Opening PurchasePATH (PP)

Click here, PurchasePATH , then at the prompt enter your UW NetID and password. (If you are already logged in to any other UW programs, log-in here will not be needed.)

Click on the name of the unit requesting the order.

Role: From among the possible roles (Requestor, Submitter, Purchasing Agent, Administrator), choose Purchasing Requester or Submitter for the unit. A Requester can create orders; a Submitter can create orders, and also edit the orders of other members of that unit.

Unit: If you order for more than one unit, please be sure to select the correct unit for which you are placing this order. This will take you to the Welcome page.

Here the active (highlighted in yellow) tab is the Welcome tab, as shown above.

Creating an Order

Click the Create Order tab at the top of the page. Creating an order involves the following three steps:

Order Type

Select one of the following type options, then click Continue:

• Standard: use this for most orders.
• Radiation: for radioactive items, including recurring orders.
  
• Stores: this type is no longer used.
• Standing: recurring orders (unless the items ordered are radioactive). This is used for a service contract with a specific start and end date, or for an order placed regularly.
• UWMC: this type is no longer used.

Delivery, Unit, Shipping 

Attention: Enter the name of the person who will expect, receive, and sign for the physical delivery at the shipping address. Often this is different from the Principal Investigator (PI) or Section Chief! And don't add your name at your office billing address -- unless you are the one who will receive and unpack the order.  For the person receiving the order, enter Delivery Address, UW Campus Mail Box Number, and Phone Number.

Unit: Double-check here that you are ordering for the right unit. This field cannot be edited. To change the unit, look at the top left of the order screen; in the yellow bar find the Change link next to your name, and click to change units.

Delivery Date Desired and Shipping Instructions: This is optional information. Leave this blank for most orders; the Purchasing Agent for your unit sees this, but the vendor will not. If this is a RUSH order, or if it requires a specific delivery date (say, before or after the receiver's vacation), specify delivery date information here. Click Continue.

Vendor

Find a Vendor: enter the first few letters of the vendor name, and click GO. 

Vendor list. Choose one from the list, and click Use next to that name. Or, add a new vendor as follows:

Vendor Not On this List? If you can not find the desired vendor, click on the Add a New One button on this screen and enter the Vendor name and address. (For more focused results, enter the minimal number of characters which will still identify the vendor.) For Web Site, open the vendor's internet site and enter the url of that company’s catalogue page – ideally, the page which shows the item requested. Click on Add Vendor.

This opens the new order, assigns an order ID number, and adds it to the Unclaimed Orders section of PP.

Editing the Order Screen

The Order ID will appear at the top left corner of the screen, in a yellow field below the Pending Orders title.

In the example below, the Order ID is 308462. When beginning to use PP, write this number down -- just in case you lose your way. Once you are accustomed to using PP, this will not be necessary. However, when handling requisitions from others, your documentation process may include adding the PP order number.

Options Box

Find the Options box (shown below) on the lower right of the Order form.

The Options box contains links for adding new line items, changing the vendor, editing delivery information, printing the order, deleting, and more. Simply click on the link for the desired functions below:

• Add a new line item: This adds an item to your order. Type the first few characters of the Product # or the Description. Choose your item from the list. If your product does not appear, click on “Didn’t find what you want, add a new product.” Click this link for more instructions on adding a line item Note: to re-order an item, see Products below.
  

• Edit Additional Data: This opens a blank window with no text field and two choices, Save or Close. In some cases, the text field needs extra time to load; then you can begin typing.
  

• Attach a File to this Order: Click Browse; in your computer folders, find and click on the item that you wish to attach; Click Open; type in the title of your item; click Attach. (You can also click on the Attach a File link under Attachments, top right of the order screen.)
  

• Add a Note to this Order: Type the note, then click Add Note. Your note will appear in the Approvals & Notes box of the order screen. (In that box, you can also click the Add a Note link and add notes that way.) Once you Save, you won't be able to go back and edit or delete these Notes.
  

