diff --git a/views/purchase_orders/edit.ctp b/views/purchase_orders/edit.ctp
index f0253808..3a747854 100644
--- a/views/purchase_orders/edit.ctp
+++ b/views/purchase_orders/edit.ctp
@@ -4,37 +4,75 @@
     <fieldset>
         <legend><?php __('Edit PurchaseOrder');?></legend>
 
+
+
+	<?php
+	//format the mySQL date in the nice readable format.
+	if($this->data['PurchaseOrder']['issue_date'] != '0000-00-00') {
+	    $issue_date = strtotime($this->data['PurchaseOrder']['issue_date']);
+	    $issue_date_readable = date('l j F Y', $issue_date );
+	}
+	else {
+	     $issue_date_readable = "";
+	}
+
+
+	if($this->data['PurchaseOrder']['dispatch_date'] != '0000-00-00') {
+	    $dispatch_date = strtotime($this->data['PurchaseOrder']['dispatch_date']);
+	    $dispatch_date_readable = date('l j F Y', $dispatch_date);
+
+	}
+	else {
+
+	    $dispatch_date_readable = "";
+
+	}
+
+	if($this->data['PurchaseOrder']['date_arrived'] != '0000-00-00') {
+	    $arrived_date = strtotime($this->data['PurchaseOrder']['date_arrived']);
+	    $arrived_date_readable = date('l j F Y', $arrived_date);
+
+	}
+	else {
+
+	    $arrived_date_readable = "";
+
+	}
+
+
+	?>
+
         <div class="input text">
             <label for="PurchaseOrderIssueDateDisplay">Issue Date</label>
-            <input id="PurchaseOrderIssueDateDisplay" type="text" value="" class="datePicker">
+            <input id="PurchaseOrderIssueDateDisplay" type="text" value="<?=$issue_date_readable?>" class="datePicker">
         </div>
 
         <div class="input text">
             <label for="PurchaseOrderDispatchDateDisplay">Dispatch Date</label>
-            <input id="PurchaseOrderDispatchDateDisplay" type="text" value="" class="datePicker">
+            <input id="PurchaseOrderDispatchDateDisplay" type="text" value="<?=$dispatch_date_readable?>" class="datePicker">
         </div>
 
         <div class="input text">
             <label for="PurchaseOrderDateArrivedDisplay">Arrived Date</label>
-            <input id="PurchaseOrderDateArrivedDisplay" type="text" value="" class="datePicker">
+            <input id="PurchaseOrderDateArrivedDisplay" type="text" value="<?=$arrived_date_readable?>" class="datePicker">
         </div>
 
 
-        <?php
-        echo $form->input('id');
-        echo $form->input('issue_date', array('type'=>'hidden'));
-        echo $form->input('dispatch_date', array('type'=>'hidden'));
-        echo $form->input('date_arrived', array('type'=>'hidden'));
-        echo $form->input('title', array('readonly'=>'readonly'));
-        echo $form->input('principle_id');
-        echo $form->input('principle_reference');
-        echo $form->input('document_id', array('value'=>0, 'type'=>'hidden'));
-        echo $form->input('Job', array('label'=>'Jobs in this PO',
-        'type'=>'select',
-        'multiple'=>'checkbox',
-        'options'=>$jobs,
-        'selected'=>$html->value('Job.Job')));
-        ?>
+	<?php
+	echo $form->input('id');
+	echo $form->input('issue_date', array('type'=>'hidden'));
+	echo $form->input('dispatch_date', array('type'=>'hidden'));
+	echo $form->input('date_arrived', array('type'=>'hidden'));
+	echo $form->input('title', array('readonly'=>'readonly'));
+	echo $form->input('principle_id');
+	echo $form->input('principle_reference');
+	echo $form->input('document_id', array('value'=>0, 'type'=>'hidden'));
+	echo $form->input('Job', array('label'=>'Jobs in this PO',
+	'type'=>'select',
+	'multiple'=>'checkbox',
+	'options'=>$jobs,
+	'selected'=>$html->value('Job.Job')));
+	?>
     </fieldset>
     <?php echo $form->end('Submit');?>
 </div>
@@ -50,3 +88,5 @@
         <li><?php echo $html->link(__('New Job', true), array('controller' => 'jobs', 'action' => 'add')); ?> </li>
     </ul>
 </div>
+
+<?php debug($this->data);?>