Blanket orders represent framework agreements with customers or suppliers for recurring deliveries over a period of time. Instead of creating a new order each time, you set up a blanket order once with agreed quantities and prices, then release individual orders from it as deliveries are needed.
Blanket orders do not post directly. They act as a master record from which you generate regular sales or purchase orders.
When to Use Blanket Orders
Use blanket orders when you have an ongoing arrangement with a fixed price and an expected total quantity, for example, a customer who orders 1,000 units over the course of a year and wants partial deliveries each month. They also apply on the purchasing side when you have a supply agreement with a vendor for a set volume at a negotiated price.
Creating a Blanket Sales Order
- Search for Blanket Sales Orders using
Alt + Q. - Select New to open a blank blanket order.
- In the Customer No. field, select the customer.
- Set the Order Date and, if applicable, the Starting Date and Ending Date fields to define the agreement period.
- Add lines in the Lines section. For each line, enter:
- Type: Item
- No.: the item number
- Quantity: the total agreed quantity for the agreement
- Unit Price: the agreed price
- Unit of Measure Code if different from the item default
- You can also set a Shipment Date on each line to indicate when the full quantity is expected to be delivered.
- Select Release from the ribbon to release the blanket order. This does not post anything, it marks the order as ready for use.
Creating a Blanket Purchase Order
- Search for Blanket Purchase Orders using
Alt + Q. - Select New.
- Enter the Buy-from Vendor No. and set the Order Date.
- Add lines with:
- Type: Item
- No.: the item number
- Quantity: the total agreed quantity
- Direct Unit Cost: the agreed purchase price
- Set Expected Receipt Date if needed.
Releasing a Partial Order from a Blanket Order
To create an actual sales or purchase order for a partial delivery:
- Open the blanket order you want to release from.
- In the Lines section, locate the item you want to ship or receive.
- In the Qty. to Ship field (sales) or Qty. to Receive field (purchase), enter the quantity for this delivery. This must be less than or equal to the remaining quantity.
- From the ribbon, select Create Order.
- Business Central generates a regular sales order or purchase order with the quantity you specified.
- Open the generated order from the Related menu or navigate to Sales Orders / Purchase Orders to find it. The order references the originating blanket order in the Blanket Order No. field.
- Process, ship, and invoice the order as normal.
Tracking Remaining Quantities
Business Central updates the blanket order automatically as you create and post orders from it.
On each line, the following fields track progress:
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| Quantity | Total agreed quantity on the blanket order |
| Qty. Released | Quantity transferred to orders so far |
| Qty. Shipped / Qty. Received | Quantity actually posted |
| Qty. to Ship / Qty. to Receive | Quantity set for the next release |
To review the individual orders linked to a blanket order, open the blanket order and select Related > Orders.
Closing a Blanket Order
Blanket orders do not close automatically. Once you have fulfilled the agreement, you can:
- Leave the blanket order open for reference.
- Manually set the status to Closed if that option is available in your version.
- Archive the blanket order using Archive Document from the ribbon to keep a historical copy.
If a customer cancels a blanket order before it is fully consumed, do not delete it. Archive or close it so the history remains intact.
Notes on Pricing
Prices set on blanket order lines take precedence over customer price lists when the generated order references the blanket order. Make sure the Unit Price or Direct Unit Cost on the blanket order lines reflects the agreed terms before releasing any orders.
If your prices are managed through Sales Price Lists or Purchase Price Lists, verify whether the blanket order price or the price list price applies in your configuration. In most setups, the price entered directly on the blanket order line is used for the generated order.
For an overview of how purchase pricing and vendor agreements work in Business Central, see How to Manage Vendor Contracts and Pricing in Business Central.