Purchase

Overview

The Purchase module handles procurement from vendors and suppliers. NICE HMS splits purchases into two channels — Hospital (general supplies, equipment, services) and Pharmacy (medicines and pharmaceutical items) — each with their own voucher types.

Purchase Voucher Types

Type	Channel	Purpose
PURCHASE	Hospital	Buy supplies, equipment, services from a vendor
PURCHASE_P	Pharmacy	Buy medicines and pharmacy stock from a supplier
DEBIT_NOTE	Hospital	Return/reduction against a hospital purchase
DEBIT_NOTE_P	Pharmacy	Return/reduction against a pharmacy purchase

Creating a Purchase

Go to Admin Dashboard > Accounts.
Under Hospital or Pharmacy, click Purchase.
Fill in the purchase voucher:

Field	Required	Description
Date	Yes	Date of purchase
Vendor (Cr)	Yes	Credit side — the supplier/vendor account
Store/Expense (Dr)	Yes	Debit side — STORE or HOSPITAL account receiving the goods
Items	Yes	Items being purchased (from Item Management)
Quantity	Yes	Number of units purchased
Rate	Yes	Purchase cost per unit
Tax	Auto	GST applied based on item configuration
Amount	Auto	Calculated total

Click Submit to save the purchase voucher.

The purchase voucher debits the store/hospital account (goods received) and credits the vendor account (liability created).

Pharmacy Purchase (PURCHASE_P)

Pharmacy purchases use the same form but route through the Pharmacy channel:

Access from Accounts > Pharmacy > Purchase
Links to pharmacy inventory — purchased medicines appear in stock after the voucher is saved
Cost price from the purchase updates the item's purchase price for margin calculations

Debit Notes (Purchase Returns)

When goods are returned to a vendor or a purchase needs correction:

Go to Accounts > Hospital > Debit Note or Accounts > Pharmacy > Debit Note.
Select the original purchase to reference.
Enter return quantities and reasons.
Submit. The debit note reduces the vendor liability and adjusts stock accordingly.

Indent (Purchase Orders)

Before creating a purchase, you can raise an indent (purchase requisition):

Go to /admin/accounts/indent/create/indent.
List the items and quantities needed.
Submit the indent for approval.
Once approved, convert the indent into a purchase voucher.

Indents are internal requests — they don't create accounting entries until converted to a purchase.

Vendor Payments

After a purchase is recorded, pay the vendor:

Go to /admin/accounts/vendor-recive-pay/.
Select the vendor account and the purchase invoices to settle.
Choose payment method (CASH, BANK, DIGITAL).
Enter the amount and reference.
Submit. This creates a PAYMENT voucher that debits the vendor and credits the payment account.

Connection to Accounts Master

Purchase vouchers require these account types (configured in the Accounts Master):

Role	Account Type	Side
Supplier/Vendor	VENDOR	Cr (credit — money owed)
Goods receipt	STORE or HOSPITAL	Dr (debit — goods received)
Payment	CASH, BANK, or DIGITAL	Cr (credit — money paid out)

See Accounts Master for setting up vendor and store accounts.

Connection to Item Management

Items purchased must exist in Item Management with their:

Cost Price — purchase cost (updated when received)
Sale Price — selling price to patients
Tax configuration — GST rates
Unit — dispensing unit

See Item Management for adding items.

FAQ

Q: What is the difference between PURCHASE and PURCHASE_P? A: PURCHASE is for hospital-level purchases (equipment, general supplies). PURCHASE_P is specifically for pharmacy medicine purchases and integrates with pharmacy inventory.

Q: Can I edit a purchase voucher after submitting? A: Yes, until it is audited (Accepted). Once audited, contact support for corrections.

Q: How do I handle partial returns to a vendor? A: Create a DEBIT_NOTE for the returned portion. Original purchase stays intact; the debit note offsets the return.

Q: Does a purchase automatically update stock? A: Yes. Pharmacy purchases (PURCHASE_P) update medicine stock. Hospital purchases update store inventory if linked to a store account.

Q: How do I track what a vendor is owed? A: Run a VENDOR account ledger from the Accounts Master or check the vendor's balance in the audit page by filtering to PURCHASE and PAYMENT vouchers for that vendor.