PURCHASE ORDERS
PURCHASE ORDERS
Context
Context
FoodReady is a US-based food safety platform that helps food manufacturers and processors stay compliant and audit-ready. It streamlines everything from planning to inventory, purchasing, and traceability - replacing manual paperwork and custom spreadsheets with structured, easy-to-use workflows. A Purchase Order (PO) is a formal request issued to a supplier to procure the ingredients or materials needed for production.
FoodReady is a US-based food safety platform that helps food manufacturers and processors stay compliant and audit-ready. It streamlines everything from planning to inventory, purchasing, and traceability - replacing manual paperwork and custom spreadsheets with structured, easy-to-use workflows. A Purchase Order (PO) is a formal request issued to a supplier to procure the ingredients or materials needed for production.
FoodReady is a US-based food safety platform that helps food manufacturers and processors stay compliant and audit-ready. It streamlines everything from planning to inventory, purchasing, and traceability - replacing manual paperwork and custom spreadsheets with structured, easy-to-use workflows. A Purchase Order (PO) is a formal request issued to a supplier to procure the ingredients or materials needed for production.
The Problem
The Problem
Before the Purchase Order (PO) module was introduced, things at HeisenBakes - one of our early customers (name changed due to NDA) - were, well… a bit of a mess.
Before the Purchase Order (PO) module was introduced, things at HeisenBakes - one of our early customers (name changed due to NDA) - were, well… a bit of a mess.
Before the Purchase Order (PO) module was introduced, things at HeisenBakes - one of our early customers (name changed due to NDA) - were, well… a bit of a mess.
They had a paper-based system, which meant that creating a purchase order took time, patience, and a significant amount of manual cleanup. No one really knew what was accurate, and everyone had their own copy of the “truth”.
They had a paper-based system, which meant that creating a purchase order took time, patience, and a significant amount of manual cleanup. No one really knew what was accurate, and everyone had their own copy of the “truth”.
They had a paper-based system, which meant that creating a purchase order took time, patience, and a significant amount of manual cleanup. No one really knew what was accurate, and everyone had their own copy of the “truth”.
That’s where Walter and Jesse from HeisenBakes were stuck at - doing their best to keep things running, even when the tools weren’t on their side. Let’s rewind.
That’s where Walter and Jesse from HeisenBakes were stuck at - doing their best to keep things running, even when the tools weren’t on their side. Let’s rewind.
That’s where Walter and Jesse from HeisenBakes were stuck at - doing their best to keep things running, even when the tools weren’t on their side. Let’s rewind.
🗂️ Meet Walter - the Overwhelmed Supervisor
🗂️ Meet Walter - the Overwhelmed Supervisor
Sticky notes, half-filled POs, and too many Excel printouts - Walter’s just trying to make sense of what’s already been ordered.
Sticky notes, half-filled POs, and too many Excel printouts - Walter’s just trying to make sense of what’s already been ordered.
📦 Meet Jesse - the Floor Worker receiving the orders
📦 Meet Jesse - the Floor Worker receiving the orders
Jesse’s got crates from last week still unopened. Walter’s just sent another PO. Nobody’s on the same page.
Jesse’s got crates from last week still unopened. Walter’s just sent another PO. Nobody’s on the same page.
Pain Points with the Current Workflow
Pain Points with the
Current Workflow
Manual Paperwork Took Time & Focus
POs were handwritten or maintained in spreadsheets. Every update meant manual effort - from calculating quantities to rewriting forms - adding overhead to already busy teams.
Manual Paperwork Took Time & Focus
POs were handwritten or maintained in spreadsheets. Every update meant manual effort - from calculating quantities to rewriting forms - adding overhead to already busy teams.
Manual Paperwork Took Time & Focus
POs were handwritten or maintained in spreadsheets. Every update meant manual effort - from calculating quantities to rewriting forms - adding overhead to already busy teams.
Delayed Updates, No Single Source of Truth
Inventory and ordering teams operated in silos. Without a central system, Excel sheets became the default — hard to maintain, prone to errors, and never fully up to date.
Delayed Updates, No Single Source of Truth
Inventory and ordering teams operated in silos. Without a central system, Excel sheets became the default — hard to maintain, prone to errors, and never fully up to date.
Delayed Updates, No Single Source of Truth
Inventory and ordering teams operated in silos. Without a central system, Excel sheets became the default — hard to maintain, prone to errors, and never fully up to date.
No Visibility Once PO Left the System
Once the PO was ready to be sent, tracking went dark. Delivery confirmations and status updates were lost in email threads or phone calls, with no easy way to trace the back-and-forth.
