Learn how to set up and manage outsourced workflows using outsourced purchase orders (OPOs). This training covers fully and partially outsourced manufacturing with real-world examples.
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What you'll learn
How to centralize tracking and eliminate spreadsheets
Full and partial outsourcing workflow setups
How to track costs and ingredient availability across contractor locations
Common setup mistakes to avoid
Before you start
Set up these three things first:
Locations: Create a location for each contractor in Settings: How to create locations
Suppliers: Add suppliers with lead times and costs on item cards under Supplier details
Buy and Make: Enable both options on product cards under Usability
Full outsourcing workflow
When your contractor handles complete manufacturing:
Create a PO for raw materials to contractor location
Receive the PO at contractor location
Create an OPO for finished goods from contractor location
Receive the OPO at your selling location
Partial outsourcing workflow
When contractors complete specific steps:
Create a sub-assembly for the outsourced stage
Create an OPO with raw materials from your location
Receive the sub-assembly back to your location
Complete the final build
Learn more about full and partial outsourcing workflows: Basics of contract manufacturing
Track ingredients and costs
Ingredients: View inventory at contractor locations from Stock screen, including availability status and movements.
Costs: Review ingredient and total costs in Done OPOs. Export OPO data with 20+ fields for detailed analysis.
Purchasing insights: Filter by OPOs to compare contractor spend, performance, and costs versus in-house manufacturing.
Key tips
Assign each contractor their own location
Set supplier defaults on Item cards to speed up recurring orders
Ensure raw materials are stocked before receiving OPOs
Add comments to OPOs for internal tracking
Export OPO data regularly for cost analysis