--- title: Overview of Purchasing Process description: "  Purchase Request (PR): The process starts with a request for items to be ordered, typically initiated by a department or an employee needing supplies or stock. This will require approval by default." --- [Skip to content](https://support.mosaic-solutions.com/knowledge/overview-of-purchasing-process#main-content) English Show submenu for translations [Contact Customer Support](https://support.mosaic-solutions.com/knowledge/kb-tickets/new?hsLang=en) ![Mosaic Full Logo Blue (Transparent).png\]](https://support.mosaic-solutions.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Mosaic%20Full%20Logo%20Blue%20(Transparent).png?height=31&name=Mosaic%20Full%20Logo%20Blue%20(Transparent).png) - [Contact Client Support](https://support.mosaic-solutions.com/helixpaysupport/contactus) Open main navigation Close main navigation - [Contact Client Support](https://support.mosaic-solutions.com/helixpaysupport/contactus) - English Show submenu for translations - [Contact Customer Support](https://support.mosaic-solutions.com/knowledge/kb-tickets/new) - Go to mosaic-solutions.com Go to mosaic-solutions.com We are here to help. - There are no suggestions because the search field is empty. 1. [Mosaic Solutions Support and Help Center](https://support.mosaic-solutions.com/knowledge?hsLang=en) 2. [Resto iQ Inventory and Purchasing](https://support.mosaic-solutions.com/knowledge/resto-iq-inventory-and-purchasing?hsLang=en) 3. [Resto iQ - Purchasing](https://support.mosaic-solutions.com/knowledge/resto-iq-inventory-and-purchasing?hsLang=en#resto-iq-purchasing) # Overview of Purchasing Process #### Standard Purchasing Process ![](https://support.mosaic-solutions.com/hs-fs/hubfs/image-png-Oct-14-2024-03-17-10-7698-AM.png?width=1224&height=554&name=image-png-Oct-14-2024-03-17-10-7698-AM.png)   **Purchase Request (PR)**: The process starts with a request for items to be ordered, typically initiated by a department or an employee needing supplies or stock. This will require approval by default. If you've experienced an automatic approval of the requests made, it is because the requester's account is also an approver. **Purchase Order (PO)**: Once the request is approved, a Purchase Order (PO) is created, formally specifying the details of the order, including items, quantities, and prices. This is sent to the supplier. **Purchase Receipt**: After the supplier fulfills the order, the items are received, and a Purchase Receipt is generated, confirming the delivery of the ordered items. **Purchase Return**: In case of defective or incorrect items, a Purchase Return process is initiated, where the items are ideally sent back to the supplier for a refund or replacement.     #### Unplanned Purchases (non-standard) Also known as "maverick" or "rogue" purchases, are purchases made outside of the formal procurement process, often urgent or unplanned. They are usually made due to urgent needs, emergencies, or a lack of planning, and can result in higher costs, inconsistent supplier quality, and difficulty in tracking expenses. In some cases, they may also be called **“emergency purchases”** when they are truly critical and time-sensitive, although these are generally more justified compared to maverick spending.   ![](https://support.mosaic-solutions.com/hs-fs/hubfs/image-png-Oct-14-2024-03-17-13-7472-AM.png?width=1224&height=296&name=image-png-Oct-14-2024-03-17-13-7472-AM.png)     #### Requirements before Purchasing 1. Inventory being purchased have already been created in Resto iQ. (Inventory > My Inventory > My Inventory) 2. UOM of inventory items must have already been setup. If the *purchase unit* (UoM) and the *stock unit* are different, the proper conversion must have been setup. (Inventory > My Inventory > **⋮** > Units) 3. Suppliers have been setup. (Purchasing > Suppliers) 4. Assigned purchasers have access to locations under their purview. (Settings > Access Management) 5. Approvers are setup. (Approval Matrix)     #### Brief Overview - Approval Matrix ![](https://support.mosaic-solutions.com/hs-fs/hubfs/image-png-Oct-14-2024-03-17-15-5210-AM.png?width=1226&height=734&name=image-png-Oct-14-2024-03-17-15-5210-AM.png)   1. **Document Type**: Different purchasing documents (e.g., Purchase Order, Purchase Request, Demand, Supply) that require approval. 2. **Value From / Value Up To**: Defines the monetary range for which approval is needed. 3. **Role**: Indicates which roles (e.g., admin, marketing admin, officer) are responsible for approving documents within the specified value range. 4. **Actions**: Provides options to edit or modify the approval workflow for each document type.       #### Assigning Roles   ![](https://support.mosaic-solutions.com/hs-fs/hubfs/image-png-Oct-14-2024-03-17-18-5655-AM.png?width=1224&height=432&name=image-png-Oct-14-2024-03-17-18-5655-AM.png) To utilize the approval matrix properly, roles and users must have been preconfigured already (this is usually completed during the onboarding process by Mosaic Solutions, but additional updates must be made by the user's organization). - 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