No Visibility Once PO Left the System
Once the PO was ready to be sent, tracking went dark. Delivery confirmations and status updates were lost in email threads or phone calls, with no easy way to trace the back-and-forth.
No Visibility Once PO Left the System
Once the PO was ready to be sent, tracking went dark. Delivery confirmations and status updates were lost in email threads or phone calls, with no easy way to trace the back-and-forth.
The Solution: Purchase Order Module
The Solution: Purchase Order Module
We built the Purchase Order module to make ordering faster, clearer, and fully trackable. Designed for supervisors and floor workers, it connects live stock data with a streamlined PO flow that takes just a few clicks to complete.
Rather than replicating complex ERP systems, we focused on what teams actually need: create POs by supplier, track status from draft to received, and plug directly into inventory and receiving workflows. It’s structured, but flexible - so teams can still coordinate with suppliers in the way that works best for them.
We built the Purchase Order module to make ordering faster, clearer, and fully trackable. Designed for supervisors and floor workers, it connects live stock data with a streamlined PO flow that takes just a few clicks to complete.
Rather than replicating complex ERP systems, we focused on what teams actually need: create POs by supplier, track status from draft to received, and plug directly into inventory and receiving workflows. It’s structured, but flexible - so teams can still coordinate with suppliers in the way that works best for them.
We built the Purchase Order module to make ordering faster, clearer, and fully trackable. Designed for supervisors and floor workers, it connects live stock data with a streamlined PO flow that takes just a few clicks to complete.
Rather than replicating complex ERP systems, we focused on what teams actually need: create POs by supplier, track status from draft to received, and plug directly into inventory and receiving workflows. It’s structured, but flexible - so teams can still coordinate with suppliers in the way that works best for them.
The Impact
6 New Clients Onboarded
The module directly contributed to onboarding 6 new food manufacturing clients who required integrated ordering and traceability.
6 New Clients Onboarded
The module directly contributed to onboarding 6 new food manufacturing clients who required integrated ordering and traceability.
6 New Clients Onboarded
The module directly contributed to onboarding 6 new food manufacturing clients who required integrated ordering and traceability.
78% Faster PO Creation
Reduced average PO creation time from ~45 minutes to under 10 minutes by enabling smart defaults, templates, and saved suppliers.
78% Faster PO Creation
Reduced average PO creation time from ~45 minutes to under 10 minutes by enabling smart defaults, templates, and saved suppliers.
78% Faster PO Creation
Reduced average PO creation time from ~45 minutes to under 10 minutes by enabling smart defaults, templates, and saved suppliers.
99% Drop in Inventory Restock Errors
Streamlined receiving flows and real-time inventory sync reduced manual entry and reconciliation errors during restocking.
99% Drop in Inventory Restock Errors
Streamlined receiving flows and real-time inventory sync reduced manual entry and reconciliation errors during restocking.
99% Drop in Inventory Restock Errors
Streamlined receiving flows and real-time inventory sync reduced manual entry and reconciliation errors during restocking.
But how did we achieve this?
But how did we achieve this?
The Process
The Process
Research & Synthesis
Research & Synthesis
🗣️ User Interviews: Conducted remote interviews with food manufacturers and supervisors to understand day-to-day challenges in ordering and inventory workflows.
📂 Client Inventory Sheets: Analysed existing inventory and PO tracking workflows from real FoodReady customers, many of whom used fragmented Paper or Excel-based systems.
🛠️ Competitor Platforms: Benchmarked PO modules across comparable inventory management platforms to identify conventions and gaps. We also went through some ERP Platforms who are heavy on data grids and relational data.
💬 CSM Tickets & Feedback: Reviewed Customer Support Tickets to trace recurring pain points around inventory, order miscommunication, and traceability.
🎧 SME <> User Recordings: Listened to internal calls between our SME and end users to understand frontline challenges and desired behaviors.
🗣️ User Interviews: Conducted remote interviews with food manufacturers and supervisors to understand day-to-day challenges in ordering and inventory workflows.
📂 Client Inventory Sheets: Analysed existing inventory and PO tracking workflows from real FoodReady customers, many of whom used fragmented Paper or Excel-based systems.
🛠️ Competitor Platforms: Benchmarked PO modules across comparable inventory management platforms to identify conventions and gaps. We also went through some ERP Platforms who are heavy on data grids and relational data.
💬 CSM Tickets & Feedback: Reviewed Customer Support Tickets to trace recurring pain points around inventory, order miscommunication, and traceability.
