Build the orders you need
Combine related rows into one new PO, keep separate orders for the same vendor, or add new lines to an existing purchase order.
NEPTUNE SOLUTIONS · FOR JOBBOSS
Purchase Order Import
Create JobBOSS purchase orders from Excel.
Turn a prepared purchasing list into vendor purchase orders and lines in JobBOSS. Group items into one new PO, create separate orders or add lines to an existing PO. Review the imported data before generating purchasing records, then check the completed orders in JobBOSS.
Training guide: PDF · 13 pages · Current 13-column template. The webinar shows an earlier layout; use the current guide for PO GROUP.
THE BUSINESS CASE
Plan the orders
in one workbook.
Give purchasing teams a repeatable route for long orders and spreadsheet-based requests. Use the same template for existing materials, miscellaneous items and purchases linked to existing jobs, instead of rekeying each purchasing line.
The workbook determines which rows belong together and which purchasing details they carry. A single file can contain several intended orders, with each PO using one vendor. Map lists from estimating, engineering or another planning process into the current Neptune template, then review the order structure before import.
PRACTICAL CAPABILITIES
Keep purchasing work moving.
Carry the purchasing detail
Prepare descriptions, unit costs, quantities, purchase units, due dates and GL accounts. Extended descriptions carry additional specifications or instructions on the PO detail line.
Connect purchases to existing work
Use existing materials or miscellaneous items and, where needed, link purchases to material requirements on existing JobBOSS jobs.
CHOOSE THE RESULT BEFORE IMPORT
Choose how rows become purchase orders.
Use PO for a named purchase order and PO_Group for an automatically numbered group. Each new-order group uses one vendor.
One new PO with several lines
Leave PO blank and use the same PO_Group label on the related rows. Use one vendor. Leave Line blank for separate automatic line numbers.
Separate new POs for the same vendor
Leave PO blank and use a different PO_Group label for each intended order. Each group becomes its own automatically numbered PO.
A separate new PO for every row
Leave both PO and PO_Group blank. Each row receives its own automatically numbered PO.
A specific new or existing PO
Enter the PO number. It takes precedence over PO_Group. An unused number creates a PO; an existing number adds new lines to that PO.
PO_Group is an instruction for this import, not the final PO number. Reusing a label in a later import does not identify the earlier order. Use the actual existing PO number when adding lines.
Carry the purchasing detail with the item.
Use the template for descriptions, costs, quantities, purchase units, dates, GL accounts and extended instructions. Existing material codes use JobBOSS material settings. An unknown code becomes a miscellaneous item, so check item spelling before processing. A valid Job value can connect the purchase to a material requirement on an existing job.
GENERAL USAGE
Prepare. Review. Generate. Verify.
PROCESS prepares the batch; GENERATE PURCHASE ORDERS creates the purchasing records. The illustrated guide covers the working steps and all thirteen template fields.
- 01
Prepare the workbook
Use the current Neptune PO Import blank template. Keep all 13 columns in their original order, preserve the header row and start on row 2. Keep only the import worksheet in the file, then save and close it.
- 02
Process and review
Select the workbook and click PROCESS. Review the imported data and validation messages. Correct errors in Excel, save the file and process it again. Check the intended PO groups and line structure before continuing.
- 03
Generate the orders
After successful validation and review, click GENERATE PURCHASE ORDERS. This creates the purchasing records. Complete one reviewed batch before moving on to the next.
- 04
Verify in JobBOSS
Open the resulting POs and check vendors, lines, quantities, units, dates, costs, GL accounts and job links. Keep the reviewed input with your purchasing records so the source of the batch is clear.
LEARN THE TOOL · KEEP THE REFERENCE
Training and downloads, together.
Share the overview with your purchasing team. Use the current illustrated guide beside the blank import template, and return to the recording for a demonstration of the workflow.
PDF · 3 pages · 273 KB · November 2026
Product overview
See how prepared Excel rows become vendor purchase orders or additional lines on existing POs. Explore grouping, purchasing detail, optional job links and the preparation-to-verification workflow.
PDF · 13 pages · 724 KB · November 2026
Illustrated training guide
Follow the current 13-column template, PO grouping, validation, generation and result checks. Includes field references, existing-PO additions, material defaults, job links, troubleshooting and a practice exercise.
RECORDED WEBINAR
See the import become a purchase order.
Watch Purchase Order Utility - JobBOSS for a demonstration of workbook processing and the resulting purchase order. Use the current guide and 13-column template for your own import.
Watch the recorded webinar
Opens ECI’s Wistia recording in a new tab. The recording shows an earlier layout; the current training guide includes PO GROUP and the 13-column template.
A QUICK WORKING REFERENCE
Common questions.
Why did each row create a separate PO?
When both PO and PO_Group are blank, each row creates its own new PO. To combine rows into one automatically numbered PO, leave PO blank and give the related rows the same PO_Group label and vendor.
Will importing an existing PO number replace its lines?
No. It adds new lines to the existing PO. Its existing vendor governs the order. Use unused line numbers and review the result; this is an append workflow, not an update of existing lines.
Can the import create jobs or material master records?
The Job field links purchases to existing jobs and can add material requirements to them. It does not create job headers. Unknown material codes become miscellaneous items for the purchase; they do not create material master records.
Can we use an engineering or supplier list?
Yes, once its values are prepared in the Neptune import template. Map and review the source part numbers, vendor codes, quantities and purchasing details. The import operates on that prepared Excel workbook.
Can we rearrange columns or keep extra worksheets?
Keep all 13 columns in their original positions and preserve row 1. The importer reads every worksheet, so use only the supplied import sheet. Remove unwanted rows; hiding or filtering does not exclude them. Keep instructions and examples outside the file.
How do material costs and purchase units default?
Existing materials use their Purchase UofM. Blank cost is filled with Standard Cost during validation; zero or negative values do not reliably force that purchase price. Miscellaneous items need a numeric cost, and a blank purchase unit defaults to ea. Review the resulting amounts in JobBOSS.
What if we change Excel after clicking Process?
Save the revised workbook and click PROCESS again so validation and staging use the new values. Review the updated data before clicking GENERATE PURCHASE ORDERS. PROCESS prepares the batch; generation creates the purchasing records.
How should we retry after a generation error?
First check what was created in JobBOSS. Generation adds records, and rerunning the same rows can create additional POs or lines. Correct the source and process only the work still intended. Contact Neptune with the exact message and affected PO details when the result is unclear.
Need help with your purchasing import? Contact Neptune with your installed build, the step that failed, the exact message and relevant row or PO identifiers. Explain whether you are creating new orders or adding lines. Sales@NeptuneNetworking.com
IS THIS THE RIGHT TOOL?
A good fit for
Buyers, purchasing administrators and operations teams working with long orders or structured purchasing lists that are already prepared in Excel.
Talk through your use caseWhat we’ll review together
- Your source purchasing list and the order structure you want to create.
- The current template and installed build, including PO GROUP.
- New orders, existing-PO additions, units and any links to existing jobs.
We’ll confirm the applicable version, configuration and installation scope for your JobBOSS environment.
START WITH YOUR PURCHASING LIST
Put the prepared work into JobBOSS.
Tell us how your purchasing list is prepared and which orders it needs to become. Your inquiry will already identify Purchase Order Import.