> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://hub.equipme.io/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://hub.equipme.io/dokumentation/procurement.md).

# The ordering process at a glance

An overview of the ordering process in equipme: from the Marketplace through order request and approval to the order and delivery.

In equipme, every procurement runs in four steps:

```
1. Marketplace          2. Approval               3. Order requests          4. Order & delivery
Choose,           ──►   Responsible         ──►   Purchaser orders     ──►   Supplier delivers,
configure,              people review             approved                    service becomes "Active"
assign service          and decide                items                       in the inventory
```

| Step                     | Who                                                                                                                          | Where                                                                                           |
| ------------------------ | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **1. Select and assign** | Purchaser, planner, manager or employee (self-service)                                                                       | [Marketplace](/dokumentation/procurement/marketplace.md)                                        |
| **2. Approve**           | Depending on the settings: supervisor, department manager, location manager, cost center manager, workflow, or automatically | [Approvals](/dokumentation/procurement/approvals.md)                                            |
| **3. Order**             | Purchaser, administrator, location manager                                                                                   | [Order requests](/dokumentation/procurement/order-requests-and-checkout.md)                     |
| **4. Track**             | everyone with read permission                                                                                                | [Orders](/dokumentation/procurement/orders.md), [Inventory](/dokumentation/assets/inventory.md) |

## What you should know

* **An order request is not yet an order.** Whatever you assign in the Marketplace ends up as an order request in the cart ("Order requests"). The order is only placed with **"Order with obligation to pay"**.
* **Approved does not mean ordered.** Approved items still have to be ordered in the order requests. Exception: in the "Automatic approval" mode, services with "Approve automatically" are ordered immediately (see [Configuring approvals](/dokumentation/procurement/approval-settings.md)).
* **Whether and by whom orders are approved** is defined by the administrator under [Configuring approvals](/dokumentation/procurement/approval-settings.md).
* **Changes to existing services** take the same route: cancellations, option changes, add-ons, exchanges and call-offs from the warehouse appear as order requests with the corresponding type.
* **Hosted customers** need an [order authorization](/dokumentation/getting-started/operating-models.md#ordering-permission-for-hosted-customers) from their provider.

## Who can do what?

| Action                          | Authorized                                                                                                                                                         |
| ------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |
| View the Marketplace and assign | Administrators, purchasers, planners, managers; employees in self-service (only released offers)                                                                   |
| Approve                         | The people responsible according to the approval type, as well as administrators                                                                                   |
| Order                           | Administrators, purchasers and location managers ("Location manager (purchaser)") for their locations. **Not:** planners, controllers, location managers (planner) |
| View orders                     | Roles with read permission on orders, e.g. controllers                                                                                                             |

## Read more

* [Marketplace](/dokumentation/procurement/marketplace.md)
* [Products, offers, options and add-ons](/dokumentation/procurement/marketplace/products-and-offers.md)
* [Templates in the Marketplace](/dokumentation/procurement/marketplace/ordering-templates.md)
* [Order requests and ordering](/dokumentation/procurement/order-requests-and-checkout.md)
* [Handling approvals](/dokumentation/procurement/approvals.md)
* [Configuring approvals](/dokumentation/procurement/approval-settings.md)
* [Tracking orders](/dokumentation/procurement/orders.md)
* [Stock, pre-order and call-off](/dokumentation/procurement/stock-pre-orders-and-call-offs.md)


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