13 Best Purchase Order Software For Businesses In 2024

Here we will review and compare the best Purchase Order Software to help you choose the ideal Purchase Order Management System for your business needs:

A purchase Order can be defined as a commercial document that issues an order for goods and services to vendors on behalf of the business. It is basically what kick-starts the procurement process and thus becomes a vital part of the company’s entire sale-purchase mechanism.

So it shouldn’t come as a surprise when it is claimed that the efficient or inefficient management of purchase orders can make or break a deal between businesses and their vendors.

No business can hope to fulfill its ambitions of growth without a smooth-running purchasing system. Extra caution is essential when managers engage in the creation and management of purchase orders. They are also crucial to make sure the PO’s are created without any errors, and thus requests for goods and services are placed and fulfilled on time.

Best Purchase Order Software

Managing purchase orders, or the entire procurement process can prove oddly overwhelming, especially for businesses running on a small scale with inadequate manpower.

This is precisely why Purchase Order Management software today is so popular among business entities of all kinds. They offer an advanced set of features that act as solutions to manage the purchase details of any company with utmost efficiency. They promote digitized management of a company’s purchase system, which is essential to save time and reduce operational costs.

In summary, a purchase order software arms professionals and managers with the tools they need to effectively automate the entire sales-purchase framework. This means a solution that eliminates manual work and gets the job done in just a few clicks on the computer.

In this article, we will look at some of the best purchase order software with their features the market offers today. We’ve curated this list based on our own little experiences operating the tools.

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List of Purchase Order Management Software

Here is the list of popular and free Purchase Order Software:

1. Paramount WorkPlace
2. Xero
3. Zoho Books
4. Katana
5. Precoro
6. Kissflow
7. PurchaseControl
8. O2b Technologies
9. Workflowmax
10. DPO
11. Bellwether
12. SalesAttach
13. Sage Intacct
14. Ecomdash
15. Procurify
16. CloudB2B
17. Airbase

Comparing Best Purchase Order Management Systems

Name	Best For	Ratings	Free Trial	Fees
Paramount WorkPlace	Automated PO processing		Free Demo Available	Contact for Pricing
Xero	Fast tracking of purchase orders and requests		30 days	$6.50/month to $35/month
Zoho Books	Full-service Purchase Order inventory management system.		14 days	Starts at $9/month
Katana	Automate manufacturing processes		14 days	Starts at $129/month
Precoro	Automation and reporting		14 days	Starts at $35/month for 20 users and less
KissFlow	Enhanced Policy Compliance Pertaining to PO processing		Free Demo Available	Starting at $1990/month
PurchaseControl	Purchase Order Software for Small Business		Free Demo Available	Contact for Pricing
O2b Technologies	Single-level and multi-level PO authorization workflows		Free Demo	Contact for pricing
WorkflowMax	Controlled PO Processing		14-day free trial	Starting at $45/month for 3 users.

Let us review the tools in detail below.

#1) Paramount WorkPlace

Best for Automated PO processing.

Paramount WorkPlace is a procurement management solution that makes it easy to create and manage purchase orders. It provides a company’s employees and management with the tools they need to simplify the PO approval process and manage to spend efficiently.

Its modern UI is simple to implement and can be used by employees across the organization at any skill level. Users can route approved requisition requests for PO creation, and detailed audit logs are created automatically.

Paramount Workplace also allows seamless real-time integration with ERP applications like Microsoft Dynamics, Acumatica, Blackbaud, Sage-ERP, Sage Intacct, and Netsuite among many others for an enhanced user experience.

Paramount WorkPlace also features Punchout Capabilities that acts as an alternative to maintain information pertaining to guided buying catalog with large or rapidly changing catalogs. This helps organizations reduce time spent on maintenance or catalogs. Thus, Punchout Capabilities can expedite the ordering process; lower procurement costs, and allows organizations to have more control over their purchases.

It also simplifies the PO process for vendors as they can directly send their invoices electronically through the self-service portal without a hassle. Furthermore, users can easily manage quotes from multiple vendors and select the one that is the best fit.

