Working Smarter with Purchase Orders

Monday, March 2, 2026

Working Smarter with Purchase Orders

Close, Cancel, and Connect

Close, Cancel, and Connect with the Right Team

As we move into the second half of the fiscal year, now is the time to review your open Purchase Orders (POs).

Good PO hygiene:

Reduces budget surprises
Prevents unnecessary carry-forward obligations
Minimizes last-minute cleanup in June

A few minutes now can save hours later.

If you manage POs, you’ve probably paused at some point and wondered:

Should I close this… or does it need to be cancelled?

They may look similar in Workday, but they are different actions — and choosing the right one keeps your budget reports accurate, helps you avoid fiscal year-end cleanup, and reduces rework.

Here’s what you need to know.

If the Work Is Complete: Close the PO

In most cases, you can close POs yourself.

You should close the PO when:

You’ve received the goods or services
All invoices are paid (or you’re not expecting additional invoices)
No further activity should occur on the order

When you close the PO:

The remaining Obligation comes off your ledger immediately.
The related Commitment tied to the Requisition will clear during Month End, when the Business Solutions Team closes open Requisitions.

What If Workday Won’t Let You Close It?

That’s your signal that something is still open. Most commonly:

A Match Exception (a discrepancy between the PO and invoice)
An invoice still in process
A Worktag issue (such as an inactive Worktag preventing payment)

Once those items are resolved, you can close the PO.

If the Order Should Not Move Forward: Request Cancellation

If the PO was created in error, is no longer needed, or the supplier cannot fulfill it, you cannot cancel it yourself.

Procurement processes cancellation requests submitted through AskFinance@virginia.edu.

Before submitting your request, make sure you have:

The Requisition Number (RQ-XXXXXXXXXX)
The Purchase Order Number (PO-XXXXXXX)
Written confirmation from the supplier confirming cancellation

Written confirmation is important. It protects you if the supplier later attempts to invoice against the cancelled PO — even months later. It also allows us to reference the original Salesforce case, demonstrating that the supplier was informed and acknowledged the cancellation.

The Rule of Thumb

If the purchase is finished → You close the PO
If the purchase should not proceed → You request cancellation through AskFinance@virginia.edu

If you’re unsure which situation applies, start by pulling up your PO using the Find Purchase Order report in Workday. Reviewing invoice activity, alerts, and errors will usually make the path forward clear.

Still have questions after reviewing your PO? Reach out to the Finance Solutions Center at AskFinance@virginia.edu — we’re here to help.

Monday, March 2, 2026