Overview
The customer needs the ability to select understocked parts based on Manufacturer, even when those parts have never been linked to a Vendor, then choose which Vendor to create the PO with. Since a single PO cannot contain multiple vendors, the request focuses on improving part selection flexibility prior to vendor assignment.
Current Limitations
• Understock POs can only be generated based on assigned Vendors.
• Parts without a manually assigned Vendor or prior Purchase history are excluded.
• Users cannot filter or group understocked parts by Manufacturer.
• Vendor assignment must exist before parts can be ordered through the automation tool.
General Example
A company tracks parts by Manufacturer but may source them from different vendors depending on availability or pricing. When parts fall below minimum stock and have no vendor history, they cannot be included in the “Order Understocked Parts” workflow. The user must manually edit each part to assign a Vendor before ordering, creating unnecessary administrative steps.
Requested Enhancements
- Allow filtering of understocked parts by Manufacturer (or other custom fields), regardless of Vendor assignment.
- Enable bulk selection of understocked parts tied to a specific Manufacturer.
- Allow users to select a Vendor at the time of PO creation, even if no Preferred Vendor is preassigned.
- Provide an optional step to assign the selected Vendor to those parts for future ordering automation.
Business Value
• Reduces manual setup for parts without vendor history.
• Increases procurement flexibility while preserving the one-vendor-per-PO rule.
• Aligns ordering workflows with manufacturer-based inventory tracking.
• Saves time and improves efficiency in understock replenishment processes.