Features:

• Automated PO creation
• Allow vendors to submit invoices electronically
• Promote management of quotes from multiple vendors simultaneously
• Unlimited approval and Routing Rules
• Spend control
• Seamless real-time Out-Of-The-Box ERP integrations
• Catalog and Punchout Capabilities

Verdict: Paramount WorkPlace earns its place on this list because of its ability to simplify the PO process for both the business and its vendors. It is very easy to set up and extremely simple to use. We highly recommend this tool if you seek to cut your PO processing costs by almost half.

Free Demo Available

Price: Contact for pricing

#2) Xero

Best for fast-tracking of purchase orders and requests.

In hindsight, Xero may be popular as an accounting and bookkeeping software. It does however provide a very robust purchase management solution as well.

You can easily keep track of all the purchase orders you create and push through the progression chain to ensure your ordering is correct every time. The creation of PO’s here is also very simple, with the ability to customize your own layouts with countless templates, fonts, logos, and other items.

You can also easily select items from an inventory list and add them to the purchase order instantly. Moreover, the approved PO’s can be emailed as PDF from within Xero itself.

Features:

• Customize PO’s with multiple templates and fonts.
• Track PO throughout the process
• Clean and modern UI
• Convert PO’s into invoices instantly

Verdict: Xero is a great tool to create, manage and track your company’s purchase orders across all its departments. However, it is also a great tool that delivers a number of other management services as well, especially accounting and bookkeeping. It is extremely affordable and simple to use.

Price: Free Plan, rates starting at $5.50 per month for Basic. $16/month for Growing Plan, $31/month for Established Plan.

#3) Zoho Books

Best for full-service Purchase Order inventory management system.

When it comes to management software, Zoho Books has always been at the forefront to provide solutions tailor-made for growing businesses. So it shouldn’t come as a surprise that it also offers quite a spectacular service with its PO management solution as well.

It offers a tool that simplifies the purchase order creation process. You can effortlessly manage POs, convert purchases into bills in a few clicks, and keep records of sales in a secure repository accessed only by authorized personnel.

You can easily track any item ordered, ensure there are no errors or discrepancies in what was ordered and what was delivered, and get accurate insights into your PO’s.

Features:

• Fast and simple PO processing
• Track purchase orders
• Instantly convert PO’s into bills
• Customize PO’s with font, color, and logo

Verdict: Zoho Books eliminates any complication that may arise in the creation and management of PO’s, thanks to its smart features and impressive UI. Its infectious simplicity in tracking and conversion of PO’s makes it ideal for small businesses with limited resources.

Price: $9/month for the Basic plan, $19/month for the Standard plan, and $29/month for the Professional plan.

#4) Katana

Best for Automate manufacturing processes.

Katana is a software that considerably automates processes associated with procurement. It arms users with features that ensure orders are placed on time and company guidelines are followed. The tool considerably reduces the time that would’ve otherwise been spent on frustrating paperwork. Katana also helps you track business spend in multiple efficient ways.

Other tasks associated with purchase order that Katana automates entail generating purchase orders, invoice processing, delivery tracking, and spend control. The tool ensure on-time purchasing based on clear material requirements. Katana also offers seamless integration with accounting software like Xero for more accurate PO costing.

Features:

• Enhanced Vendor Management
• Set up audit trails and optimized budget tracking
• Seamless integration with accounting solutions
• Customizable invoice templates

Verdict: Katana is an interest ERP solution for purchase order management. It can considerably automate the purchasing process while granting you complete visibility over all your purchase orders. You want to ensure accurate costing for purchase orders, then Katana is definitely a contender here that you should check out.

Price: Katana offers a flexible pricing structure. They are as follows:

• Essential: $129/month
• Advanced: $349/month
• Professional: $799/month
• A custom enterprise plan is also available.

A 14 day free trial is also offered.

#5) Precoro

Best for Automation and reporting.

Precoro can help you instantly generate purchase orders and automate approval workflows to make sure no time is wasted in procuring a valuable item. The software presents users with one collaborative space where they can store all their purchase orders, invoices, and other documents related to payments.

The software keeps track of all your purchasing activity. The documents are routed to the right decision makers automatically to ensure fast approval. The authorized individual will have the ability to revise, reject, or send the PO back for re-approval. The software also centralizes key information about your suppliers, vendors, equipment, etc.

