The Complete Guide to Purchase Order Software for QuickBooks

Purchase Order (PO) mistakes cost real money: missed discounts, duplicate orders, and hours lost to manual entry. If your QuickBooks setup is not handling purchase orders smoothly, you could be paying the price.

Manual processes slow down approvals, create errors, and make it hard to track spending or inventory. This guide will help you diagnose if you need purchase order software for QuickBooks, avoid common integration pitfalls, and choose the best PO solution.

Do you actually need purchase order software?

If you process more than 30 purchase orders per month or struggle with manual approvals, you are likely losing time and money. QuickBooks offers basic PO tracking, but as your business grows, manual processes can create costly bottlenecks.

Common pain points that signal a need for PO software:

• Approvals get stuck with one person, causing order delays
• Manual entry leads to duplicate orders or invoice mismatches
• You cannot easily track what has been ordered, received, or invoiced
• Inventory records do not match your accounting system

Self-assessment checklist:

Check each box that applies:

• You process 50 or more purchase orders per month
• Multiple people approve orders, causing workflow delays
• You lose track of supplier invoices or struggle to match them to POs
• Inventory records do not match your accounting records
• You manually enter PO data into QuickBooks
• You have no clear visibility into spending by vendor or category
• You have paid duplicate or unapproved invoices

If you checked two or more boxes, purchase order software for QuickBooks will likely pay for itself within weeks. Businesses using integrated PO systems reduce invoice discrepancies by up to 40% and save 8 or more hours per week.

If you checked zero or one box, QuickBooks’ native tools may be enough for now. Revisit this as your business scales.

For e-commerce sellers, automation tools can sometimes eliminate the need for separate PO software by streamlining order-to-invoice workflows. If any of these pain points sound familiar, understanding the true cost of poor integration becomes critical.

Suggested Read: Multichannel Order Management Software for QuickBooks | Webgility

The hidden costs of poor PO integration

Manual or mismatched PO integration with QuickBooks creates costly bottlenecks. These issues compound as your order volume grows.

Three friction points that drain time and margins:

• Approval delays: Shipments are held up, damaging supplier relationships and causing missed discounts. For example, a $2M ecommerce business lost $12,000 per year due to late approvals and missed early-pay discounts
• Manual reconciliation: Finance teams spend hours matching invoices to POs, leading to errors and lost vendor discounts. Businesses can save up to 90% of time on reconciliation and month-end close with automation
• Inventory visibility gaps: Without real-time sync, you risk stockouts or over-purchasing. This ties up cash and can result in lost sales

As a case in point, suppose a mid-market retailer processing 500 POs per month may spend 125 hours per month on manual PO management. At $50 per hour, that is $6,250 per month or $75,000 per year. 

PO software can eliminate 70–80% of this manual work, saving $52,500–$60,000 annually.

Epic Mens saved over 80 hours per week by automating reconciliation with Webgility. Understanding these risks, let us see what QuickBooks can (and cannot) do natively so you know where the gaps are.

Suggested Read: QuickBooks Online Inventory Tracking

What QuickBooks can (and cannot) do with purchase orders

QuickBooks offers basic PO tools, but advanced workflows require more. Let us compare native PO features across QuickBooks versions.

Table: QuickBooks PO Feature Comparison

• QuickBooks Online: No multi-step approvals, limited reporting, and no real-time inventory sync
• QuickBooks Desktop: Supports batch imports, but is clunky for high volume and lacks real-time automation
• QuickBooks Enterprise: Offers more robust reporting and some workflow automation, but still lacks deep integration and real-time sync

Webgility integrates with all QuickBooks versions to fill automation gaps for ecommerce sellers. 

Suggested Read: Accounting Automation

Match PO software to your QuickBooks version and workflow

The right PO software depends on your QuickBooks version and how you sell. Below are the top options by version and business type.

QuickBooks Online

• Best for solo sellers and small teams:
  • SOS Inventory: Affordable, easy to use, supports basic PO, and inventory management
  • Spendwise: Simple PO management, budget tracking, and approvals for smaller teams
• Best for multi-channel and ecommerce:
  • ProcureDesk: Automates approvals, supports custom workflows, and integrates directly with QBO
  • Precoro: Advanced procurement, three-way matching, and vendor management
• Best for B2B/wholesale:
  • Tradogram: Unlimited supplier catalogs, punchout integration, and project management

QuickBooks Desktop

• Planergy: Cloud-based approvals and PO workflows, with a desktop connector for QBD
• AvidXchange: AP automation and PO matching for Desktop users
• Fishbowl: Advanced inventory and PO management for manufacturers and wholesalers

QuickBooks Enterprise

• Linnworks: Enterprise-grade inventory and PO management, multi-warehouse support
• Tradogram: Advanced procurement for large teams and complex workflows
• NetSuite (with integration): For organizations needing deep reporting and multi-entity support

Best fit by business type

• Solo sellers: SOS Inventory, Spendwise
• Multi-channel/ecommerce: ProcureDesk, Precoro, Webgility (for automation)
• Wholesale/B2B: Tradogram, Fishbowl, Linnworks

If you manage orders across Shopify, Amazon, and wholesale, Webgility automates PO creation and syncs inventory with QuickBooks. 

