A Work Order records a commitment to purchase services from a supplier. Use it to track service delivery, create service receipt notes, and convert completed services into purchase invoices. Work orders accept service items only and do not post to accounts or inventory by themselves.
The Work Orders list shows all service purchase orders with supplier, date, amount, and status. Use quick filters to view Default, Approved, Draft, Cancelled, Received, Partial Received, Returned, Closed, or Multi Level Approval work orders. From the list you can create new work orders, open existing ones, edit drafts, or delete draft work orders.
List ViewList row actions
| **Action** | **Available when status is** |
|------------|------------------------------|
| Edit | Draft, For Revisal |
| Delete | Draft, For Revisal |
| View | All statuses |
Service items only
Work orders accept service item types only. Inventory items cannot be added to a work order. Use a Purchase Order for goods purchases.
Quick Start — Create a Work Order
1. Navigate
Go to Purchase → Work Order from the left menu.
2. Create new work order
Click New to open the work order entry screen. You can also create a work order from an approved Purchase Quotation using Create Work Order.
3. Fill in details
Select Form Type and enter the Order Number.
Choose the Supplier and add service item lines with Qty, Unit, and Rate.
Set Delivery Due Date and review totals, taxes, and discounts.
4. Save
save — keeps the work order as a Draft.
Save And Approve — approves the work order in one step.
Cancel — closes the form without saving.
5. Complete the service
Approve the work order.
Use Create Service Receipt Note to record services delivered — see Service Receipt Note.
Use Create Invoice to bill the supplier from service receipts.
Header Fields Reference
| **Field** | **Description** |
|-----------|-----------------|
| Date * | Date of the work order. |
| Form Type | Purchase type that controls numbering, tax rules, and print layout. Required when purchase types are enabled. |
| Order Number * | Unique work order reference. Auto-generated when numbering is configured on the purchase type. |
| Delivery Due Date | Expected completion date for the service. |
| Prepared By | Employee who prepared the work order. Shown when enabled in Purchase Settings. |
| Employee In charge | Purchase employee responsible for this work order. |
| Supplier * | Supplier performing the service. |
| Contact person | Supplier contact. Enabled after a supplier is selected. |
| Reference name | Optional reference label. Shown when Show field for reference name is enabled in Purchase Settings. |
| Supplier Billing Address | Auto-filled from the supplier. Read-only. |
| Supplier Shipping Address | Auto-filled from the supplier. Read-only. |
| Branch | Branch for the transaction. Shown when multi-branch is enabled. |
| Brand | Brand for brand-wise profit tracking. Shown when enabled. |
| Shipping Center | Service or billing center. |
| Billing center * | Billing center for the transaction. |
| Payment Term | Supplier payment terms. |
| Project | Optional project link. |
| Project Task | Task within the selected project. Enabled after a project is selected. |
| Currency / Currency Exchange Rate | Shown when multi-currency is enabled. |
| Payment Terms | Custom payment terms text. Shown when due-date option is set to custom. |
| Notes | Remarks printed on the work order. |
| Internal Notes | Internal remarks not shown on print. |
> Many optional header and line fields are controlled by Purchase Settings (additional item line fields, discounts, charges, bill layout).
Item Lines — ITEMS
| **Column** | **Description** |
|------------|-----------------|
| Sl.No | Line serial number. |
| Item | Service item being ordered. Required. Only service item types are allowed. |
| Item code, Variant, Description, HSN, Brand | Optional columns enabled in Purchase Settings. |
| Qty | Quantity of service. Required. |
| Unit | Unit of measure. Required. |
| Rate | Price per unit. Required. |
| Amount, Trade Discount, discounts, Taxable Amount, Taxes, Tax Amount, Total | Calculated based on tax and discount settings. |
Actions & Status
View toolbar actions
| **Action** | **Description** | **Available when status is** |
|------------|-----------------|------------------------------|
| Approve | Finalizes the work order. | Draft |
| Edit | Opens the work order for editing. | Draft, For Revisal |
| Delete | Permanently removes the work order. | Draft, For Revisal |
| Clone | Creates a copy of the work order. | All (if permitted) |
| Print | Prints the work order. | All |
| Export | Exports the work order to Excel. | All |
More menu (⋮) actions
| **Action** | **Description** | **Available when status is** |
|------------|-----------------|------------------------------|
| Create Service Receipt Note | Opens a Service Receipt Note pre-filled from this work order. | Approved, Partial Received, Returned, Received |
| Create Invoice | Opens a new Purchase Invoice from service receipts. | Received, Partial Received |
| Payment Out | Records a supplier payment against the work order. | Approved, Partial Received, Returned, Received |
| Cancel | Cancels the work order. | Approved, Partial Received, Returned, Received |
| Revise Work order | Creates a revised work order from a cancelled order. | Cancelled |
| Add/Update Note | Adds or edits an internal note on the work order. | All |
| Update Secondary Status | Updates a custom secondary status. | Approved, Closed, Returned, Received, Partial Received |
| Master Update | Updates selected header fields without reopening the full form. See Master Update. | Approved, Closed, Returned, Received, Partial Received |
| Mark As Received | Manually marks the work order as fully received. | Partial Received |
| Mark As Closed | Manually closes the work order. | Received, Partial Received |
| Undo Close | Reverts a manual close. | Closed (only when manually closed) |
| Export Items | Exports item lines to Excel. | All |
Statuses
| **Status** | **Description** |
|------------|-----------------|
| Draft | Saved but not yet approved. Can be edited or deleted. |
| For Revisal | Sent back for changes. Treated like Draft for edit and delete. |
| Approved | Finalized. Ready for service receipt and invoicing. |
| Partial Received | Some service quantities have been received. |
| Received | All ordered services have been received. |
| Returned | Services have been returned or reversed against this work order. |
| Closed | Work order is closed — typically after invoicing or manual close. |
| Cancelled | Work order has been cancelled. Use Revise Work order to create a replacement. |
| Multi Level Approval | Awaiting multi-level approval workflow. |
Posting note: Work Orders do not post to accounts or inventory. Ledger and service completion entries are created when you approve Service Receipt Notes and Purchase Invoices linked to the work order.
