Construction companies and subcontractors have specialized requirements when comparing purchase order software — they need a system that:

• Allows them to centralize and manage purchasing across all individuals, projects, and job sites. Creating a unified hub for everyone to place orders with vendors enables transparent collaboration and allows managers to monitor purchases and spending.

• Connects with the vendors and businesses (like Home Depot) they use to purchase items for projects.

• Offers the ability to gather quotes from subcontractors and various suppliers (whether for raw materials or other supplies) quickly. This lets procurement teams see a better value for their money and find resources that best meet their organization’s needs.

• Lets teams track costs by job or project. Tag invoices (even credit card expenses) to jobs and monitor spending against project budgets.

• Is supported by mobile apps, so they can check budgets, make purchases, and communicate with each other in the field.

• Provides spend analysis reports, so you can review purchasing patterns and uncover vendor contract opportunities.

It’s also a bonus if your procurement software doubles as a procure-to-pay system with features to support the accounts payable process.

We’ve compiled this guide reviewing 5 of the best purchase order systems for construction. You may run into these names during your research, so you can compare their pros, cons, features, and pricing here. At the end, we also list a few runners-up.

We begin with a walkthrough of our solution, ProcureDesk, a configurable, scalable purchase order and AP automation system for construction. Our system connects with hundreds of vendors and offers features to support purchasing, purchase order tracking, and accounts payable. We offer free white-glove onboarding to get you started.

Best Purchase Order Software for the Construction Industry

1. ProcureDesk
2. CoConstruct (+ Buildertrend)
3. Jonas Construction Software
4. 4castplus
5. Planyard

1. ProcureDesk

Configurable, Scalable P2P System for Construction

The ProcureDesk P2P system offers procurement management and a suite of tools to support accounts payable processes. You can manage purchase orders throughout their lifecycle — from when a purchase request is raised until the order is placed and paid for.

Our solution is highly customizable so that we can tailor each instance to client requirements. We’ve been working with construction companies and contractors for 5+ years and have experience with a variety of industries (biotech, education, mental health services, travel and leisure, etc.).

We provide guided onboarding to streamline adoption. During this, we:

• Connect ProcureDesk with the vendors and sites you shop with. We connect with 100+ vendors and include punchout catalogs for popular sites like Home Depot, Lowe’s, Amazon, Costco, and more. We can even help you create custom catalogs if you purchase from vendors we don’t natively integrate with.

• Show you how to create budgets. ProcureDesk provides options to define granular project budgets and then associate purchases to a project or project budget line. Then, you can track spending against different projects and accurately invoice customers. (You can also create budgets by vendor, spend category, department, or individual.)

• Create approval trees that show our system how to manage purchase requests. ProcureDesk can automatically approve or deny certain purchases or route PRs to a manager(s) for approval.

• Integrate accounting systems to import customer job projects and aggregate project spending. Our P2P system also supports invoice management and vendor payments.

• Train you on all the features and show you how to adjust settings or integrations so you can configure the software as needs change or you scale.

We also offer add-on modules to support inventory and vendor contract management.

Below, we’ll briefly review our core features so you can see how they work.

Create a Controlled Purchasing Environment to Order with Vendors

As mentioned above, we’ll help you create a centralized purchasing hub for all of your employees (even subcontractors) to purchase with vendors via ProcureDesk.

• You can add an unlimited number of vendors and modify your catalog anytime.

• There are various ways to set budgets. Our system lets you set multi-level budgets and tolerance levels for budgets.

• You can specify approval routing rules. You can route all purchases to one manager, create multi-step approvals, route purchases from different job sites to the respective project managers, etc.

Note: ProcureDesk also includes a convenient request-a-quote feature so procurement managers can source subcontractors, compare supplier rates, and strategically choose vendors to shop with. You can use the RFQ feature to get vendor quotes for raw materials or other supplies.

You can also design request forms to gather the necessary details to approve or deny purchases (and create different forms for different purchase types).

When users submit shopping carts, these forms populate automatically, so they know what information to provide for managers to review appropriately. For example, they can specify which project purchases will be used and the budget they’re pulling from.

ProcureDesk streamlines approvals by automatically approving or denying certain purchases and notifying managers when requests require review.

We provide omnichannel approval tools so managers can review and approve orders within our desktop or mobile apps. We also send email notifications about orders and integrate with Slack so that users can manage notifications directly from their email or messaging system.

After purchase requests are approved, ProcureDesk automatically converts PRs to purchase orders and dispatches POs to vendors; no intervention or manual data entry is required.