Features:

• Real-time order tracking
• Set policies for precise PO approval routing
• Quick supplier onboarding
• Control inventory over location and department

Verdict: From raising PO requests to in-depth reporting, Precoro is a powerful cloud-based procurement solution that can automate the entire purchasing process. It can considerably streamline the approval process and centralize key information pertaining to suppliers, vendors, and purchases for maximized efficiency.

Price: Starts at $35/month for 20 users and less. A 14 day free trial and a free demo are also available.

#6) KissFlow

Best for enhanced Policy Compliance pertaining to PO processing.

KissFlow is quite a phenomenal purchase requisition solution. One of the reasons behind this is its robust PO processing feature. The software provides users with a paperless solution that allows effective execution and management of all PO documentation without any unnecessary printouts.

Users get to use rule-based customizable workflows to ensure the created PO’s comply with established policies. This makes sure there are no errors in their creation. It also provides a very flexible approach to unregistered vendor enrollment.

Management also gets access to real-time actionable insights, which can be used to curb any unnecessary spending and help the company save money on procurement.

Features:

• Attractive UI
• Flexible PO processing
• Enhanced policy compliance
• Real-time spend insights

Verdict: KissFlow’s uniquely intuitive approach to PO processing makes it one of the best purchase order solutions available today. It is incredible for easy PO approvals and convenient vendor management. It is a great tool for mid-sized and large enterprises to manage their purchase system.

Free Demo Available

Price: Starting at $1990/month

#7) Purchase Control

Best for Purchase Order software for small businesses.

Planergy’s Purchase Control provides its clients with a user-friendly PO processing system that is ideal for small businesses. It offers a competent cloud-based PO management system that best suits businesses with a small scale of operation.

The software allows users to create and manage purchase orders and requests, manage spending, process invoices and streamline the entire PO process. It possesses a robust reporting metric that aims to provide managers with the insight they need to improve performance.

Features:

• Create and manage PO’s and purchase requests
• Spend management
• Robust report filtering
• Centralized PO processing

Verdict: Purchase Control seamlessly connects a small business’s whole software environment for an impeccable and smooth PO processing experience. The software focuses on less waste and high productivity for an ultimately efficient procurement process.

Free Demo Available

Price: Contact for pricing.

#8) O2b Technologies

Best for single-level and multi-level PO authorization workflows.

O2b technologies provide purchase management software that considerably simplifies the PO process. It significantly streamlines and automates the creation, management, and tracking of PO’s and purchase requests to make the process seem less chaotic.

It focuses on agile PO creations, which users can execute with a few clicks. Apart from PO processing, the software also allows seamless integration with other useful applications. These integrations enable efficient vendor relationship management, accounting, customer relationship management, and inventory management.

Moreover, the software can undertake single-level and multi-level PO authorization workflows and also offer a very comprehensive audit track mechanism to keep a record of all the approved and rejected PO’s.

Features:

• Multiple application integration
• PO creation and management
• Single and multi-level PO authorization workflow
• Full audit track of approved and rejected PO’s

Verdict: O2b provides a purchase management solution that effectively streamlines and automates the entire PO process. If you seek smooth creation, maintenance, and tracking of purchase orders and requests, then this software will satisfy you.

Free Demo Available

Price: Contact for pricing

#9) WorkflowMax

Best for controlled PO processing.

WorkflowMax is essentially an all-in-one project management software that just so happens to deliver a phenomenal PO processing solution. The software provides companies with a tool that is easy to set up, beautiful to look at, and simple to use.

The tool streamlines and automates the PO process to enable bulk processing of purchase orders, efficient spend management, and error-free input of crucial data. The software integrates seamlessly with Xero to help managers push bills through automatically and reduce the risk of double handling.

The software arms you with the tools needed to track the purchase order and be aware of what the order entails. This ensures there are no end-of-the-month surprises with regards to invoices and due to vendors are cleared on time.

