Purchase orders - general
How can I create and track purchase orders?
Enable the Create purchase order permission in Settings > Permissions and use the Purchase Order (PO) document for your vendors as a request to purchase the listed items. For more information on how to enable the permission and create a PO, see Set permissions for an employee or technician role and Create purchase orders.
How can I receive a purchase order?
Enable the Receive purchase order permission in Settings > Permissions. For more information on how to enable the permission and receive a purchase order fully or partially, see Set permissions for an employee or technician role and Receive purchase orders.
How can I cancel a purchase order?
Enable the Cancel purchase order permission in Settings > Permissions. To learn how to enable the permission, see Set permissions for an employee or technician role.
You can cancel purchase orders (POs) that are in Pending or Sent status. For more, see Edit, copy, and cancel a purchase order from the office.
Note: If your purchase order has already been received, cancel the bill generated when the purchase order was marked as received. This updates the purchase order's status back to Pending. When this occurs, you can cancel the purchase order.
Can I return an exported purchase order?
If the purchase order has already been exported, you can do the following:
On the Create Return screen, add the associated job number and return details.
Note: Select Auto Receive Vendor on the Type dropdown if you want to keep the return as a credit to the vendor.
On the Purchase Order # dropdown, select or enter the purchase order number.
The Item List section populates with items listed in the purchase order. Remove the items you don't want to return and keep the item you do want to return.
When finished, click Save.
Will I have double job costing if I add an item to a purchase order (PO) when the PO is fully received?
No. When you add an item to a PO and the PO is fully received, items can be added to an invoice with a $0 cost. This allows you to prevent double job costing. For more information, see Add or edit inventory items on an invoice.
Can I use purchase orders to capture and track subcontractor costs?
Yes, you can add subcontractors as materials to purchase orders (POs) or invoices to track subcontractor costs on jobs. For more, see Add subcontractor cost.
I want to deactivate a vendor but it is greyed out. Why is it greyed out?
This occurs if the vendor being deactivated is set as the primary vendor for equipment in Pricebook. Remove the vendor as a primary vendor and it will be available for deactivation.
Why am I getting an error when trying to delete a service from an invoice?
If a service has materials tied to it, meaning materials were added automatically when the service was added, and is on an estimate booked into a job, you cannot delete the service only. ServiceTitan will also delete the materials tied to the service.
If a purchase order was created for those materials and that purchase order was exported, you won't be able to delete the service that automatically added those materials associated with the exported purchase order.
How can I enable technicians to add POs after job completion?
Unfortunately, there is no option for a technician to add POs after a job is completed. An office employee does have this option if you have the correct configuration set up.
Enable Hide 'Add a Purchase Order' Option on Posted and Exported Invoices in Feature Configurations. For more, see Manage feature configurations. If you're a customer with multiple ServiceTitan accounts, contact Technical Support for details.
Why don't job numbers appear on replenishment purchase orders?
Replenishment POs don't show job numbers as a replenishment PO could be formed from multiple jobs instead of just one job.
How can I ensure that job numbers are accurately reflected on replenishment purchase orders?
Open ServiceTitan on your computer. Make sure you are on the office side.
Go to the purchase orders section.
Find the PO you created from the mobile app. It should be the one missing the job number.
Click on the PO to open it.
Look for an "Actions" or "Edit" button. Click on it.
In the edit mode, find the field where you can add or link a job number.
Type in the job number that should be associated with this PO.
Save your changes.
Check the Excel file again to see if the job number now appears.
Can a vendor purchase order be received after the job invoice has been exported?
Yes. See Receive purchase orders for more.
Why is my vendor not appearing on the Bills screen in the Accounting section for a purchase order (PO)?
The Bill screen under the Accounting section shows NA because there is no remittance vendor associated with the purchasing vendor on the PO. For more information on setting up a remittance vendor, see Set up remittance vendors.
Can I attach a PDF file to a Purchasing Vendor profile in ServiceTitan?
No, you can't. We recommend storing vendor documents in a separate, secure file storage system outside of ServiceTitan.
How do I record a vendor overcharge on a purchase order in ServiceTitan so it exports and reconciles correctly in QuickBooks?
The best approach depends on whether the purchase order (PO) has been exported to QuickBooks, whether the item is being returned, and whether Payables is enabled in your account.
Adjust the PO directly
If the PO has not yet been exported to QuickBooks, you can adjust it to the correct amount directly in ServiceTitan and make any corresponding changes there.
Create a vendor return
If the item is being physically returned, you can create a vendor return in ServiceTitan to address the overcharge. Note that this workflow is best suited for situations where the item is actually being returned. It may not be appropriate if you only want to recover the overcharged amount without returning the item.
Create a non-return vendor credit (requires Payables)
If the item is not being returned and you want to record a credit for the overcharged amount, Payables must be enabled in your ServiceTitan account. Without Payables, non-return vendor credits cannot be created in the system.
Record a job cost adjustment (job costing only)
For job costing purposes only, you can create an Other Direct Cost adjustment on the job entered as a negative amount to reflect the overcharge. Note that this option does not create a vendor credit and is not a substitute for reconciling the overcharge in QuickBooks.
Note: Without Payables enabled, there is no direct way to track a non-return vendor credit in ServiceTitan.
Purchase orders - editing
Can I edit purchase orders in Pending status?
Pending purchase orders can be edited if the user has the permission to do so enabled. Follow the steps to Set permissions for an individual employee or technician and ensure the box next to Edit purchase order in pending status is checked.
Once that permission is enabled, the user can edit a purchase order.
Note: You can edit every field in the purchase order except the Job Number, and the PO Type. If the PO Type is Replenishment, that field cannot be edited.
Can I edit purchase orders in Sent or Partially Received status?
Yes, you can. Enable the Edit purchase order in sent or partially received status permission in Settings > Permissions. For more information on how to enable the permission, see Set permissions for an employee or technician role.
If the purchase order is in Partially Received status, you can only edit the technician name, inventory location, vendor memo, shipping & tax, unit cost, and quantity item in the item list table.
If the purchase order has Sent status, you can only edit the technician name, date sent, business unit, inventory location, vendor memo, shipping & tax, unit cost, quantity item in the item list table, and PO type (unless the PO type is replenishment).
To edit a purchase order in Sent or Partially Received status, see Edit, copy, and cancel a purchase order from the office.
Can I edit a purchase order that has been received?
If your purchase order has been received but not exported, you can cancel the bill generated when receiving the purchase order. This puts the purchase order back to Pending status where you can make edits to the purchase order.
If the purchase order has been received and exported, you need to create an inventory adjustment to make your edits.
To update the vendor on a received purchase order:
Find the purchase order in ServiceTitan.
Cancel the bill and the receipt for the purchase order.
On the purchase order screen, click Actions.
Select Return to Pending to change the purchase order's status.
Click Actions again, then click Edit to update the vendor information.
After editing, move the purchase order back to the Sent status, and then to the Received status.
Can I edit exported purchase orders?
You cannot directly edit exported purchase orders. However, you can create a return on the purchase order and re-create the purchase order with your updated information.
Why can't I edit the Job number on a pending PO?
If the invoice associated with the job number on the Purchase Order (PO) is exported, you no longer have the ability to edit the job number on the PO. Cancel that PO and re-create it if you want to change the job number associated with the PO.
How do I edit a PO number?
You can't edit a PO number. However, you can create POs on the same job that will be numbered sequentially after the job number.
For example, if you create Job #12345, making three POs on this job would create PO numbers 12345-001, 12345-002, and 12345-003.
Can I add a column to the purchase order chart in Inventory > Purchase Orders?
No, you can't. The columns are static and cannot be changed.
Inventory - general
Does the quantity count decrease in the inventory location once the purchase order (PO) is received?
No, the quantity count doesn't decrease. Once the PO is received, the quantity count increases in the inventory location on the PO. The items should still be added to the invoice in order to be consumed.
Why should I set up General Ledger Account Mapping in Inventory Configuration > Purchasing?
We recommend you map shipping and tax to GL accounts to ensure accuracy when you export to QuickBooks Desktop or Intacct. If you have Payables and you want to map sales tax and shipping on bills to general ledger accounts, set up GL Account Mapping. For more information, see Map sales tax and shipping on bills to general ledger accounts.
Why do certain items not appear in my inventory template's Item field?
