The Purchase Order Lifecycle
A purchase order moves through several stages in CloudFFL — from a simple request to a fully paid and recorded transaction. Understanding these stages helps you know where you are in the process at any given time.
The Standard Purchase Lifecycle
For non-firearm purchases (ammunition, accessories, parts, etc.), the flow is straightforward:
- Request for Quotation (RFQ) — You create a new purchase order. At this stage it's a draft — nothing has been committed yet. You can edit quantities, prices, and products freely.
- Confirm Order — You click "Confirm Order." The PO is now locked in. The system automatically creates a Receipt (an incoming transfer) that's waiting for goods to arrive.
- Receive Goods — When the shipment arrives, you open the receipt, enter quantities, and click "Validate." Your inventory is updated immediately.
- Vendor Bill — After receiving, you create a vendor bill from the PO to match the supplier's invoice. This records what you owe.
- Pay the Vendor — You register a payment against the bill. The PO is fully complete.
The Compliance Purchase Lifecycle (Firearms)
When a PO contains serialized firearms, there is one important additional step at the receiving stage:
- Request for Quotation (RFQ) — Create the PO and add firearms. The system checks if the vendor has a valid FFL linked and shows a warning if not. You can run an FFL Lookup directly from this screen to link the vendor.
- Confirm Order — Same as above. A receipt is created automatically.
- Receive Goods + Enter Serial Numbers — Open the receipt. For each firearm, enter the serial number from the physical gun. Select the FastBound account and acquisition type on the receipt.
- Validate → FastBound Acquisition Logged — When you click "Validate," the system:
- Confirms all serial numbers are entered
- Sends the acquisition to FastBound automatically
- Records each firearm in your bound book (A&D record)
- Posts the acquisition confirmation and item numbers to the receipt's activity log
- Vendor Bill — Create the vendor bill from the PO.
- Pay the Vendor — Register payment against the bill.
The FastBound acquisition happens automatically when you validate the receipt. You do not need to log into FastBound separately or create a manual entry. If the acquisition fails, the system will tell you — your stock will still be received, but you'll need to retry the FastBound submission.
Purchase Order Status Summary
| Status | What It Means |
|---|---|
| RFQ | Draft purchase request. Not confirmed, not sent to vendor. |
| RFQ Sent | Draft was emailed to vendor. Still editable. |
| Purchase Order | Confirmed. Receipt created and waiting for goods. |
| Done | All items received, billed, and paid. |
| Cancelled | PO was cancelled before completion. |