How Generate PO Suggestions Works
The process uses planning data available in the ERP to calculate or identify potential replenishment needs. Depending on the implementation, relevant inputs may include inventory balances, demand forecasts, production jobs, material requirements, open purchase orders, scheduled receipts, supplier lead times, and replenishment settings.
When the buyer runs the generation process, the system evaluates the applicable planning rules and produces recommendations for items that may require purchasing action. A component needed for a scheduled production job, for example, may appear as a suggestion when expected demand exceeds the supply available by the required date. Buyers can then inspect the proposed quantity, timing, supplier information, and related demand before deciding what to do next.
Preparing Data Before Generating Suggestions
The usefulness of generated recommendations depends on the quality of the planning data. Before running the process, purchasing and inventory teams should confirm that the records used by their Epicor environment reflect current business conditions.
- Inventory availability: Review on-hand balances, warehouse locations, allocated stock, and recent inventory transactions.
- Existing supply: Confirm open purchase orders, expected receipt dates, and quantities already scheduled to arrive.
- Demand records: Check production requirements, sales demand, forecasts, and other planning inputs relevant to the item.
- Planning parameters: Verify supplier lead times, minimum order quantities, order multiples, safety stock, and applicable planning horizons.
- Supplier and purchasing details: Check approved suppliers, purchasing units, and relevant price or delivery agreements.
These checks help ensure that suggestions reflect genuine requirements rather than stock or supply information that has already changed. Teams should also confirm that the correct site, plant, warehouse, or planning scope is selected where the system offers these controls.
Reviewing Suggestions and Creating Purchase Orders
After generation, buyers should evaluate each recommendation against the business requirement. A suggested quantity may need adjustment when a supplier sells in fixed pack sizes, an order minimum applies, or several demand requirements can be combined into one order. Buyers should also check whether the proposed delivery date aligns with production schedules and operational priorities.
For example, suppose a business requires 120 units of a component, has 45 usable units available, and expects 25 additional units before the requirement date. Assuming no other supply or demand changes, the uncovered requirement is 120 − 45 − 25 = 50 units. A suggestion may therefore indicate a need to purchase 50 units, subject to configured planning rules and supplier ordering constraints.
Once reviewed, eligible suggestions can move through the configured purchasing workflow. Depending on company settings, this may involve selecting a supplier, consolidating lines, confirming dates, obtaining authorization, and generating purchase order documents. Requisition Approval is a related control when an organization requires a purchase request to be authorized before purchasing proceeds.
Integration with Epicor ERP and Finance
Epicor ERP connects operational records across areas such as purchasing, inventory, production, and finance. The available Epicor ERP Modules and their configuration influence which planning data is used and how generated suggestions move into purchasing documents. Understanding the company's setup helps buyers identify where a suggestion originates and which transactions follow it.
Epicor Integration Finance focuses on connecting ERP transaction data with finance workflows and reporting. Purchase orders and subsequent receipts or invoices can support commitments tracking, inventory accounting, expense allocation, and supplier liability management. When extending epicor with additional systems or finance workflows, organizations should maintain consistent item, supplier, company, and accounting data.
Organizations evaluating purchasing workflow tools may also review User-Friendly PO Automation Software for Finance Teams for procurement process design, PO in Sales: Purchase Orders in the Sales Cycle Guide to distinguish sales-side and purchasing documents, and Construction Purchase Order Process: Gov't & Retail PO Flow for examples of sector-specific purchasing controls.
Automation and Best Practices
Teams can supplement Epicor's planning and purchasing workflow with automation for reviewing requirements, routing approvals, and maintaining transaction visibility. Process Specific Capabilities support automation tailored to defined finance and procurement activities, while Ready to Deploy Capabilities can provide pre-trained agents and ERP connectors for supported workflows. The Hyperbots Platform enables company-specific configuration of ERP integrations, roles, workflows, and financial structures.
Self Learning Capabilities can use human feedback to refine supported workflow decisions, while Human in the Loop processes keep employees involved in exceptions and required approvals. In practice, buyers should monitor suggestion quality, investigate recurring quantity or timing adjustments, update planning parameters, and review whether generated orders follow company approval policies. These practices improve purchasing visibility and help align inventory availability with business demand.
Summary
Epicor Generate PO Suggestions helps purchasing teams turn planning and inventory information into proposed replenishment actions. Preparing accurate data, reviewing suggested quantities and dates, validating supplier details, and following approval rules help buyers create purchase orders that reflect actual requirements. Regularly reviewing planning settings and connected finance records supports procurement efficiency, supplier coordination, and better control of purchasing commitments.