Purchasing is the organized acquisition of goods and services on behalf of the buying entity. Purchasing activities are needed to ensure that needed items are obtained in a timely manner and at a reasonable cost.

Purchasing is the formal process of buying goods and services. The purchasing process can vary from one organization to another, but there are some common key elements. The process usually starts with a demand or requirements – this could be for a physical part ( inventory) or a service.

Purchasing means procurement of goods and services from some external agencies. The object of purchase department is to arrange the supply of materials, spare parts and services or semi-finished goods, required by the organisation to produce the desired product, from some agency or source outside the organisation.