Want to try out Purchase Orders (POs) in Thrive without setting everything up first? This guide walks you through a fast, easy test to see how POs work and decide if they're right for your business.
With just a few simple steps, you'll learn how to create a test vendor, build a PO, and receive inventory — all without the full setup. It's a great way to test features like reordering, tracking, and vendor management.
👉 Watch the video or follow the steps below:
1. Create a Test Vendor
Before you can create a PO, you'll need a vendor. For testing, we'll set up a general vendor that covers all your suppliers.
Here’s how:
Go to the Vendors page and click Create Vendor.
Set up a basic test vendor:
Leave locations open for flexibility.
You can skip most fields — keep it simple.
You can rename or edit later.
Click Edit Products to assign products to this vendor:
Click Load All to show your full product list.
Select all products and click Save.
2. Create a Purchase Order
![Thrive _ Home - 24 October 2025 (1).mp4 [video-to-gif output image]](https://downloads.intercomcdn.com/i/o/3f16592e9820f7ac43625ff6696cc2ec7a5c7d2f/1795197687/fd98e6049ec1faa447770a041f10/ezgif-5102418d7ba9ec.gif?expires=1775169900&signature=f357c1f92dcf276731ddf33dd7fb469455e837b368359537e1c58704f8bf4def&req=dScuE8h3modXXvMW1HO4zTIn8eUyvlWDzy%2F9C8up5KyZa0KzLwSJ9ftoSKtD%0AK6Z%2BPRbpupjThpU9VI4%3D%0A)
Now that your vendor is ready, it’s time to create a PO.
We recommend using real details from a recent or upcoming order so that your work can be useful.
Go to the External POs page and click Create PO.
Fill in the basic details:
Select your test vendor.
Choose billing and shipping locations.
Add a PO number — use the real vendor name and order number for easy tracking.
Optionally add Created Date, Expected Date, and mark if the order has been Sent or Paid.
3. Add Products to the PO
There are a few ways to add products — choose whichever works best for you right now:
Use a barcode scanner (available on Professional plans & above).
Add products manually from your list.
Auto-add items based on reorder points or low inventory.
Create new items if needed.
Use real products you’ve recently ordered, if possible.
Make sure each item has a cost and quantity entered.
When ready, click Create (or Save Draft to finish later).
4. Receive Inventory
![Thrive _ Purchase Orders - 24 October 2025.mp4 [video-to-gif output image]](https://downloads.intercomcdn.com/i/o/3f16592e9820f7ac43625ff6696cc2ec7a5c7d2f/1795203928/0f01559e4d59afb34b01b227990a/ezgif-185eb116614054.gif?expires=1775169900&signature=6eafcb54f5aeb0d1296dffc97c9f9c76a8edd1359dce79ef3adb1caf3a13226b&req=dScuE8t%2BnohdUfMW1HO4zW6h2KTSJ5s4qgn77Chr0hW5mxAOeRGFoWOy275C%0A6lP49KaS%2Bhsaw7RUBEw%3D%0A)
Time to simulate receiving inventory — either partially or in full.
Open your PO and click Receive Inventory.
Choose how you want to receive:
Click Receive All Quantities if everything has arrived.
Enter partial quantities if only part of the order is in.
You can also scan products for faster input.
Click Done > Save and Adjust Quantities > Confirm to update inventory in Thrive.
Your inventory levels will now sync to your sales channels 🎉
Optional Tools & Checks
Print Labels
After receiving, you can print labels to keep things organized.
Print now or skip — it’s up to you.
Verify Inventory Updates
Go to the Products page and check the Quantity Column.
You’ll see updated quantities from the PO.
Check the In Transit Report
Go to Metrics > scroll to In-Transit Report.
Filter by Purchase Orders to see:
What’s been received
What’s still on the way
The total value of incoming inventory
You're All Set!
You've just tested Purchase Orders without a full setup — quick and easy.
When you're ready, you can:
Build out your vendor list with real supplier information
Automate more with reorder points and alerts
Need help? Click the green chat bubble in Thrive anytime — we're here for you!
Want to Learn More?
This is just the beginning! Explore more here: