# Purchasing from order to payment: process overview

URL: https://bimpsoft.com/en/help/purchasing/purchasing-process/
Updated: 2026-11-06

> Purchasing in Bimp is a chain of documents: a Supplier order plans the purchase, a Goods receipt posts the goods and records the debt to the supplier, a Supplier payment closes the debt, and a Return to supplier reverses the purchase. Create each next document with the "Create based on" button.

## What the purchasing process in Bimp is

The purchasing process in Bimp is a sequence of linked documents: an agreement with the supplier, receipt of goods or services, payment, and return. You create each next document [based on](https://bimpsoft.com/en/help/basics/create-based-on/) the previous one, and it takes the supplier, contract, items and prices from it. All articles in this section are listed on the “[Purchasing](https://bimpsoft.com/en/help/purchasing/)” page.

The basic chain:

1. [Supplier order](https://bimpsoft.com/en/help/purchasing/purchase-order/): what, how much, at what price and when it should arrive.
2. [Goods receipt](https://bimpsoft.com/en/help/purchasing/goods-receipt/): the fact of receipt. The goods go to the [warehouse](https://bimpsoft.com/en/help/inventory/warehouses/) and a debt to the supplier appears.
3. [Supplier payment](https://bimpsoft.com/en/help/purchasing/supplier-payment/): money leaves the bank account or cash desk and the debt is closed.
4. [Return to supplier](https://bimpsoft.com/en/help/purchasing/supplier-return/) and [supplier refund](https://bimpsoft.com/en/help/purchasing/supplier-refund/): if the goods are returned.

Before you start, you need a [supplier and a contract](https://bimpsoft.com/en/help/purchasing/add-supplier/). Purchasing documents are in the **Purchases** section: the "Supplier orders", "Goods receipts", "Returns to suppliers", "Supplier payments" and "Purchase planning" tabs.

## What happens at each step

Each document changes its own part of the accounting: the expected delivery, the warehouse or the debt.

| Step | Document | Warehouse | Debt to the supplier | Money |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | Purchase planning (report) | no change | none | no change |
| 1 | Supplier order | balance does not change; the quantity is counted as an expected delivery | none | expected payment in the payment calendar (if selected) |
| 2 | Goods receipt | goods are posted, [cost price](https://bimpsoft.com/en/help/costing/cost-price-guide/) is formed; costs for services go to the financial result | arises for the amount of the receipt | no change |
| 3 | Supplier payment | no change | decreases (or an advance arises on overpayment) | spent from the bank account or cash desk |
| 4 | Return to supplier | goods are written off from the warehouse | decreases | no change |
| 5 | Supplier refund | no change | settlements are updated | money returns to the account |

## Step 1. Supplier order

A supplier order records the terms of the purchase: the supplier, contract and currency, warehouse, items, prices, delivery date and payment schedule. You create it in the **Purchases** section, from a [customer order](https://bimpsoft.com/en/help/sales/customer-order/) (the **Create based on** button) or from the results of the purchase planning report. For details, see Supplier order.

- You can upload items from Excel: [Uploading items from Excel](https://bimpsoft.com/en/help/purchasing/purchase-order-import/).
- For a purchase in another currency, select a foreign-currency contract: [Purchasing in foreign currency](https://bimpsoft.com/en/help/purchasing/foreign-currency-purchase/).
- For rent, utilities, fuel and costs added to the cost price, use services: [Purchasing services](https://bimpsoft.com/en/help/purchasing/purchase-services/).
- To calculate VAT in the document correctly, see [VAT in a supplier order](https://bimpsoft.com/en/help/purchasing/vat-in-purchase-order/).

## Step 2. Goods receipt

A goods receipt records the fact that goods or services were received. It increases the warehouse balance, forms the cost price of the batch and creates a debt to the supplier. You create it with the **Create based on** button from a supplier order: items and prices are carried over automatically, and the value of the "Supplier's product" column goes into the batches. For details, see Goods receipt.

Additional scenarios:

- tracking by serial numbers: [Goods receipt with serial numbers](https://bimpsoft.com/en/help/purchasing/goods-receipt-serials/);
- delivery, customs duty and other costs that increase the cost price: [Additional costs on a goods receipt](https://bimpsoft.com/en/help/purchasing/landed-costs/);
- import with customs clearance: [Import and customs declaration](https://bimpsoft.com/en/help/purchasing/import-customs/).

## Step 3. Supplier payment

A supplier payment records that you paid and reduces the debt. You create it from a supplier order or in the **Purchases** section, on the "Supplier payments" tab. Pay against a specific order for which a goods receipt has been recorded: then the debt is closed correctly and the settlements in reports match. For details, see Supplier payment.

## Step 4. Returns

A return cancels a purchase in full or in part and consists of two documents: a return to supplier (the goods leave the warehouse, the debt decreases) and a supplier refund (the money returns to the account). If you have already paid for the goods and returned them, you need both documents.

## How to plan purchases

Purchase planning suggests what and how much to order. The **Purchases → Purchase planning** report compares the minimum balance, reserves, demand rate and expected deliveries, and shows the need in the "Need to purchase" column. You set the parameters in the product card. For details, see [Purchase planning](https://bimpsoft.com/en/help/purchasing/purchase-planning/).

To make product names in documents match the supplier price lists, fill in [supplier products](https://bimpsoft.com/en/help/purchasing/supplier-products/).

## Typical scenarios

| Situation | Documents to create |
|---|---|
| Prepayment, then delivery | supplier order → payment → goods receipt |
| Delivery with deferred payment | order → goods receipt → payment by the deadline from the "Deferral" field |
| Payment in parts | order → several payments → goods receipt |
| Purchase for a customer order | from the customer order, **Create based on → Supplier order** → goods receipt → sale |
| Purchase in foreign currency | order with a foreign-currency contract → payment in currency → goods receipt |
| Rent, services, fuel | order with a service → payment → goods receipt (certificate) |
| Defective goods | return to supplier → refund, if it was paid |

## FAQ

**In what order should I create purchasing documents in Bimp?**

A supplier order, then a goods receipt (when the goods arrive) and a supplier payment. You can record the payment before or after the receipt, in parts, and against several orders.

**Which document increases the stock balance?**

Only the "Goods receipt". A supplier order does not change the balance: the expected delivery is only taken into account in purchase planning.

**Do I have to start a purchase with a supplier order?**

No, you can create a goods receipt without an order. But an order gives you a delivery plan, a link to customer orders and payment control, so it is recommended for regular purchases.

**Where can I see all documents of one purchase?**

On the "Links" tab of the supplier order. It shows the receipts, payments and other documents created based on it.