Traveling Purchase Requisitions/Bar Codes

Material needs are also communicated through a traveling purchase requisition—a form consisting of a label or bar code with information about whom the item is purchased from. This method is used primarily for very small companies that have not automated their purchasing or inventory management processes. Information on the card or the database entry associated with the bar code can include the following:

• Description of item

• List of approved suppliers

• Prices paid to suppliers

• Reorder point

• Record of usage

A traveling requisition can be helpful because it can conserve time when reordering routine materials and supplies. When stock levels reach a specified reorder point, an employee notifies purchasing by forwarding the traveling requisition maintained with the inventory, or by electronically scanning the bar code into the ordering system. The employee notes the current stock level and desired delivery date. To eliminate the need to research information, the traveling requisition includes information required by a buyer to process an order. This system saves time because it provides information for the item on the card (or in the database) that otherwise would require research by a buyer. For example, the traveling requisition can include a list of approved suppliers, prices, a history of usage and ordering, and leadtime information. Historical ordering information is noted directly on the record over a period of time. As inventory systems continue to become computerized (even at smaller companies), traveling requisitions are used less frequently. With an automated system, clerks simply enter the order requirement, and the system generates a purchase requisition or automatically places an order.