Purchase Request
This page explains what a Purchase Request is, how it is stored in xAssets, and what happens to it as it moves through the procurement lifecycle.
What is a Purchase Request?
A Purchase Request is a formal request to procure an asset. In xAssets, a purchase request is stored as an Asset record with its status set to Purchase Request. This is an important design choice: as the purchasing process progresses, the purchase request record becomes the actual asset record, avoiding duplicate data entry.
Key Characteristics
- One asset type per request — each purchase request should specify a single asset type (for example, a particular make and model of laptop), including category, make, and model.
- Quantity — a single request can include a quantity greater than one. When the order is received, multi-quantity lines can be split into individual asset records, each with its own barcode and serial number.
- Estimated cost — the request includes the total estimated cost for the full quantity, not the per-unit price.
- Requesting custodian — the person who raised the request is recorded for audit trail purposes and can be used in approval queries.
Creating a Purchase Request
To create a purchase request, use the standard asset creation workflow but set the asset status to Purchase Request. The specific menu path depends on your xAssets configuration, but typically:
- Navigate to the asset creation menu for the appropriate category.
- Fill in the required fields — category, make, model, description, quantity, and estimated cost.
- Set the status to Purchase Request.
- Save the record.
The purchase request now appears in procurement queries and can be added to a Purchase Order.
What Happens to a Purchase Request?
As the request progresses through the procurement lifecycle:
| Stage | Asset Status |
|---|---|
| Request created | Purchase Request |
| Added to a PO and order placed | On Order |
| Goods received | Received |
| Deployed into service | In Use (or your organization's equivalent) |
The asset record is updated at each stage — no separate tracking record is needed. This means the full history (who requested it, which PO it was on, when it was received) is all available from the asset record.
Tip: If a purchase request is no longer needed (for example, the requirement was cancelled), you can simply change the asset status rather than deleting it — this preserves the audit trail.
For the full lifecycle of a purchase request, see Procurement Process.
Related Articles
- Purchase Order — What is a purchase order
- Procurement Overview — Introduction to the procurement module
- Procurement Process — The end-to-end procurement workflow
- Standard Purchase Approval — The standard approval workflow