In MYOB AccountRight, the Purchase Number is an internal system field used to identify each purchase transaction (e.g., PB000123). It is not the same as the Purchase Order Number.
How the Purchase Number Works in MYOB
MYOB auto-generates a Purchase Number if none is provided.
This field can be manually edited in MYOB or overridden via API.
MYOB requires this field — it cannot be left blank.
How Ocerra Handles the Purchase Number
Ocerra interacts with this field in two ways, depending on whether a Purchase Order (PO) is used in the invoice process:
✅ When a PO is used in Ocerra:
Ocerra overrides the default MYOB Purchase Number with the Ocerra PO number.
This helps maintain traceability between the PO and the bill in MYOB.
✅ When no PO is used:
Ocerra does not send a value for the Purchase Number.
In this case, MYOB will generate its own system number, as it normally does.
Common Confusion: Purchase Number vs PO Number
| Term | Where it's used | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Purchase Number | MYOB internal | Unique ID for each purchase; system-generated unless manually overridden |
| PO Number | From Ocerra (if used) | Purchase Order reference that may be copied into the Purchase Number field when pushing to MYOB via API |
Important: MYOB does not have a separate field to store an external PO number from Ocerra. That’s why Ocerra uses the Purchase Number field to insert the PO number, if available.
Why the PO Field in Ocerra Is Not for Manual Entry
The PO field in Ocerra is not a free-text field. It is specifically designed to work with existing Purchase Orders — either imported from MYOB or created in Ocerra.
Here’s how it works:
If a matching PO exists, Ocerra will auto-match it based on the PO number.
If not auto-matched, users can search and select the correct PO using this field.
The list is populated from POs already in the system — either from MYOB or created natively in Ocerra.
This field is strictly for linking invoices to actual POs. It cannot be used to enter internal references, notes, or any free-form text. Doing so would break the PO matching process.
If you need to add a custom reference unrelated to a PO, please contact us — we’re happy to explore other field options for this.