The Purchasing Process

The purchasing process in ProcureDesk is simple, streamlined, and controlled.

Procurement managers can invite anyone to join the platform (procurement teams, project managers, subcontractors, etc.) and shop with vendors. Users set up a unique login, and our system employs Single Sign-On (SSO) to authenticate access.

Users can browse catalogs, build shopping carts, and complete PR forms from our desktop or mobile apps.

After logging in, users see approved vendors and available budgets. Then, they can choose who they’d like to shop with. The catalog opens in the ProcureDesk dashboard, so users can build orders with the required materials without redirecting to another site.

After choosing items, users can add delivery information and submit their shopping cart for review. At this time, the purchase request form will populate for users to complete. Then, our system can analyze the details and accurately approve, deny, or route orders.

To keep everyone informed, our system sends status updates about orders. Purchasers know if orders are approved, denied, or sent for review.

Then, we provide real-time PO tracking to monitor purchases after they’re approved and sent to suppliers.

Purchase Tracking & Receipt Management

ProcureDesk grants visibility into PO status through fulfillment, shipping, and delivery.

Vendors can comment on POs to let users know they’ve received the order and are working on fulfillment. (They can also communicate any delays at that point.) Vendors can also share estimated ship dates and tracking numbers so managers and purchasers know when to expect materials.

Purchasers and managers can see PO status, so managers don’t have to act as a middleman and share updates along the way.

After delivery, purchasers can verify that orders were received, upload receipts, and note the order condition. Here, they could note incorrect items, mismatched quantities, or damaged materials (which is not uncommon when purchasing different supplies at high volume).

Procurement managers and accounts payable teams can access receipts and order details to rectify issues with vendors, obtain the right supplies, and ensure they’re not paying for damaged or incorrect materials.

Spend Control & Reporting

Our system provides:

• Proactive spend controls via budgets and budget tracking. It’ll automatically deny new purchase requests that exceed preset limits.

• Integrations to aggregate project-related spending. Sync ProcureDesk with accounting software and bank or credit card accounts to centralize project expenses. Then, you can review costs and track spending against specific projects by tagging purchases to the customer or specific projects.

• Spend analysis reports to review spending by project, supplier, manager, individual, etc. These help you identify purchasing patterns and commonly used suppliers; you can use this data to renegotiate rates or payment terms with existing partners or establish new supplier contracts. You can also use these reports to compare project costs to budgets and measure profitability.

ProcureDesk AP Automation

As mentioned above, you can purchase ProcureDesk’s Procurement Automation package by itself. However, many construction companies opt for the complete P2P package because it lets them manage vendor invoices in the same system they place orders, store POs and receipts, and communicate with vendors during purchasing.

Our AP automation system allows you to:

• Receive all invoices in one place. Leverage e-invoicing, create vendor portals, connect email addresses, and even upload paper invoices to centralize documents in ProcureDesk. You can communicate with suppliers on how you’d like to receive invoices to make this process easier (and eliminate pesky paper invoices).

• Eliminate and merge duplicate invoices effortlessly. Duplicate invoices can confuse and impede workflows when AP teams have to scour through documents to locate originals or check their status. Our system uses optical character recognition (OCR) technology to automatically extract important invoice data, detect duplicates, and merge them.

• Automatically match invoices with corresponding POs and receipts. OCR technology also enables ProcureDesk’s three-way matching feature. After analyzing invoice data, our system can find the correct POs and receipts to reconcile invoices. (Our system also supports two-way matching in cases where you don’t have a physical goods receipt.)

• Easily identify invoices with discrepancies (for example, invoices without corresponding POs or receipts) and troubleshoot issues before sending payment. ProcureDesk flags these invoices and automatically routes them to specified team members. After troubleshooting, vendors can send corrected invoices, which you can push back through the invoice approval workflow.

• Create approval flows for matched invoices and push approved invoices to your accounting system or ERP for final payment. This avoids tedious data entry between systems and allows them to work in parallel. Then, after issuing payments, the invoice status updates in both systems.

ProcureDesk integrates with QuickBooks, Xero, NetSuite, Sage, and more.

Packages & Getting Started

ProcureDesk has little to no learning curve thanks to its user-friendly interface and features. We provided one-on-one onboarding and training to help you get started with ease.

We offer two packages along with custom enterprise plans:

• The Procurement Automation solution is available for $518/month.

• The P2P package (including the AP automation suite) is available for $850/month.

Each package includes ten user seats (you can add more as you go), white-glove onboarding, training, and support.