🎧 SME <> User Recordings: Listened to internal calls between our SME and end users to understand frontline challenges and desired behaviors.
🗣️ User Interviews: Conducted remote interviews with food manufacturers and supervisors to understand day-to-day challenges in ordering and inventory workflows.
📂 Client Inventory Sheets: Analysed existing inventory and PO tracking workflows from real FoodReady customers, many of whom used fragmented Paper or Excel-based systems.
🛠️ Competitor Platforms: Benchmarked PO modules across comparable inventory management platforms to identify conventions and gaps. We also went through some ERP Platforms who are heavy on data grids and relational data.
💬 CSM Tickets & Feedback: Reviewed Customer Support Tickets to trace recurring pain points around inventory, order miscommunication, and traceability.
🎧 SME <> User Recordings: Listened to internal calls between our SME and end users to understand frontline challenges and desired behaviors.
What creating a PO looked like before FoodReady - filled manually each time from scratch.
What creating a PO looked like before FoodReady - filled manually each time from scratch.
What creating a PO looked like before FoodReady - filled manually each time from scratch.
The Goal
The Goal
Design a Purchase Order module that transforms inventory signals into structured, traceable actions, reducing manual effort, increasing visibility, and keeping teams aligned.
Design a Purchase Order module that transforms inventory signals into structured, traceable actions, reducing manual effort, increasing visibility, and keeping teams aligned.
Design a Purchase Order module that transforms inventory signals into structured, traceable actions, reducing manual effort, increasing visibility, and keeping teams aligned.
From Inventory to PO
• Trigger PO creation directly from inventory shortfalls • Display minimum required quantities as replenishment cues
From Inventory to PO
• Trigger PO creation directly from inventory shortfalls • Display minimum required quantities as replenishment cues
From Inventory to PO
• Trigger PO creation directly from inventory shortfalls • Display minimum required quantities as replenishment cues
Lifecycle Visibility
• Track POs across statuses: Draft, Created, Sent, Confirmed, Received • Enable edits and document downloads at any stage
Lifecycle Visibility
• Track POs across statuses: Draft, Created, Sent, Confirmed, Received • Enable edits and document downloads at any stage
Lifecycle Visibility
• Track POs across statuses: Draft, Created, Sent, Confirmed, Received • Enable edits and document downloads at any stage
Team & Workflow Sync
• Keep supervisors (web) and floor teams (mobile) aligned • Ensure traceability from ordered items to actual receiving
Team & Workflow Sync
• Keep supervisors (web) and floor teams (mobile) aligned • Ensure traceability from ordered items to actual receiving
Team & Workflow Sync
• Keep supervisors (web) and floor teams (mobile) aligned • Ensure traceability from ordered items to actual receiving
User Flow
User Flow
Initial Concepts
Initial Concepts
Hi-Fidelity Mockups
Hi-Fidelity Mockups
Learnings
Iteration Needs Boundaries
Exploring multiple directions helped refine the flow - but we learned that without defined limits, it can eat into dev timelines. Momentum matters as much as ideation.
Iteration Needs Boundaries
Exploring multiple directions helped refine the flow - but we learned that without defined limits, it can eat into dev timelines. Momentum matters as much as ideation.
Iteration Needs Boundaries
Exploring multiple directions helped refine the flow - but we learned that without defined limits, it can eat into dev timelines. Momentum matters as much as ideation.
Documentation Keeps You Grounded
Frequent shifts in requirements cost us time and clarity - early concepts were often lost in the noise. Starting to document key notes and decisions helped us carry momentum across meetings and protected earlier thinking.
Documentation Keeps You Grounded
Frequent shifts in requirements cost us time and clarity - early concepts were often lost in the noise. Starting to document key notes and decisions helped us carry momentum across meetings and protected earlier thinking.
Documentation Keeps You Grounded
Frequent shifts in requirements cost us time and clarity - early concepts were often lost in the noise. Starting to document key notes and decisions helped us carry momentum across meetings and protected earlier thinking.
Think in Systems, Not Screens
Good design isn’t just about what’s in front of you - it’s about how this module fits into a larger ecosystem. That lens helped us build with scalability in mind.
Think in Systems, Not Screens
Good design isn’t just about what’s in front of you - it’s about how this module fits into a larger ecosystem. That lens helped us build with scalability in mind.
Think in Systems, Not Screens
Good design isn’t just about what’s in front of you - it’s about how this module fits into a larger ecosystem. That lens helped us build with scalability in mind.
