What You'll Do

  • Prepare purchase orders and send copies to suppliers and to departments originating requests.
  • Determine if inventory quantities are sufficient for needs, ordering more materials when necessary.
  • Respond to customer and supplier inquiries about order status, changes, or cancellations.
  • Perform buying duties when necessary.
  • Contact suppliers to schedule or expedite deliveries and to resolve shortages, missed or late deliveries, and other problems.
  • Review requisition orders to verify accuracy, terminology, and specifications.
  • Prepare, maintain, and review purchasing files, reports and price lists.
  • Compare prices, specifications, and delivery dates to determine the best bid among potential suppliers.
  • Track the status of requisitions, contracts, and orders.
  • Calculate costs of orders, and charge or forward invoices to appropriate accounts.

Essential Skills

Reading Comprehension 4.0/5
Speaking 4.0/5
Active Listening 3.88/5
Critical Thinking 3.75/5
Writing 3.62/5
Monitoring 3.62/5
Social Perceptiveness 3.62/5
Complex Problem Solving 3.5/5
Judgment and Decision Making 3.5/5
Active Learning 3.25/5
Coordination 3.12/5
Service Orientation 3.12/5

Career Fit Overview

Use this summary to sense whether the day to day rhythm and focus of this path line up with what energizes you.

Top passions

  • Organizer: Bringing order to data and processes satisfies you.
  • Leader: Taking charge and moving ideas forward motivates you.
  • Maker: Building and fixing energizes you. You like tangible results and practical tools.

Common styles

Dependability, Attention to Detail, Integrity, Cooperation, Initiative

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Key Abilities

This career demands strong capabilities in the following areas:

Oral Comprehension 4.0/5
Oral Expression 4.0/5
Written Comprehension 3.88/5
Near Vision 3.88/5
Written Expression 3.75/5
Information Ordering 3.75/5
Speech Clarity 3.62/5
Problem Sensitivity 3.5/5

Technologies & Tools

Autotask Electronic data interchange EDI software Enterprise resource planning ERP software IBM Maximo Asset Management Intuit QuickBooks Inventory tracking software Microsoft Access Microsoft Excel Microsoft Office software Microsoft Outlook Microsoft PowerPoint Microsoft SharePoint Microsoft Windows Microsoft Word Oracle Database Oracle JD Edwards EnterpriseOne Oracle PeopleSoft Radiant Systems CounterPoint SAP Business Objects SAP software

Work Environment & Style

Common Styles for This Career

  • Dependability (High importance: 4.74/5)
  • Attention to Detail (High importance: 4.57/5)
  • Integrity (High importance: 4.51/5)
  • Cooperation (High importance: 4.48/5)
  • Initiative (High importance: 4.35/5)

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How to Become One

Some previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience may be helpful but is usually not required. Training is often provided on the job.

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Also Known As

This career is known by many different job titles across industries. Here are all the variations:

Buyer Departmental Buyer Expeditor Film Replacement Orderer Procurement Agent Procurement Analyst Procurement Assistant Procurement Clerk Procurement Coordinator Procurement Officer Procurement Representative Procurement Specialist Procurement Technician Purchaser Purchasing Administrative Assistant Purchasing Administrator Assistant (Purchasing Admin Assistant) Purchasing Analyst Purchasing Assistant Purchasing Associate Purchasing Clerk Purchasing Coordinator Purchasing Department Clerk Purchasing Expeditor Purchasing Specialist Supply Coordinator Warehouse Clerk