The PO-to-payment workflow, explained

PO software and QuickBooks must sync cleanly at every step for true efficiency. Here is how the workflow should look:

1. PO creation: Employee submits a request in the PO software, pulling from approved supplier catalogs
2. Approval: The system routes requests to the right approver based on rules (amount, department, etc).
3. PO sent to supplier: Once approved, the PO is generated and sent to the supplier
4. Goods received: The Receiving team matches items to the PO and updates inventory
5. Invoice received: Supplier invoice is matched to the PO and goods receipt (three-way match)
6. Accounting sync: Approved invoices are pushed to QuickBooks as bills, with correct vendor and GL codes
7. Payment and reconciliation: Bills are paid, and the system reconciles payments and updates records

Integration tips

• QuickBooks Online supports Zapier and direct API integrations for real-time sync
• QuickBooks Desktop requires desktop connectors or direct integrations
• Automation tools like Webgility act as the connective tissue for multi-channel sellers, syncing orders, POs, and inventory to QuickBooks in real time

Ready to implement? Here is how to roll out your new PO software with minimal disruption.

5 steps to roll out PO software without disrupting operations

Follow these five steps to ensure a smooth rollout and lasting results:

1. Start with a single vendor or category (pilot): Test the workflow with one supplier or product line for 2–4 weeks.
2. Map and test data sync: Ensure orders, POs, and invoices sync correctly between your PO software and QuickBooks.
3. Train your team and document new workflows: Provide hands-on training and clear documentation.
4. Monitor KPIs: Track PO approval time, invoice discrepancy rate, and cash cycle improvements.
5. Expand to all vendors/products after validation: Scale up once the pilot proves successful.

Skipping team training is the number one cause of failed rollouts. Budget for 2–4 weeks of testing and $2,000–$10,000 for initial setup, depending on software and complexity.

Webgility customers report closing their books three times faster after automating reconciliation and inventory updates. 

How Webgility helps QuickBooks users automate PO and order workflows

Webgility connects your sales channels, suppliers, and QuickBooks in real time. For ecommerce and multi-channel sellers, this means:

• Automating PO creation for dropship and B2B orders
• Syncing PO numbers and custom fields into QuickBooks
• Real-time inventory and accounting updates across all channels
• Role-based access and secure audit trails

For instance, Vector Business Solutions closed its books three times faster with Webgility. Webgility is also rated 4.6/5 on G2 and is an official Intuit partner.

Your 30-day implementation checklist and FAQ

Here is how to move from shortlist to go-live, plus answers to common concerns.

30-day implementation checklist:

1. Schedule demos with top PO software vendors
2. Prepare a list of integration and workflow questions
3. Test integration with QuickBooks using sample data
4. Train your team on the new process
5. Go live with a phased rollout

Action items for your PO software search

Here is what to do next for a successful PO software rollout:

1. Confirm your real business need using the checklist above
2. Identify your QuickBooks version and workflow complexity
3. Shortlist PO tools based on their suitability for your business model
4. Plan for a phased rollout and team training
5. For ecommerce and multi-channel, consider automation tools like Webgility to streamline accounting and inventory

Conclusion

Choosing the right purchase order software for QuickBooks is about matching your business needs to the right solution and ensuring integration is seamless. Use the checklist above to validate your shortlist, and schedule demos with your top contenders. 

For multi-channel and ecommerce sellers, see how Webgility can automate your order, PO, and accounting workflows, saving hours every week. Get a demo. 

FAQs

How does purchase order software improve QuickBooks workflows?

Purchase order software for QuickBooks automates approvals, syncs orders and inventory, and reduces manual entry. This leads to fewer errors, faster processing, and better visibility into spending and inventory compared to using QuickBooks alone.

Can I use purchase order software with both QuickBooks Online and Desktop?

Yes, most leading options for the purchase order software for QuickBooks offer integrations for both QuickBooks Online and Desktop. 

However, features and integration depth may vary, so confirm compatibility with your QuickBooks version before choosing a solution.

What are the main benefits of automating purchase orders in QuickBooks?

Automation reduces errors, speeds up approvals, improves inventory tracking, and saves time on reconciliation. It also helps prevent duplicate payments and missed discounts, leading to more accurate financials and better supplier relationships.

How long does it take to implement purchase order software with QuickBooks?

Implementation typically takes 2–6 weeks, depending on your business size, workflow complexity, and the software chosen. A phased rollout and team training help ensure a smooth transition.