Smarter Week

How to automate it

How to automate “create and key in purchase orders”

Here are 2 ways to spend less time on this, best first. Each comes with steps you can follow today and, for AI fixes, a prompt to copy.

30 min
typically, every day
60%
of the time can be automated
Some setup
to set up

Fix 1 of 2

AutomationBest fix

Turn approved suggestions and requests into POs automatically

Most ERPs and procurement tools can turn approved reorder suggestions or purchase requests into POs and email them to the supplier, with no retyping.

Typically saves about 55% of the time4 h to set up
  1. 1Check whether your ERP or procurement tool can create POs from reorder suggestions or requests.
  2. 2Set preferred suppliers and prices on each item.
  3. 3Set up automatic PO emailing to suppliers.
  4. 4Keep manual entry only for one-off purchases.

Tools: Your ERP · Coupa, Procurify or Zip

Fix 2 of 2

AI

Have AI pull the details out into a table you can paste

Paste emails, PDFs or forms and get back clean rows in the exact columns your system needs.

Typically saves about 60% of the time5 min to set up
  1. 1Collect the source text (emails, PDFs, screenshots).
  2. 2Give the AI the column names you need.
  3. 3Paste the table into your spreadsheet or import file.
  4. 4Spot-check a few rows against the source.
Prompt to copy
Extract the following fields from the text below into a table with exactly these columns: [COLUMN 1], [COLUMN 2], [COLUMN 3]. One row per [ITEM]. Leave a cell blank if the value is not stated. Do not guess.

[PASTE TEXT OR ATTACH FILES]

Tools: ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini or Microsoft Copilot

Who does this task

Roles in our library that list this as one of their common tasks. Each guide covers the rest of that role’s week.

Purchasing / buyer

HourLeak · the 8-minute work audit

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Other common tasks for Purchasing / buyers