> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.usebuddy.io/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Email Forwarding

> Automatically create orders from forwarded purchase orders

Email forwarding lets you create orders automatically by forwarding purchase order emails to Buddy. This saves time and reduces manual data entry.

## How It Works

1. You receive a PO via email from a customer
2. Forward the email to your Buddy address
3. Buddy reads the PO and creates a draft order
4. You review and approve the order

## Setting Up

<Steps>
  <Step title="Find Your Address">
    Go to **Settings → Integrations → Email** to find your unique forwarding address
  </Step>

  <Step title="Copy Address">
    Copy the address (format: `orders@your-org.usebuddy.io`)
  </Step>

  <Step title="Start Forwarding">
    Forward PO emails to this address
  </Step>
</Steps>

<Tip>
  Add your Buddy email to your contacts to quickly forward POs.
</Tip>

## What Gets Processed

### Supported Formats

| Format         | Description                     |
| -------------- | ------------------------------- |
| **PDF**        | Purchase order documents        |
| **Excel**      | .xlsx and .xls files            |
| **CSV**        | Comma-separated data files      |
| **Email Body** | Order details in the email text |

### What Buddy Extracts

From the PO, Buddy identifies:

* **Customer**: From sender email, company name, or PO header
* **Products**: From SKUs, product names, or descriptions
* **Quantities**: Order quantities for each item
* **PO Number**: The customer's reference number
* **Ship-to**: Delivery address if included

## After Forwarding

### What to Expect

Within a few minutes:

1. The email is processed
2. A draft order is created
3. The order appears in your Sales Orders queue
4. Items needing attention appear in Data Quality

### Review Process

<Steps>
  <Step title="Open the Order">
    Find the new order in **Sales Orders** (status: Draft)
  </Step>

  <Step title="Verify Customer">
    Confirm the customer was matched correctly
  </Step>

  <Step title="Check Products">
    Verify all products were matched correctly
  </Step>

  <Step title="Review Quantities">
    Confirm quantities match the original PO
  </Step>

  <Step title="Approve">
    Change status to **Confirmed** to process
  </Step>
</Steps>

### Handling Issues

If something doesn't match:

| Issue                | Solution                                  |
| -------------------- | ----------------------------------------- |
| Customer not matched | Select the correct customer from dropdown |
| Product not matched  | Search and select the correct product     |
| Wrong quantity       | Edit the quantity inline                  |
| Missing information  | Add manually before approving             |

Unmatched items create reviews in [Data Quality](/features/data-reviews).

## Best Practices

### For Better Matching

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Clean Customer Data" icon="users">
    Ensure customer emails in Buddy match how they send POs
  </Card>

  <Card title="Complete SKUs" icon="barcode">
    Add alternative SKUs and aliases to products
  </Card>

  <Card title="Consistent Formatting" icon="align-left">
    Ask customers to use consistent PO formats
  </Card>

  <Card title="Review Quickly" icon="clock">
    Process orders promptly while context is fresh
  </Card>
</CardGroup>

### Workflow Tips

1. **Set up email rules**: Create an email rule to automatically forward POs
2. **Dedicated inbox**: Consider a dedicated email for receiving POs
3. **Check daily**: Review your order queue at least once daily
4. **Train your team**: Ensure team members know how to review orders

## Sharing with Customers

You can give customers your Buddy email to send POs directly:

**Sample message:**

> "Please send purchase orders to [orders@yourcompany.usebuddy.io](mailto:orders@yourcompany.usebuddy.io) and we'll process them automatically."

<Note>
  Only share your forwarding address with trusted customers to avoid spam.
</Note>

## Troubleshooting

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="Email not processed">
    * Check you forwarded to the correct address
    * Verify the attachment isn't corrupted
    * Wait a few minutes for processing
    * Check spam filters aren't blocking forwarded emails
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Customer not recognized">
    * Add the customer's email to their profile
    * Check for typos in the customer name
    * The customer may need to be created first
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Products not matching">
    * Add alternative SKUs to your products
    * Check product names match what customers use
    * Review Data Quality for unmatched items
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Missing information">
    Some POs have incomplete data. You'll need to manually enter:

    * Ship-to address if not included
    * Specific product variants
    * Special instructions
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Duplicate orders">
    Buddy checks for duplicate PO numbers. If you forward the same PO twice, check if an order already exists with that PO number.
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>

## FAQ

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="Can customers email directly?">
    Yes! Share your Buddy email address with trusted customers. They can send POs directly without you forwarding.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="What if the PO format changes?">
    Buddy adapts to different formats. If a customer changes their PO layout, processing should still work. Check results carefully after format changes.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Is there a size limit?">
    Attachments up to 25MB are supported. Very large files may take longer to process.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Can I process handwritten POs?">
    PDF scans of handwritten POs have lower accuracy. Consider asking customers for typed or digital POs when possible.
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>