There are no commitments or contracts, so you can cancel or change plans anytime. However, we also offer a 20% discount for teams that opt for an annual rate.

In addition, we offer three add-on modules:

• Inventory management —Track real-time inventory across all offices and job sites so you know what materials you have available and what you need to source.

• Contract management — View all of your supplier contracts in one hub and receive notifications about renewals so you can renegotiate terms or opt-out.

• Expense reports — Generate expense reports from credit card spending, analyze charges, and manage reimbursements.

2. CoConstruct (+ Buildertrend)

CoConstruct and Buildertrend are sister brands offering comprehensive construction management software. (Note: This is not dedicated purchase order software.)

The brands work with specialty and commercial contractors, home builders, and remodelers.

• Buildertrend lets you manage new leads, build estimates, convert leads to projects, plan and execute on projects, and manage resources.

• CoConstruct focuses on financial management —you can create purchase orders and send them to trade partners, sync credit card expenses and consolidate project spending, store receipts, manage online payments, and report on project profitability.

Despite the robust toolset, CoConstruct purchase order management features are somewhat basic. You can’t connect with vendors to create a purchasing catalog, design PR forms, or automate approvals. Instead, the platform offers tools to manually build purchase orders, store POs in the system, and email POs to vendors.

These features let you centralize invoicing and supplier communications but don’t enable purchasing for others in your organization or save procurement teams significant time.

Those interested in purchase order software may find CoConstruct and Buildertrend’s solution doesn’t hit the mark. Not to mention, this comprehensive solution is a pricier option than ProcureDesk or dedicated purchase order software.

Notable Features

• Purchase order management — centralize POs, track PO variance & communicate with vendors

• Integrations with accounting systems to support invoice reconciliation
• Financial reports
• CRM to manage leads
• Estimating
• Staff scheduling
• Customer portals

Pricing

CoConstruct offers quotes per customer. You must contact their team for a quote.

3. Jonas Construction Software

Jonas Construction Software is another comprehensive solution that offers:

• Construction project management to manage scheduling, project costs, time tracking, construction change orders, and more.

• Service management to manage work orders, billing, preventative maintenance contracts, staff dispatching, and more.

• Purchase order management and AP automation. You can build purchase orders, send them to vendors, and track POs through fulfillment and receipt. Jonas Construction Software also offers inventory management to avoid purchasing unnecessary items. Then, the AP automation system lets you centralize invoices and automate matching.

This option is similar to CoConstruct above, which offers a vast feature set but somewhat limited procurement functionalities.

This software doesn’t allow managers to create catalogs for streamlined shopping. However, users can generate purchase orders from desktop or mobile, fill in the request details, and submit orders for review. They can also:

• Tag POs to construction projects for more accurate job costing.

• Track POs through approval, fulfillment, and delivery.

• Centralize receipts.

• Use automation to schedule POs for recurring purchases and schedule these to send when inventory is low.

Notable Features

• Purchase order & procurement management — build purchase orders with committed costs, create releases and track PO status, manage receipts, and verify order conditions
• Equipment management
• Inventory management
• Document management
• Financial reporting
• Accounts receivable & accounts payable management
• General Ledger & cash flow reports
• Payroll management
• Work order management
• Field service management
• Client portals
• Project scheduling
• Time tracking
• RFIs, submittals & transmittals

Pricing

Jonas Construction Software offers custom pricing per customer. To receive a quote, request a demo.

4. 4castplus

4castplus is another comprehensive project management solution for construction and contractors. The platform lets you:

• Create project budgets and forecast revenue.

• Build client estimates with all relevant project costs.

• Manage procurement processes — request quotes and manage bids, subcontract services, create catalogs and automate PO generation, and specify contractual elements of POs.

• Keep a real-time inventory.

• Monitor resources and their rates, employee hours, and job site costs.

• Oversee receiving — record received materials and subcontractor progress, and leverage preconfigured auto-receiving. Users can upload photos and packing slips and note mismatched quantities, conditions, returns, expediting information, and any other pertinent information. Then, managers can recognize these project costs.

• Automate invoice matching and integrate with accounting systems to issue payments.

• Manage customer billing.

• Access cash flow and profitability reports.

As you can see, the platform’s capabilities go far beyond purchase order management, which may be a pro or a con, depending on your requirements.

While 4castplus offers a few features to simplify the purchasing process for buyers, it doesn’t let managers create a convenient shopping hub where users can see approved vendors, easily add items to shopping carts, and submit carts for review with a few clicks.

