For: Technicians and service writers · Time: ~2 minutes to snap, ~3 minutes to review
Quick summary
- On the job, open Receipt or vehicle photo? and add each receipt under Receipts.
- The receipt shows Turn into PO on the order's Files tab as soon as it is uploaded. When the job is released to invoicing, MetaFleet also reserves a PO number for each receipt not yet turned into a PO and alerts the order's dispatchers.
- The service writer clicks Turn into PO, reviews the lines next to the receipt image, and creates the PO.
Before you start
- Technicians: the service order is assigned to you and open.
- Service writers: you can edit the service order and manage parts. Without both, Turn into PO doesn't show.
- You don't enter a PO number on the job. The PO gets its number later.
Open the photo helper
On the service order, under Evidence, tap Receipt or vehicle photo?. The helper asks What's this a photo of?. Tap A receipt or part you bought.
Snap each receipt
Tap Add on the Receipts slot. On the app you can take a photo now or choose one from your gallery. Add one photo per receipt, then tap Done.
The photo shows as a thumbnail with a count. Tap the × on a thumbnail to remove it.
Nothing is created yet. The receipt is saved on the order as shop-only. The PO exists only after a service writer clicks Turn into PO and creates it.
Find the receipt on the Files tab
A receipt sits in the Shop only section of the order's Files tab with a Receipt label. Shop-only files are never shown to the customer. Each receipt that isn't a PO yet shows Turn into PO on its thumbnail.
When the job is released to invoicing, MetaFleet reserves a PO number for each receipt not yet turned into a PO and alerts the order's lead dispatcher and any assigned dispatchers, in the app and by email. The thumbnail then reads Turn into PO → PO-000007 (your own number will differ). A receipt that is already a PO gets no number and no alert.
A receipt added after a release shows Turn into PO right away. Its PO gets a number when you create it.
Turn the receipt into a PO
- Open the Files tab. You can do this any time after the upload. After a release, the alert opens the order's Files tab. The email opens the create-PO page for that receipt when there is one, or the Purchase Orders page when there are several. From there, open the order's Files tab. In the Active Orders list the order also shows Receipt → draft PO to review.
- Click Turn into PO. MetaFleet reads the receipt and opens the create-PO page with the lines filled in. You'll see Reading the receipt… for a moment.
- Review the lines. The receipt image sits at the top of the page, so you can check the vendor and each line against it. Tap the receipt to view it full-size. Vendor invoice # is filled in from the receipt. If the receipt's vendor isn't in your list, MetaFleet says so: click add it, or pick a vendor from the Vendor list. Check each quantity and unit cost against the receipt too. A line marked Check this needs a closer look, and the Invoice total under the totals tells you if the PO total matches the receipt.
- Match every line to a catalog part. A line with no part shows Not in your catalog with Match and Create links. Click Match to pick a part, or Create to add a new one. Every line is already linked to the service order.
- Create the PO. Click Create PO, or Save as Draft to finish later. If another PO that isn't cancelled already has this vendor and invoice number, MetaFleet asks This receipt may already be on a PO. Click Open PO-… to see that PO, Create anyway to save this one, or Cancel to go back.
The banner reads From a tech's receipt on the order number, and the PO number once one is reserved. The saved PO carries a From tech receipt marker. The PO is recorded as already paid, because the technician already bought the parts. The same page has a Scan invoice / PO button for reading a paper invoice or PO, as a photo or a PDF.
Match the part before receiving. Receiving is blocked until every line is matched to a catalog part, so stock never moves against a blank part.
If the receipt can't be read. MetaFleet says We can't read the receipt. Retake the photo or enter the lines by hand. Type the lines in yourself. The receipt image stays on screen.
Troubleshooting
| Symptom | Likely cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| I snapped the receipt but there's no Turn into PO | You can't edit the order or manage parts, or the receipt is already a PO | Ask an admin for the permissions, or open the existing PO from Purchase Orders. The receipt itself is in the Shop only section of the Files tab. |
| We can't read the receipt | The photo was blurry, dark or at an angle | Retake a straight-on photo, or enter the lines by hand on the create-PO page. |
| The parsed part is wrong or blank | The receipt text was unclear | Fix the line and match it to the right catalog part, reading off the receipt image. |
| No Turn into PO on a receipt | That receipt was already turned into a PO | Open the existing PO from Purchase Orders. It carries the From tech receipt marker. If you cancel that PO, the receipt shows Turn into PO again. |
| A line says Check this, or the PO total differs from the Invoice total | MetaFleet counts whole units and prices to the cent, so it changed a quantity or price it read | Compare the line with the receipt and fix the quantity or unit cost. |
| I didn't get the alert or email | You aren't the lead or an assigned dispatcher on that order | Open the order's Files tab. Turn into PO is there for anyone who can edit the order and manage parts. |
| Line '<name>' has no catalog part yet | A line isn't matched to a part yet | Open Edit PO, match every line to a catalog part, then receive. |
FAQs
Do I have to enter the PO number on the job?
No. Just snap the receipt. The PO gets its number when the office creates it, or when the job is released, whichever comes first.
When does the draft PO get created?
When a service writer clicks Turn into PO, reviews the lines and creates it. That can be right after the upload. Release only reserves a number for receipts not yet turned into a PO.
Can I choose a receipt photo from my gallery instead of using the camera?
Yes. On the app, Add lets you take a photo or choose one from your gallery. Either way the photo follows the same path.
What if MetaFleet can't read the receipt?
It asks you to retake the photo or enter the lines by hand. The receipt image stays on the create-PO page.
Is the PO sent to a vendor automatically?
No. A receipt PO records a purchase already made. It's reviewed, not placed.
Can the office scan a paper invoice too?
Yes. Scan invoice / PO on the create-PO page reads a photo or PDF and pre-fills the lines. It marks lines to check and shows the invoice total.