Master Update
Master Update lets you change selected header fields on an approved or in-progress work order without editing the full document or item lines. Open the three-dot menu on the work order and select Master Update.
| **Field** | **Can be updated?** | **Notes** |
|-----------|---------------------|-----------|
| Date * | Yes | Cannot be set before the accounts closing date. |
| Employee In charge | Yes | |
| Payment Term | Yes | |
| Delivery Due Date | Yes | Expected service completion date. |
| Branch | Yes | Shown when multi-branch is enabled. |
| Brand | Yes | Shown when brand-wise tracking is enabled. |
| Project | Yes | |
| Supplier, centers, item lines, totals | No | Edit the full work order (Draft / For Revisal) or cancel and revise. |
Click Confirm to save changes or Cancel to close without saving.
View Tabs & Side Panels
When you open a work order in full view (not in a small modal), the right side shows tabbed panels. Click the expand icon on a tab to open the same data in a larger modal.
Top panel
| **Tab** | **What it shows** |
|---------|-------------------|
| Summary | Linked documents created from this work order — service receipt notes, purchase invoices, payment vouchers, and related follow-up transactions. See Purchase Transaction Summary. |
| Supplier Info. | Quick supplier stats: recent purchases, outstanding balance, and activity for the supplier on this work order. See Supplier Summary. |
Middle panel
| **Tab** | **What it shows** |
|---------|-------------------|
| Payments | Payment vouchers recorded against this work order. Shown when Payment on Order is enabled in transaction preferences. |
Bottom panel (all transactions)
| **Tab** | **What it shows** |
|---------|-------------------|
| History | Activity log — who created, approved, edited, or cancelled the work order and when. |
| Attachments | Files uploaded to this work order. |
Best Practices
Use work orders for service purchases only — use Purchase Orders for inventory goods.
Approve the work order before creating service receipt notes so service lines and rates carry forward.
Create Service Receipt Notes as services are completed, then invoice from receipts for accurate billing.
Set Delivery Due Date to track expected service completion.
Use Mark As Closed when a work order is fully processed but still shows as Received or Partial Received.
Why can't I add an inventory item to a work order?
Work orders accept service item types only. Add inventory items on a Purchase Order instead.
Can I edit an approved work order?
No. Use Master Update for allowed header fields, or Cancel and Revise Work order to create a new version.
When can I create a purchase invoice from a work order?
Use Create Invoice when the work order status is Received or Partial Received, after service receipts have been recorded.
Does approving a work order affect stock or accounts?
No. Posting happens on Service Receipt Notes and Purchase Invoices — not on the work order itself.
What is the difference between a Work Order and a Purchase Order?
Work Orders are for services (repairs, maintenance, consulting). Purchase Orders are for goods and support receipt notes, subcontracting, and inventory tracking.
Why is Approve hidden on my work order?
When multi-level approval is configured on the purchase type, approval follows the approval workflow instead of the direct Approve button.
What happens to the linked quotation when I approve a work order?
If the work order was created from a Purchase Quotation, approving the work order closes that quotation — same as for purchase orders.
Why can't I cancel my work order?
Cancel is blocked while payments exist on the work order. Cancel those payments first.
Does a work order handle subcontracting (issuing raw materials and receiving finished goods)?
No. Work orders track services only, through Service Receipt Notes. Subcontracting flows that issue raw materials and receive finished goods are handled on a Purchase Order.
Can a purchase invoice link to a work order instead of a purchase order?
Yes. Service invoices can reference a Work Order rather than a Purchase Order. The work order must be approved and belong to the same supplier.
Which header fields can I change with Master Update?
Date, Employee In charge, Branch, Brand, Project, Due Date, and payment/delivery terms. Service lines and quantities cannot be changed through Master Update.
Related Topics & Videos
Related documentation
Purchase Quotation — compare supplier offers and convert to a work order.
Purchase Order — goods purchases with receipt and inventory tracking.
Purchase Invoice — bill the supplier after services are received.
List row actions
| **Action** | **Available when status is** |
|------------|------------------------------|
| Edit | Draft, For Revisal |
| Delete | Draft, For Revisal |
| View | All statuses |
Service items only
Work orders accept service item types only. Inventory items cannot be added to a work order. Use a Purchase Order for goods purchases.
| **Field** | **Can be updated?** | **Notes** |
|-----------|---------------------|-----------|
| Date * | Yes | Cannot be set before the accounts closing date. |
| Employee In charge | Yes | |
| Payment Term | Yes | |
| Delivery Due Date | Yes | Expected service completion date. |
| Branch | Yes | Shown when multi-branch is enabled. |
| Brand | Yes | Shown when brand-wise tracking is enabled. |
| Project | Yes | |
| Supplier, centers, item lines, totals | No | Edit the full work order (Draft / For Revisal) or cancel and revise. |
Click Confirm to save changes or Cancel to close without saving.