Here, users still have to add items from a database or manually plug in line items and then specify details on taxes, freight, delivery, inventory, and expediting. So, it’s not like users can log in and easily place orders without some training and manual plug-and-play. (They also can’t build POs on the go.) So, you want to consider these potential downsides when comparing 4castplus to alternative PO management systems.

Notable Features

• Purchase order management
• Contract management
• Bid management
• Receiving & accruals
• Vendor invoice management
• Accounting integrations
• Cash flow planning & financial reporting
• Financial controls
• Budgeting & forecasting
• Estimating
• Change order management
• Progress measurements
• Jobsite cost tracking
• Resource and rate management
• Document management

Pricing

4castplus doesn’t share pricing on their site; they offer custom quotes per client.

5. Planyard

The last software on our list, Planyard, is quite the opposite of the tools above, with a very simple solution for purchase order management. It may be a nice option for teams upgrading from spreadsheets, but lacks many of the advanced tools we discussed with ProcureDesk and competitors above.

The platform is designed for project and procurement managers to:

• Establish budgets per project.

• Create purchase order templates for those involved in projects to submit via email. Planyard can instantly add purchase order terms to streamline this process.

• Track ongoing costs against budgets and ensure project profitability.

• Centralize invoicing and automatically match new vendor invoices with POs.

• Create approval flows to review invoices and ensure you’re issuing accurate vendor payments.

It also includes a reporting dashboard to track real-time budgets, measure revenue, and calculate profitability from work. They also offer mobile apps to support field teams.

Notable Features

• Purchase order management
• Bid management
• Contract management
• Change order management
• Budget management
• Progress reporting
• Invoice management
• Financial reporting & revenue forecasting
• Cash flow controls
• Accounting integrations
• Subcontractor & vendor billing management

Pricing

Planyard offers four packages but you need to opt for the Professional package ($79/month) to access purchase order management and budget tracking tools.

Here’s a look at their packages:

• A free plan to manage estimates and quote sending.

• The Essential package ($18/month) lets you create a project budget, upload vendor invoices, tag charges to projects, and analyze project spending.

• The Professional package ($79/month) provides access to purchase order management and budget tracking tools.

• The Ultimate package ($190/month) automates contractor and subcontractor quoting and provides tools to manage vendor payments.

Honorable Mentions

Tradogram, Precoro, Procurify, and Kissflow are also popular, highly-rated purchase order solutions.

Though they may not be construction management software — or specifically marketed toward this audience — they work with various industries and professionals, including contractors and construction companies. These are pure procurement management and P2P solutions — without the extra project management features.

You can read more about these names in our guide here — Best Procurement Software Solutions — but here’s a quick background on each:

• Tradogram: Tradogram is popular for small teams because it offers affordable pricing, supports hundreds of vendor integrations, and allows unlimited purchase orders.

• Precoro: Precoro is a modern, user-friendly P2P software with hundreds of features to create a managed shopping experience, centralize and control spending, and automate workflows.

• Procurify: Procurify is popular for mid-size and larger teams, specifically teams interested in providing personal spend cards for employees. This also has dozens of features to support and automate P2P workflows.

• Kissflow: Kissflow offers a comprehensive workflow automation tool with solutions for different business areas (including procurement). This low-code software is fully configurable and great for teams with complex purchase order processes or approval flows. Kissflow is typically used by enterprises that want a solution to cover multiple business areas and have the resources to expend on this more advanced tool.

FAQs

What’s the best software to manage purchase orders?

• ProcureDesk
• CoConstruct
• Jonas Construction
• Planyard
• 4castplus
• Tradogram
• Precoro
• Procurify
• Kissflow

What is a PO in construction?

In construction, a purchase order is a document outlining the goods or services, with pricing and quantities, that a buyer sends to a seller to procure the requested items.

How do I make a construction purchase order?

1. Determine exactly what materials, equipment, or services you need for your project.
   
   
2. Contact your suppliers and request a quote. Ensure you include all the essential details, like how much you need, how much you’re willing to pay, and when you need it.
   
   
3. Build the purchase order document outlining the requested goods or services. Fill in the supplier’s information, delivery address, and item details, including the quantity, unit price, and total amount.
   
   
4. Review purchase orders for accuracy.
   
   
5. Dispatch POs to vendors.

You can create a purchase order template to reuse with each order. Alternatively, you can use purchase order software to build orders that are automatically sent to vendors.

Get Started Today

See how we can tailor ProcureDesk to support your purchasing workflows, unify project-related spending, and help you improve project profitability.