The PO-OE Trade Automation sub-module facilitates cross company transactions in purchase and sales processes. Posting a Purchase Order in the purchasing company for a particular entity defined as a vendor, automatically initiates a corresponding Sales Order in the selling company database where the purchasing company is defined as a customer. Similarly, a shipment transaction in the selling company automatically generates a purchase receipt in the purchasing company. Finally, an O/E invoice issued in the selling company results in a P/O invoice issued in the purchasing company.