This guide explains what happens in Lookout after a supplier completes a job, including checkout notes, files, observations, care plan updates and supplier invoice matching.
Before you start
- You have purchase order read & write access permissions
- The Connected Care - Confirmation of delivery feature has been enabled for your organisation
- You have a purchase order already created for a relevant Member and supplier
Step-by-step instructions
Step 1: Navigate to the Purchase Order
- Log into your Lookout account.
- Click Purchase orders from the main menu, or alternatively, locate via Tickets.
- Use filters to help you locate your purchase order associated with the delivery.
Top tip: Purchase orders are accessible from Member rosters, Tickets, and the finance area also.
Step 2: Configure delivery options on the Purchase Order
When setting up or editing a purchase order, you can configure delivery-related options:
- Delivery address: Where the service will be delivered
- Delivery instructions: Any special instructions for the supplier
- Generate handover summary (Lookout Assist enabled): Optionally toggle this on if you want to add a generated summary of the Member’s care plan. The summary must be reviewed and approved before it will be visible to external workers.
- Checkout window: Set how many hours before and after the estimated delivery date where a third-party worker can check in or out of the service. Select between plus/minus 2 days, plus/minus 7 days or plus/minus 30 days.
- Publish checkout links automatically: Enable this to automatically publish checkout links to the supplier a set number of days before the delivery date (configurable from 0 to 30 days). If unchecked, links can be sent manually for each line item. You can change this option later, if needed.
- Check-in enabled: Toggle this on if you want the third-party worker to check in (record their arrival) before checking out. Workers will be prompted to check-in when they arrive at the Member’s location. Note that check-out is always required.
Step 3: Add Must-Dos, Should-Knows, and forms
On each purchase order line item, through Manage Checkout, you can now add:
- Must-do: Tasks the supplier worker must complete and respond to during checkout (including form responses)
- Should-know: Key context the worker should be aware of before arriving
- Supports attachments: Third-party workers will have the option to upload documents relevant to the must-dos
- Automatic must-dos: If you've configured service-level must-dos, these will be automatically applied to the line item based on the selected services
These mirror the same capabilities already available for visits.
On the purchase order line item, click the ellipsis, Manage checkout and Additional visit info to add these details.
Step 4: Send the checkout link
- On the purchase order line item, click the ellipsis and Manage checkout.
- Enter or confirm the supplier's email address.
- The supplier will receive an email with a secure link to check out.
The line item's status will change to Published.
Top tip: You can also resend the link or revoke it if needed.
Step 5: Track the delivery status
Each purchase order line item now shows a clear delivery status:
| Status | Meaning |
| Scheduled | The line item has been created and has been scheduled to be sent on the date displayed |
| Published | The link has been sent to the supplier email and published to the supplier portal |
| Access revoked | The link was revoked before checkout |
| Checked in | The supplier has checked in (if check-in is enabled) |
| Tracking link | A courier tracking link has been added |
| Completed | The supplier has confirmed delivery (checked out) |
| Cancelled | The service was cancelled |
Step 6: Review checkout notes and delivery details
Once a supplier completes their checkout, you'll see:
- Checkout notes: Free-text notes the supplier left about the delivery. These will be visible through Notebook (checkout notes) and within the purchase order under Checkout column.
- Location data: Where the checkout was completed (latitude, longitude, and accuracy)
- Actual delivery date: The confirmed date of delivery
- Must-do responses: How the supplier responded to each required task
- Observations: Any observations recorded during the delivery
Step 6: Provisional claim item
If auto-generate invoices is enabled, a supplier invoice record is automatically created when delivery is confirmed. This is called a provisional claim item within Lookout. A provisional claim item can be created when the service is completed, but it is held from the billing run until the supplier invoice is provided and matched.
- Scroll to the claim item area on the purchase order.
- Review confirmation of delivery details, including when completion was logged.
- Review the service price total and any available invoice status.
- Use the attachment or reference link to open the related checkout note, where available.
Step 7: Upload or match the supplier invoice
- When the supplier invoice is received, upload or match it according to your finance workflow.
- Confirm the invoice relates to the correct purchase order and line item.
- Check the invoice reference and supporting document where required.
Step 8: Use supplier invoices to monitor unmatched invoices
- From the main navigation menu, open Supplier invoices.
- Review completed jobs and invoices that still need to be matched.
- Use this list to follow up with suppliers before billing and claiming deadlines.
What happens next?
- Matched supplier invoices can proceed through your billing and claiming workflow.
- Unmatched invoices remain visible for follow-up.
- OCR functionality can still apply to invoice processing, where configured.
- The delivery information flows through to data exports, giving you full reporting capability
- Budget tracking is updated to reflect actual delivery dates and amounts
Troubleshooting
The supplier didn't receive their checkout link email
- Verify the supplier's email address is correct on the purchase order line
- Check whether the supplier contact has opted out of receiving checkout links by asking the supplier
- Try resending the checkout link from the purchase order line item
The supplier says they can't access the checkout link
- The link has a checkout window. It can only be used within the configured number of days before and after the scheduled delivery date.
- An initial fix may be updating the estimated delivery date, as this updates the checkout window
- Secondly, check whether the link was revoked
- Try resending the link
I need to cancel a delivery after the checkout link was sent
- You can cancel a purchase order line item at any point before it's completed
- You'll need to provide a cancellation note and a cancellation reason. These are the same reasons and custom reasons used for visits.
A provisional claim item was not created
- Check that third party invoicing is enabled in Finance settings.
- Confirm the purchase order line item is marked completed.
- Check whether the line item is excluded from claiming.
I need to edit the claim item
- Open the line item options and select Edit where available.
- Some fields are restricted after completion, such as unit price and delivery date.
- You may be able to update limited fields such as claiming code, service or specific time.
Want to learn more about Connect Care and its new features? Read our article.