Features:

• Seamless integration with Xero
• Elimination of double handling
• Real-time tracking of PO’s in the processing chain
• Process PO’s in bulk

Verdict: WorkflowMax knocks it out of the park because of its streamlined approach to bulk PO processing. Its smooth integration with Xero to push bills automatically is undoubtedly its biggest selling point. The tool is extremely affordable and very easy to use.

Price: Free 14 day trial, starting at $45/month for 3 users.

#10) DPO

Best for customized approval chain.

DPO, also known as Digital Purchase Order, is purchase management software that lays extra emphasis on simplicity and agility. The result is software that delivers a purchase workflow management experience that offers a whole new level of convenience.

The software allows users to create and manage PO’s from any location they desire. It is also very mobile-friendly, providing a comprehensive user experience on the go. You can easily customize your PO approval workflow and let DPO manage the chain for you automatically.

It is also incredible when tracking purchase orders, requests, and invoices, making sure nothing vital slips out of the cracks. Employees can customize the PO, submit it through mobile or computer devices, and finally, the approver can then instantly approve or reject the document.

Features:

• Customize POs
• Submit and track POs from anywhere
• Customize the approval chain
• Integrate easily with QuickBooks

Verdict: With its uncompromising approach to simplicity and agile PO processing, DPO is ideal for small and mid-sized businesses with limited manpower. Its near-smooth PO processing experience is exalted by a very competent customer support system that always comes through when users find themselves lost.

Free Demo Available

Price: Basic Edition $19/month, Standard Edition $39/month, Executive Edition $79/month.

#11) Bellwether

Best for simplified PO processing for small and mid-sized businesses.

Bellwether is considered to provide one of the finest e-procurement solutions in the industry. One of the reasons it has such high honors is because of its impressive PO processing abilities. The tool is ideal for companies who have to create 50-1000 every month.

It provides two separate plans that cater to small enterprises and large or mid-sized enterprises individually. It focuses on eliminating time wasted on paperwork by digitizing the PO process from start to finish.

Users are allowed to customize their workflows and keep track of PO approvals and rejections in a hassle-free manner. Furthermore, the software is completely web-based.

Features:

• 100% web-based
• Customized workflows
• Control spending
• Role-based access

Verdict: Bellwether excels when it comes to web-based automated software that efficiently handles a company’s PO process. The software is ideal for all businesses, especially small and mid-sized enterprises who struggle to manage their purchase system due to a lack of resources.

Free Demo Available

Price: Contact for pricing

#12) SalesAttach

Best for smart integration with Intuit QuickBooks.

Intuit QuickBooks is one of the most popular accounting software in the world. However, not many know of its incredible integration abilities with other PO processing tools. SalesAttach is a software program that integrates with the QuickBooks accounting system to minimize errors commonly found in data entry pertaining to financial recordings.

The app keeps track of everything to your purchase orders, including details pertaining to vendors, cost of orders, and number of orders placed. The software is also incredibly useful when managing inventory.

The information tracked by SalesAttach can be used to compare different vendor information and get the best deal for your money.

Features:

• Automated PO creation and management
• Intuitive tracking of PO’s
• Modern and sleek UI
• Smooth integration with QuickBooks

Verdict: If you are thinking of saving costs of errors committed during the creation and processing of PO, then SalesAttach is for you. We recommend it if you want a PO processing solution that goes hand-in-hand with your QuickBooks software. If you seek free purchase order software, then this one is for you.

Price: Free plan, pricing starting at $22/month

Other Purchase Order Software

#13) Sage Intacct

Best for large enterprises.

Sage Intacct is leading accounting software that aims to streamline and simplify the procurement process for large enterprises. It emphasizes increased ROI by promoting faster and smarter purchasing. Sage Intacct puts your management in the front seat by giving them a bird’s-eye view of the company’s entire purchase management process.

Price: Contact for pricing

#14) Ecomdash

Best for small businesses

Ecomdash essentially provides a purchase order management solution best suited for small eCommerce firms. It emphasizes the simplification of a company’s multichannel inventory management, order fulfillment, and vendor relationship management. As for the creation of purchase orders, it is fast, simple and promotes easy tracking of the entire PO process chain.

Price: Free plan, $25/month

#15) Procurify

Best for small and mid-sized businesses.

