Amazon is changing the format for Purchase Order (PO) numbers to increase the amount of unique numbers generated. PO numbers will still consist of eight characters, but instead of a letter at the beginning there will be a number, followed by six characters (letter and/or numbers) in the body of the PO number, finishing with a letter at the end.
The example they give is: Y1112844 could become 3T435V4Y or 5345622K.
As of January 15th, 2014, you will begin seeing POs that use the new format. To prepare for this change, Amazon asks you to ensure your systems are capable of handling the new PO number format. For example, if there are validation rules in place, these need to be updated to handle the new required format.
If you are using EDI, Amazon asks that you ensure your EDI data processing components and mappings can handle the new format. For example, if you have duplicate detection based on the PO number that follows certain rules, you must review your setup to ensure those rules can handle the new format. The PO number is also part of the EDI ORDERS file name (e.g. “ABCD1850.V2979576”) which will remain the same even after the new PO format is changed.
DCS understands that this new requirement may be an annoyance for your team so let us take care of it. With our PROMPT™ Remote Support service, DCS will make the changes in your system without disruption to your process, allowing you to focus your time and energy elsewhere.
Have you run into issues with changes in PO numbers before? How did you handle them?
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