How do you handle "blanket" Purchase Orders from customers where they want their delivery of product in different lots?

QuickBooks Online (QBO) doesn't currently offer a formal "Blanket Purchase Order" feature, but you can effectively manage multi-date shipments using the following workflow:

If you are using QBO Plus or Advanced, the key to managing partial shipments is how you initiate the invoice. A single Sales Order can be linked to multiple invoices, but you must use the correct path to unlock that functionality:

1. Open the Sales Order ( don't simply use the Action column in the list view).
2. Select the Save and New dropdown and choose Convert to invoice.
3. On the invoice, edit the quantities to reflect only the current shipment. Do not invoice the full amount yet.
4. Update the invoice date to match the delivery date and select Save.
5. The Sales Order status will show as "Invoiced," but it will remain open for future shipments until all items are fulfilled.

6. Repeat this process from the same Sales Order each time the next lot ships.

7. Use the Linked Transactions section or the link icon on line items to track what has been billed and what remains outstanding.

If you're using a lower tier (Essentials or Simple Start), use an Estimate as your master blanket order with Progress invoicing enabled. Then, follow these steps:

1. Create an Estimate including all products, total quantities, and the customer's PO number for reference.
2. Each time a lot ships, open the Estimate and select Create invoice.
3. Adjust the quantities to match the current delivery and send.
4. The Estimate will track your running total, showing what has been invoiced and what remains.

The workflow is different but achieves the same outcome. Both paths above give you a reliable way to manage blanket orders and staged invoicing natively in QBO.

Since handling blanket orders and partial fulfilment is a core part of your operations, you might benefit from a third-party inventory or order management app that integrates with QBO.

Let me know if you have any other questions about setting this up.