Procurify is a cloud-based procurement solution that emphasizes easy remote access to employees for convenient PO processing. It helps in controlling spending, streamlining PO approvals, tracking purchases, and delivering valuable insights pertaining to the ongoing purchasing system. It also allows you to manage multiple vendors from one system.

Price: Contact for pricing

#16) CloudB2B

Best for being customised to individual business’s requirements.

Cloud B2B has a range of UK developed, purchase order solutions. From  an ‘off the shelf’ simple PO system to full customised Purchase Order and Supplier Invoice versions, that can use Azure Ai powered recognition techniques for automating invoice administration.

The modern UI interface is user friendly and can be accessed on a wide variety of devices, and has important facilities such as supplier price list import to make ordering the correct items a ‘breeze’.

As important in the main solutions  is  the budget control mechanism, ensuring overspends are a thing of the past. These can be set by company level, department level and even project level to suit any company structure.

Each user can have an opening dashboard when they log in that features those items relevant to their role in the organisation.

Bearing in mind the system is cloud based and transactional (for instant updates) users will have access to all items that their role allows 24 x 7. This means that using the powerful customised reporting suite, full visibility as to the status of any purchase is avaiable.

The systems also have the ability to associate documents with PO’s, both internally (such as quotations) and documents that can be sent with approved PO’s to the supplier that form part of the contract of supply.

With a fully customised workflow approval process (incl. reject and cancel options) the system ensures every purchase is scrutanised by the right levels of staff (e.g. by value) before being sent via e.mail to the supplier.

And all systems work on a concurrency licence basis, so no need for every registered user to have a seat licence, making the cost more attractive to companies.

The full POPIA versions (that include the supplier invoice module) allow reconciled and approved supplier invoices to be exported as a CSV file that can be imported with ease into any modern accounts system including SAGE, Quick Books and Xero (for which we have a direct API link)

Features:

• Ease of use for all levels of staff
• Customised workflows, reports and opening dashboards
• Goods receipting function that will automatically close open PO’s
• Customised approval workflows
• Multi level budget controls
• Customised reports
• Correct allocation of nominal codes for purchases or invoices
• Customised export of data for input to any modern accounts system
• Full admin controls for adding and changing user roles

Verdict: CloudB2B is listed for being a UK developed and supported range of powerful, yet inexpensive solutions, that provide a comprehensive set of features and functions, whilst being intuitive for users. Most important is their ability to provide each system set up to meet each client’s business model.

Free remote demos via Teams (recorded & shared) available.

Price: Contact for pricing

#17) Airbase

Best for Advanced PO system for 2-way and 3-Way Matching support.

Airbase is a spend management tool that also provides its users with a complete Purchase Order Management solution. It supports both 2-way and 3-way matching. Airbase primarily makes it to our list because of its automating capabilities. Every PO request sent is automatically routed to the relevant approver.

You can easily attach an invoice to a transaction file, after which the software’s in-built OCR will capture the transaction details to create a bill. The software facilitates easy retrieval of all documents as all contracts and information pertaining to transactions are filed together. Furthermore, Airbase also helps track open PO requests.

Features:

• 2-way and 3-way matching
• Track open PO requests
• Automated PO request routing
• Real-time reporting

Verdict: Airbase is a great spend management and accounts payable solution that supports 2-way and 3-way matching. If you are looking for an automated PO request management tool, then you’ll find a lot to admire in this software.

Price: Contact for Quote

Frequently Asked Questions

Conclusion

A business cannot hope to thrive if its procurement system is ineffective and in constant disarray. This is why competent purchase order management software that automates the entire process across the organization is so fundamental.

A great PO management software will help in the error-free creation of PO’s, efficient tracking of purchases, improved relationship with vendors, and timely fulfillment of orders.

As for our recommendation, if you are looking for an affordable, easy-to-use PO automation software, then look no further than Paramount WorkPlace. Small businesses with extremely limited resources, on the other hand, can employ the services of Planergy’s Purchase Control for a quick fix of their PO process.

Research Process:

• We spent 15 hours researching and writing this article so you can have summarized and insightful information on what Purchase Order software will best suit you.
• Total Purchase Order software researched – 29
• Total Purchase Order software shortlisted – 13