Quick Orders (QO)

A Quick Order is a simplified procurement document that bypasses the standard MR → RFQ/RFP workflow. It can be created for either materials or subcontractor services, and later converted to a full Purchase Order (PO) or Work Order (WO) respectively.

What is a Quick Order?

A Quick Order (QO) bypasses the Material Requisition and RFQ/RFP stages entirely. It allows procurement teams to create an order directly when the vendor and pricing are already known, or when urgency demands a faster process. Unlike a standard PO that must originate from an approved MR and a competitive vendor offer, a Quick Order can be raised independently for either of two order types:

• Material Order (order_type = 'M') — For procuring physical materials. The QO references items from the Material Master and can be converted to a full Purchase Order.
• Service / Subcontractor Order (order_type = 'S') — For procuring subcontractor work or services. The QO references work items from the job’s scope/BOQ and can be converted to a full Work Order.

Order Types

The order_type field on the QO header determines the nature of the order and controls which line-item fields are available, which conversion path is used, and how downstream documents are generated.

Characteristics: QO vs. Standard PO

Status Lifecycle

A Quick Order progresses through the following statuses from creation to completion:

QO Header Fields

The QO header captures overall order information. All header fields are stored in the omni_quick_order_header table (45 columns).

Order-Level Amount Fields

These fields summarize the QO’s financial totals and are computed from line items:

QO Line Items (Detail)

Each Quick Order contains one or more line items representing individual materials or work items being ordered. Line items are stored in the omni_quick_order_detail table (24 columns).

Creating a Quick Order

Quick Order creation follows two distinct paths depending on the order type. Both paths start from the same screen but diverge at line-item entry.

Path 1: Material Quick Order (order_type = ‘M’)

1. Navigate to Quick Orders — Go to Procurement → Quick Orders and click New Quick Order. Select Material as the order type.
2. Select the Job — Choose the job/project this order is for. The job determines the budget being tracked and the job currency for exchange rate calculation.
3. Select the Vendor — Choose the material supplier from the Vendor Directory. The vendor must already be registered in the system.
4. Set Currency and Dates — Confirm the order currency (defaults to the vendor’s trading currency). If the order currency differs from the job currency, enter the exchange rate. Set expected ready, ship, and arrival dates if known.
5. Add Material Line Items — Select materials from the Material Master. For each line, enter:
   • Quantity and UOM (unit of measure)
   • Basic rate (unit price)
   • Discount percentage (if applicable)
   • Tax 1 and Tax 2 components (from the tax master)
   • FOC quantity (free of charge units, if any)
   • Item notes for special delivery or quality instructions
6. Add Order-Level Charges — Enter any order-level tax, discount, freight, and other charges. These apply to the entire order on top of line-item totals.
7. Specify Payment Terms — Add payment milestones (e.g., 30% advance, 70% on delivery). See Payment Terms.
8. Add Terms & Conditions — Select from pre-configured templates or enter custom T&Cs. See Terms & Conditions.
9. Attach Documents — Optionally attach specifications, drawings, or vendor correspondence.
10. Save and Submit for Approval — Save the QO (status: Draft), review all details, then click Approve to send it through the configured approval workflow.

Path 2: Service / Subcontractor Quick Order (order_type = ‘S’)

1. Navigate to Quick Orders — Go to Procurement → Quick Orders and click New Quick Order. Select Service as the order type.
2. Select the Job — Choose the job/project. For service orders, the job’s scope and BOQ work items become available for selection in line items.
3. Select the Subcontractor — Choose the subcontractor from the Vendor Directory. The vendor must be registered with a subcontractor classification.
4. Set Currency and Dates — Set the order currency and exchange rate. For service orders, the expected arrival date typically serves as the target completion date for the work.
5. Add Work Item Line Items — Select work items from the job’s scope/BOQ using the job_work_item_id reference. For each line, enter:
   • Quantity and UOM (e.g., Sqm, Cum, Rmt, LS)
   • Basic rate (rate per unit of work)
   • Discount and tax components
   • Item notes for scope clarifications or measurement instructions
6. Add Order-Level Charges and Terms — Same as material orders: freight, other charges, payment terms, and T&Cs.
7. Save and Submit for Approval — Save as Draft, then submit for approval.

Approval Workflow

Quick Orders follow the same approval workflow as standard POs and WOs. Approval is triggered by calling omni_sp_scm_ApproveQuickOrder.