• Print Order: This will display a .pdf version of your order, aligned in landscape view. Now click the printer icon on the very top left of the .pdf; this will open your usual printing dialogue box; click OK. (Why not just use the Ctrl+P keyboard shortcut? Because the result will be a completely different format!)
  

• Change Vendor: In the Find a Vendor box, type a few letters of the vendor's name and click Go! Choose a vendor from the list, and click Use next to that name. Or, skip down to Vendor Not On this List? and click the Add a New One button to enter Vendor name and address. For Web Site, enter the url of that company’s catalogue page – ideally, the page which shows the item requested. Click on Add Vendor. You can also click the notepad icon next to the word "Vendor."
  

• Edit Delivery Information: Allows you to change Delivery information. Or, look on the upper left corner of the order form and click the notepad icon next to Delivery.)
  

• Delete this Order: "Are you sure you want to delete this order?" Click "Delete entire order" or Cancel.
  

• Return to Pending Orders: This opens a Your Pending Orders list, showing all orders placed by you and others in your unit. To open one, click its Order ID number.
• Edit Office Use Information: allows you to edit the Office Use box on the lower left. Or, click the notepad icon next to the words "Office Use."
  

Approvals and Notes: This is the box at the upper right. If the delivery is urgent, or there are other special instructions, type them here. Later on the printout, they will appear at the top right, under "Notes." (If you are just learning PP and are practicing with test orders, write TEST ORDER! DO NOT FILL!) You can also use the Add a Note link in the Options box. You can always add more notes here later, but once you Save, you won't be able to go back and edit these notes.

Attachments: you can browse and attach a document, such as the vendor delivery confirmation, or the packing list.

Quantity, Unit Size, and Unit Price: Even without clicking on the Edit button on the right, you can edit these just by clicking on the text for these fields. When you click on one, the field will become active. In the image below, the Unit Price has become active for editing:

Once you edit the field, click anywhere on the form outside the field to save the change. This will prompt the message "You have made changes to the order." Click on the link "Please click here to reload and recalculate totals."

Submit the order by clicking the Submit link in the Options box.

Products

As you order items in PP, it automatically adds them to your unit's product database. When you are new to PP, your Product database will be empty. But as you place orders, that database will be populated with the contents of past orders. If another unit has ordered this item, and you would like to add the item to your own database, click the Products tab, select Unit: Search other units, type in a couple of letters of the description (or else the Product #), and click on Search. Click on Copy Item to add any item to your unit's product database.

To reorder an item, open Products, search for the item, and click Re-Order.

Helpful Hint

If you are a new Requester, and if your Product inventory is empty or does not yet contain the desired item, there is no need to fill in item after item from a product catalogue! Instead, simply choose the Product tab at the top of your page, and open the Product Search box, as shown below.

Choose Unit: Search other units

This allows you to view and choose from products already ordered by other purchasers. Type in a few letters of the description, or the Product #, and click on Search. Click on Copy Item to add any item to your unit's product inventory.

, go directly to Products, search for an item, and click Re-Order.

Followup

Helpful Hint: Envelope Icons. The small white envelope icon to the right of anyone's name on the screen indicates an email link. Click the envelope to open the Send a Note box to that recipient.

Enter your message in the blank text field, checkmark the Send a Copy box to send a copy of the email to yourself, and click Send Note. Or, to cancel your message, click Close at the top right of the box.

This can be useful after you submit an order for approval. Once the order becomes a pending order, you can find out who claimed the order for processing, and email that person to inquire about the status of the order. These email messages will be included and shown in the history for that order.

New Vendor: If you added a new vendor for this order, the vendor should send you a confirmation email assigning you an account number. Be sure to email the vendor's contact information, and the new account number to Budget/Fiscal Analyst Nancy Biehl for her vendor database.

Retracting an Order: Later, if you need to edit or cancel the order, you can have it "thrown back" by sending an email to your PP unit administrator. In the Subject line, be sure to mention the ID number of the order.