According to people in this career, the main tasks are...
| Task | Importance |
|---|---|
| Track the status of requisitions, contracts, and orders. | 89% |
| Perform buying duties when necessary. | 88% |
| Prepare purchase orders and send copies to suppliers and to departments originating requests. | 87% |
| Calculate costs of orders, and charge or forward invoices to appropriate accounts. | 86% |
| Compare prices, specifications, and delivery dates to determine the best bid among potential suppliers. | 86% |
| Approve and pay bills. | 85% |
| Maintain knowledge of all organizational and governmental rules affecting purchases, and provide information about these rules to organization staff members and to vendors. | 84% |
| Determine if inventory quantities are sufficient for needs, ordering more materials when necessary. | 84% |
| Check shipments when they arrive to ensure that orders have been filled correctly and that goods meet specifications. | 84% |
| Contact suppliers to schedule or expedite deliveries and to resolve shortages, missed or late deliveries, and other problems. | 83% |
| Prepare, maintain, and review purchasing files, reports and price lists. | 83% |
| Review requisition orders to verify accuracy, terminology, and specifications. | 82% |
| Respond to customer and supplier inquiries about order status, changes, or cancellations. | 82% |
| Monitor in-house inventory movement and complete inventory transfer forms for bookkeeping purposes. | 80% |
| Compare suppliers' bills with bids and purchase orders to verify accuracy. | 79% |
| Locate suppliers, using sources such as catalogs and the internet, and interview them to gather information about products to be ordered. | 78% |
| Monitor contractor performance, recommending contract modifications when necessary. | 75% |
| Prepare invitation-of-bid forms, and mail forms to supplier firms or distribute forms for public posting. | 74% |
| Train and supervise subordinates and other staff. | 69% |