Approval Process

1. User creates the QO and saves it in Draft status.
2. User clicks Approve to submit the QO into the approval pipeline.
3. The system routes the QO to the appropriate approver(s) based on the configured hierarchy:
   • Value-Based — Different approvers based on order amount thresholds
   • Category-Based — Specialized approvers for specific material categories or work types
   • Multi-Level Sequential — QO passes through multiple levels in sequence
4. Each approver can approve (advances to next level or final approval) or reject (returns to Draft for revision).
5. On final approval, the QO status changes to Approved and the approved_by and approved_on fields are populated.

What Happens on Approval

• QO status changes from Draft to Approved
• The approving user and approval timestamp are recorded (approved_by, approved_on)
• The QO header and line items become read-only (no further edits without amendment)
• The QO becomes eligible for conversion to PO/WO, bill generation, and cloning
• Notification alerts are sent to relevant stakeholders (if configured)

Conversion: QO to PO or WO

The primary purpose of a Quick Order is to serve as a fast-track entry point that is later converted to a full procurement document. The conversion path depends on the order_type.

Converting to Purchase Order (Material Orders)

For material Quick Orders (order_type = 'M'), the conversion creates a full Purchase Order using the stored procedure omni_sp_scm_ConvertQOToPO.

1. Ensure the QO is Approved — Only approved Quick Orders can be converted. The QO must be in Approved status.
2. Click “Convert to PO” — From the QO row actions, select Convert to PO. The system calls omni_sp_scm_ConvertQOToPO.
3. System copies all data — The conversion copies all header fields (vendor, job, currency, dates, billing address, notes) and all line items (materials, quantities, rates, taxes, discounts, FOC) to the new PO record in omni_purchase_order_header / omni_purchase_order_detail.
4. QO is marked as converted — The original QO’s converted_to_po_id field is populated with the new PO’s ID. The QO status changes to Converted.
5. Continue with standard PO workflow — The newly created PO follows the standard PO lifecycle: approval (if required again), MRN receiving, vendor billing, and payment.

Converting to Work Order (Service Orders)

For service Quick Orders (order_type = 'S'), the conversion creates a full Work Order.

1. Ensure the QO is Approved — The QO must be in Approved status.
2. Click “Convert to WO” — From the QO row actions, select Convert to WO.
3. System copies all data — Header fields (subcontractor, job, currency, terms) and line items (work items with job_work_item_id, quantities, rates, taxes) are copied to the new WO record.
4. QO is marked as converted — The converted_to_wo_id field is populated with the new WO’s ID. Status changes to Converted.
5. Continue with standard WO workflow — The new WO follows the standard subcontractor workflow: measurement recording, running bill generation, and payment processing.

Bill Generation

Quick Orders support direct bill generation without first converting to a full PO/WO. This is handled by the stored procedure omni_sp_scm_MakeBillFromQuickOrder.

How It Works

1. From an Approved Quick Order, select Generate Bill from the row actions.
2. The system creates a vendor bill record and links it to the QO via the running_bill_id field on the QO header.
3. The bill captures the total delivered value against the Quick Order line items.
4. The generated bill becomes available for processing in Accounts Payable.
5. Payment can then be scheduled and processed through the standard payment workflow.

Clone Feature

The clone feature creates a copy of an existing Quick Order, saving time when placing repeat or similar orders. Cloning is handled by the stored procedure omni_sp_scm_CloneQuickOrder.

What Gets Cloned

• Header data — Job, vendor, order type, currency, exchange rate, billing address, and description are copied to the new QO.
• Line items — All materials or work items, quantities, rates, taxes, discounts, and FOC quantities are duplicated.
• Terms — Payment terms and terms & conditions are carried over.

What Is NOT Cloned

• QO Code — A new auto-generated code is assigned.
• QO Date — Set to the current date.
• Status — The cloned QO starts in Draft status regardless of the source QO’s status.
• Approval data — approved_by and approved_on are cleared.
• Conversion links — converted_to_po_id and converted_to_wo_id are not copied.
• Running bill — running_bill_id is not copied.

Payment Terms

Payment terms define when and how the vendor or subcontractor will be paid. Each QO can have one or more payment milestones stored in the omni_quick_order_paymentterms table.

Terms & Conditions

QOs include standard and custom terms & conditions stored in the omni_quick_order_termsandconditions table.

• Template-based — Select from pre-configured T&C templates defined in the master settings. Each template has a term ID and default text.
• Customizable — The terms text can be edited per QO to add special conditions, modify default clauses, or remove inapplicable terms.
• Printed on document — All T&Cs are included in the QO report document sent to the vendor or subcontractor.
• Carried forward — When a QO is converted to a full PO/WO, the T&Cs are copied to the new document.