Items only show in the item dropdown if Inventory Tracking has been activated in the Pricebook for that item. Go to Pricebook > Material or Equipment > Edit on the side of the item and then click the Inventory Settings tab.
Check the acknowledgment box and the Activate Inventory Tracking.
For multiple items, try activating inventory in bulk.
Why is the system not prompting me to enter a serial number when completing a job?
Usually, ServiceTitan requires serial numbers for inventory tracking equipment before jobs can be closed. If the system is not prompting you to enter a serial number, reactivate inactive equipment in your Pricebook. Remove and re-add the equipment to your invoice.
Can I use inventory if I don't have an accounting software?
Yes. You can still use inventory even if you don't export to or integrate with an accounting software. Inventory functions independently and doesn't require an accounting system connection to operate.
Do I need to create a job to track inventory when selling materials directly to customers?
If you're selling materials, you can track inventory without creating a job. But if you're selling equipment, you must create a job to record the sale and update inventory.
Why doesn't Maximize Quantity work in invoice closeout?
If the Maximize Quantity option doesn't work during invoice closeout, make sure there are materials added to the invoice. Materials must exist on the invoice for the Maximize Quantity option to work. Add materials directly to the invoice when needed.
Receipts
Can I edit the item's receipts?
Yes, you can edit receipts of the items that aren't posted, exported, or the corresponding bill isn't yet posted or exported, depending on your accounting software. To do this, enable the Edit receipt permission in Settings > Permissions. For more information on how to enable the permission and edit receipts, see Set permissions for an employee or technician role and Manage receipts.
Can I cancel the item's receipt?
Yes, you can cancel receipts of the items that aren't posted, exported, or the corresponding bill isn't posted or exported, depending on your accounting software. To do this, enable the Cancel receipt permission in Settings > Permissions. For more information on how to enable the permission and manage receipts, see Set permissions for an employee or technician role and Manage receipts.
Returns
How can I return an item to my vendor?
Create a return that is a document for your vendor when you return an item and enable the Create return permission in Settings > Permissions. For more information on how to enable the permission, see Set permissions for an employee or technician role.
Can I edit returns?
Yes, you can edit returns for items that aren't posted or have been purchased in the last six months. To do this, enable the Edit return permission in Settings > Permissions. For more information on how to enable the permission, see Set permissions for an employee or technician role.
Can I cancel returns?
Yes, you can cancel a return if you decide to keep the item and haven't yet sent the return merchandise authorization form to the vendor. To do this, enable the Cancel return permission in Settings > Permissions. For more information on how to enable the permission, see Set permissions for an employee or technician role.
Why is my return showing as uncategorized in the project's Budget vs Actual table?
If your returns are appearing as Uncategorized in the Budgeted vs Actuals table even when the correct project label is applied it is because your returns are not linked to a Purchase Order (PO).
To include returns when you're tracking costing for a project, make sure to associate a PO on a return within the project dashboard. The PO's project label is taken into account when calculating costing and your return will not be considered Uncategorized.
Pricebook
Why don't all of my vendors show up in the Pricebook?
Vendor lists in Pricebook will include truck replenishment vendors only. If the Truck Replenishment Vendor option is not selected in Settings > Vendors, you will not see the vendor in Pricebook. This means the vendor will not be used for truck replenishment POs.
What happened to the previous materials Cost field?
When you click the material item, notice that the main Cost field is no longer available. This is because you should now enter a separate cost for each of your vendors. The cost previously entered in your Pricebook will automatically appear next to Default Replenishment Vendor.
How can I update invoice costs when vendor bill prices differ from the Pricebook without inventory enabled?
For accurate invoice margin reporting: Add the items to the invoice first, then generate a PO using the Copy Invoice Items button. When the PO is received and the bill is created, the original invoice costs will be zeroed out so the final cost comes directly from the bill.
For updating the Pricebook: Disable the Automatically create bill when PO is received option in Settings > Inventory or Purchasing > Configuration. Then, manually create the bill. This gives you the option to adjust item costs and update the Pricebook.
Inventory GL account
Why is my inventory journal entry going to the wrong GL account?
Journal entries use the account that was set when the transaction was created. If it's posting to the default account, check if the item's GL account was updated after the journal entry was made. Changes won't apply to existing entries.