycle:

Draft: You are still creating the order.
Ordered: You have sent the order to your supplier.
Partial Received: Some, but not all, of the items on the order have arrived.
Received: All items on the order have been fully received.

Tip: Always double-check the quantities you enter when receiving an order against the supplier's delivery note. Accurate receiving is key to accurate inventory and cost calculations throughout BakeOnyx.

Purchase Orders vs. Direct Stock Adjustments

It's important to use the right tool for the job:

Use Purchase Orders when you are ordering items from a supplier. This process tracks costs, quantities, and receiving dates, providing a clear record.
Use Direct Stock Adjustments (found on the individual ingredient page at /dashboard/ingredients/[id]) for quick fixes like correcting an inventory count, logging waste, or reconciling stocktakes. Direct adjustments don't involve supplier costs or order details.

Key Concept: The Cost Cascade

This powerful feature means you don't have to manually update costs. When an ingredient's purchase price changes:

The ingredient's unit cost is updated.
All recipes using that ingredient have their total cost recalculated.
All products made from those recipes have their costs updated.
Your reports and profit margins automatically reflect these changes.

Next Steps

Now that you understand how purchase orders impact your inventory and costs, explore these related topics:

Recipe to Revenue: How Costs Flow Through Your Business