If you work with purchase orders in Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central, you can use the purchase confirmation journal to register vendor confirmations when the vendor does not use a portal but instead contacts you by phone or email. You enter the vendor’s response directly in the journal, either by accepting the line as it stands or by entering the exact quantities, direct unit costs, and receipt dates the vendor confirmed.
When the vendor accepts all your requests without changes, the change indicators for quantity, direct unit cost, and receipt date stay blank because nothing on the line changed.
For vendors who routinely accept everything you order, you can save time by using a batch confirmation. You filter on the order number, move all requested lines to confirmed in one step, and then post the journal so the confirmations flow directly into the orders.
Registering vendor confirmations in the purchase confirmation journal
Not every vendor uses an online portal. Many still confirm orders the old-fashioned way, by calling you or sending an email. The purchase confirmation journal in Business Central gives you a place to register those confirmations so you can follow up on what the vendor has accepted from your purchase orders.
You open the journal and enter the confirmation based on what the vendor told you. There are two ways to do this depending on the situation.
Accepting a line or entering the vendor’s exact answers
The simplest approach is to accept the line as it is. If the vendor agreed to everything you requested, you accept the line and move on.
If you want a more precise record, you can enter the exact answers from the vendor instead. For example, you can confirm that the requested quantity is three and enter the direct unit cost the vendor quoted. This makes it clear that the vendor accepted all your requests as they were.
When you register a confirmation this way and nothing changed, the indicators for change quantity, change direct unit cost, and change receipt date remain blank. That blank state is the signal that the vendor accepted your request without any changes to the line. In other words, the vendor said yes to all your suggestions.
Saving time with batch confirmation
Entering confirmations line by line is fine for the occasional order, but it takes a long time when you have a vendor who simply accepts everything you request. For those cases, you can use a batch confirmation instead.
You apply a filter, for example on the order number, and then move all the requested lines to confirmed in one action. This sets every line as confirmed without you having to type each one manually.
Posting the journal so confirmations reach the orders
Once you have made the batch confirmation and all lines are set, the last step is to post the journal. When you handle the journal, the confirmations go straight into the orders. From there you have an accurate picture of what your vendors have accepted.
Q&A
How do I register a vendor confirmation when the vendor does not use a portal?
Use the purchase confirmation journal in Business Central. When the vendor confirms an order by phone or email, you enter the confirmation directly in the journal, either by accepting the line or by entering the exact quantity, direct unit cost, and receipt date the vendor confirmed.
What do the blank change indicators in the confirmation journal mean?
If the indicators for change quantity, change direct unit cost, and change receipt date stay blank, it means the vendor accepted your request without changing anything on the line.
How do I confirm many lines at once for a vendor who always accepts my orders?
Use a batch confirmation. Apply a filter, for example on the order number, and move all requested lines to confirmed in one step instead of entering each line manually.
What happens after I post the confirmation journal?
When you handle the journal, the confirmations go directly into the purchase orders, so the order reflects what the vendor has accepted.