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PO categories and flows

PO categories​

The category of the purchase order (PO) is determined by two factors:

  • Whether the PO undergoes a review
  • Timing of the product delivery

PO with review​

By default, our platform activates PO review. Customers submitting a PO must send valid company details to you or to Cleverbridge via fax, post, or email. Upon receipt, this information is checked by a Customer Support specialist on your site or at Cleverbridge. Upon their approval, the PO is confirmed.

PO without review​

A PO without review is accepted as soon as the customer has placed an order with the PO payment option. No document review or validation is necessary.

note

Enabling POs without review poses risks, leading to potential unpaid orders. We strongly recommend to use this option for trusted B2B customers only.

PO with instant product delivery​

Upon approval of the PO, the customer receives the product and the invoice. Opting for an offline payment method, typically wire transfer, the customer has a 30-day payment window as a standard rule.

PO with delayed product delivery​

If you want to collect payment before the product delivery, opt for prepayment with a proforma invoice. This option ensures timely payment and provides customers with the necessary invoice for billing department approval. After PO approval, the customer receives the proforma invoice, opts for an offline pre-paid PO, and finalizes the transaction. Once the proforma invoice is settled, the customer receives the product.

Processing POs​

Cleverbridge offers three options to process POs:

Online order with fax, letter, or email validation​

The following steps describe how Cleverbridge processes a PO if the PO payment option is available from the cart.

note

To enable the PO option, address our Technical Support and they will adjust the database correspondingly. You can also set a minimum cart amount for which the PO option is available (e.g., orders of $150 or more).

  1. Order placement
  • The customer selects PO payment option during the checkout.
  • The customer places the order, and the confirmation page displays Cleverbridge reference number, invoice, and instructions to complete the order.
  1. Customer confirmation
  • Customers send required PO confirmation to the indicated email or fax.
  • The email includes the order on company letterhead attached to it.
  • For fax and letter communication, a signed confirmation on company letterhead is required.
  1. Review
  • You or the Cleverbridge team (subject to your account settings) verify the PO.
  • The verified PO is released to the customer (converted in the Cleverbridge platform from the status Awaiting Release for Purchase Order to Purchase Order).
  • The customer receives an email with payment instructions. PO confirmation email
  1. Delivery
  • If you opted for immediate product delivery, the invoice and license are sent to the customer right away.
  • If you selected the prepayment flow, the customer receives a proforma invoice. In this case, the license key is sent only after the proforma invoice is paid.

Offline order by fax, letter, or email​

The offline PO is used if you prefer not to display the PO as a payment option in the cart but allow it based on individual customer requests. Offline POs always include a review process.

You can offer offline POs upon direct customer request or via information about the payment option on your website.

Direct customer request​

  1. You define the PO rules in the Customer Service policy.

  2. You specify eligible customer types and set the minimum and maximum order amounts.

  3. You customers have two options:

  • Place an order, select an offline payment option, and reach out to Cleverbridge with the Purchase ID. Cleverbridge will convert the Awaiting Offline Payment order to a PO.
  • Submit an email or a signed fax or letter on company letterhead, including the order details. Customer Support will select the PO option when processing the order.

PO instructions on website​

  1. You provide required information for processing POs on your website.

  2. The customers sends an official order on the company letterhead by mail or fax. The letter shall include product details, billing currency, quantity, billing and delivery addresses, and billing currency.

  3. Cleverbridge Customer Service team processes orders with all required information immediately.

note

Your can contact Cleverbridge's Customer Service for any assistance related to the PO processing at any time.

POs for registered partners​

A PO payment option can be enabled in each individual partner interface. This way you can make it available to your registered partners.

Your partners can place POs in two ways:

  • Online: On you checkout page, if they are logged in into your partner portal. In this case, no confirmation fax is required, and the PO is automatically accepted without review.
  • Offline: The partners are required to confirm the PO (similar to the standard offline PO flow described above).
note

To enable POs for partners, configure Commerce Assistant settings:

  • Activate the PO option in the Status section.
  • Set order limits and select a currency. If the PO limit is set to zero, partners won't have access to this payment option.

PO Settings for Partners

Here's the process flow for POs:

PO process

For more information about POs, contact Client Experience.


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