Common T&C categories include:

• Delivery schedule and penalties for late delivery / completion
• Quality inspection and acceptance criteria
• Warranty and guarantee terms
• Liquidated damages for non-performance
• Insurance and liability clauses
• Safety and compliance requirements (for subcontractor work)
• Retention and defect liability period
• Dispute resolution and jurisdiction

Tax Items

In addition to line-level and order-level taxes, Quick Orders support additional tax configurations stored in the omni_quick_order_taxes table. This allows for:

• Multiple tax components beyond the dual Tax 1 / Tax 2 on each line item
• Special levies such as education cess, environmental surcharge, or industry-specific taxes
• Withholding tax (TDS) configurations that affect the net payable amount
• Tax exemptions for specific materials or services that qualify for reduced or zero-rated tax treatment

Tax configurations on the QO are carried forward to the converted PO/WO and are reflected in the generated vendor bills.

Multi-Currency Support

Quick Orders support multi-currency ordering, which is critical for international procurement and cross-border subcontracting:

• Order Currency (po_currency) — The currency in which the vendor or subcontractor is paid. Set at the QO header level.
• Job Currency (job_currency) — The base currency of the job/project. Used for budget tracking and cost reporting.
• Exchange Rate (job_ccy_exchange_rate) — The conversion rate from QO currency to job currency. Set at the time of QO creation.

Cancellation and Deletion

Cancellation

A Quick Order can be cancelled using omni_sp_scm_CancelQuickOrder. Cancellation sets the is_cancelled flag to 1 and records the cancellation details.

• Draft QOs — Can be cancelled at any time without restriction.
• Approved QOs — Can be cancelled if they have not yet been converted or had a bill generated against them.
• Converted QOs — Cannot be cancelled — the resulting PO/WO must be cancelled instead.

Deletion

A Quick Order can be permanently deleted using omni_sp_scm_DeleteQuickOrder. Deletion is only available for Draft QOs that have not been submitted for approval. Once a QO has been approved, converted, or had any downstream activity, it cannot be deleted — use cancellation instead to maintain the audit trail.

When to Use Quick Orders

Quick Orders are appropriate in the following situations:

• Urgent procurement — When material is needed immediately and the full MR → RFQ cycle would cause unacceptable delays to project execution
• Urgent subcontracting — When a subcontractor must be engaged quickly and the WR → RFP cycle is not practical
• Established vendor relationships — When the vendor and pricing are already agreed through rate contracts or long-standing relationships, making the RFQ/RFP process redundant
• No budget pre-allocation required — When procurement can proceed without a pre-approved material or subcontractor budget (typically for administrative, overhead, or emergency supplies)
• Repeat orders — When placing follow-up orders with the same vendor at previously agreed rates. Use the Clone feature to speed up creation.
• Small-value purchases — When the procurement value does not justify the overhead of the full MR → RFQ → PO cycle
• Spot subcontracting — When engaging a subcontractor for a one-off task or small scope of work that does not warrant the full work requisition process

Quick Order vs. Standard PO vs. Cash Purchase

JobNext offers three procurement paths at different levels of formality. Choose the appropriate one based on the situation:

Related Database Objects

The following stored procedures and tables support the Quick Order lifecycle:

Best Practices

• Set the correct order type at creation — The order type (M or S) cannot be changed after creation. It determines the line-item fields, conversion path, and downstream workflow.
• Always include a clear description — The po_desc field should clearly state the purpose of the order (e.g., “URGENT: Reinforcement Steel for Basement Level 2”). This helps approvers make informed decisions and aids in future searches.
• Use the clone feature for repeat orders — Rather than creating new QOs from scratch, clone an existing one and adjust quantities and rates. This saves time and reduces data entry errors.
• Convert rather than bill directly when possible — Converting to a full PO/WO provides better downstream tracking (MRN receiving, delivery tracking, detailed billing) compared to direct bill generation.
• Do not over-rely on Quick Orders — The standard MR → RFQ → PO workflow exists for good reason: it ensures competitive bidding, budget control, and proper vendor evaluation. Reserve Quick Orders for genuinely expedited needs.
• Track QO-to-standard-PO ratios — Management should monitor the proportion of procurement going through Quick Orders vs. the standard process. A high ratio may indicate process inefficiencies or workarounds.
• Verify exchange rates — For multi-currency orders, ensure the exchange rate is current and accurate. Incorrect rates affect budget tracking and cost reporting.
• Complete payment terms and T&Cs — Even though QOs are expedited, do not skip payment terms and terms & conditions. These are contractually important and carry forward to the converted PO/WO.
• Attach supporting documents — Include specifications, drawings, quotation references, or email confirmations that justify the Quick Order. This supports the audit trail and helps approvers.
• Use item notes for special instructions — Delivery instructions, quality requirements, or measurement criteria should be captured at the line-item level using po_item_notes.