How do I have a supplier deliver straight to the event venue instead of my office?

Why there are two address fields

The address in the buyer block is who orders and pays, and where the invoice goes. The delivery address is where the goods are unloaded. For most orders they are the same place, which is why the delivery field is optional; left empty, delivery is understood to be to your address. For events they differ, and mixing them up means 200 chairs arriving at a third-floor office.

Example: a graduation dinner in a hotel ballroom

An event planner in Riyadh orders 200 chair covers at 12 riyals and 20 table lights at 60, with 250 shipping and a 15% tax rate as per the supplier's quote. Here is what the Purchase-order generator works out:

• Chair covers 2,400.00, lights 1,200.00, subtotal 3,600.00.
• With 250.00 shipping, tax is 577.50 and the total 4,427.50 SAR.

1. Under 'Your details (buyer)', enter your office as usual.
2. In 'Delivery address', write the ballroom, the hotel, the service or rear entrance, district and city, each on its own line.
3. In 'Delivery terms': 'Access via service entrance only, 8 to 11 am on setup day. On-site contact: Noura 0550000000'.
4. Set 'Requested delivery date' to the setup day.
5. Create the file and check that the 'Deliver to' box sits next to the terms box, under the buyer and supplier blocks.

Why the setup day, not the event day

Ask for the event day and the supplier might turn up that morning or that afternoon, with your team assembling while guests are at the door. The setup day leaves time to count pieces, spot a shortage and get a replacement before it matters. If the venue does not allow overnight storage, say so in the terms.

Details venues usually need

• The name of whoever booked the venue, since hotel security may ask.
• Whether a truck can stop at the service entrance, and where.
• Who signs for the delivery on site if you are not there.

The delivery address field holds 300 characters and the terms 500, so keep each line short. After the event, if pieces go back to the supplier or on to your store, list the cartons and their contents with the Packing-list generator so nothing goes astray at the end of the night.