Purchase order
Issue a clean PO.
Send suppliers a clear purchase order with quantities, references, and requested timing.
Create a clean purchase order with item quantities, agreed pricing, and a reference for the supplier.
Document parties
Document details
Line items
A purchase order is the document a buyer sends to a supplier to formally request goods or services at agreed quantities and prices. It is the buyer's commitment to purchase and becomes the reference both sides check the delivery and invoice against. This generator builds a clean purchase order PDF with supplier details, quantities, pricing, and references.
How a purchase order fits the buying cycle
The flow is usually quote, purchase order, delivery, then invoice. The buyer issues the PO to lock in what they are ordering and at what price; the supplier fulfils it and invoices against the PO number. Matching the invoice to the PO is how accounts payable confirms they are paying for exactly what was ordered.
A PO number threads through every later document — the packing slip, the invoice, and the payment — so the whole transaction can be reconciled at a glance.
What a purchase order should contain
Include the supplier's details, a unique PO number, the items with quantities and agreed unit prices, the delivery address, and the requested delivery date. Clear terms here prevent the supplier from shipping the wrong quantity or invoicing a different price.
For the buyer, the PO is also a budgeting and approval tool: it records the committed spend before the money goes out, which is why many companies require a PO before any purchase.
How to use it
- 1Enter the supplier's details and your delivery address.
- 2Give the purchase order a unique PO number.
- 3List each item with quantity and agreed unit price.
- 4Set the requested delivery date and any terms.
- 5Download the PO PDF and send it to the supplier.
- 6Match the supplier's invoice to this PO on delivery.
What to include for the US, Canada, the UK, and Australia
- A purchase order is a commercial document, not a tax invoice; tax is handled on the supplier's invoice.
- Matching invoices to purchase orders is a standard internal control that supports clean audits in every jurisdiction.
- Keep the PO on file to reconcile against the delivery and the invoice.
- For cross-border orders, the PO supports the later commercial invoice and customs paperwork.
This is general information, not legal or tax advice. Tax registration numbers, mandatory wording, and retention periods differ by country and by state or province — confirm the rules that apply to you before sending a document to a client.
Worked example
A café issues purchase order PO-2026-034 to a supplier for '20 kg coffee beans at $18' and '500 cups at $0.12', requesting delivery within seven days. The committed spend is $420.
The supplier ships against PO-2026-034, includes the number on the packing slip, and invoices referencing it. Accounts payable matches the invoice to the PO, confirms the quantities and prices agree, and approves payment.
FAQ
Who issues a purchase order, the buyer or the seller?
The buyer. The PO is the buyer's formal request and commitment to purchase; the seller responds by fulfilling it and invoicing against it.
How is a PO different from an invoice?
A PO is sent before the goods to request them; an invoice is sent after to request payment. The invoice references the PO so they can be matched.
Does a purchase order include tax?
It shows agreed prices; tax is usually finalised on the supplier's invoice. You can note expected tax, but the invoice is the tax document.
Why do companies require a PO?
It records committed spend before money leaves, enforces approval, and gives accounts payable a reference to match invoices against — a core financial control.
What number should a PO have?
A unique PO number that flows onto the packing slip, invoice, and payment so the whole transaction reconciles.
Is a purchase order legally binding?
A purchase order can form or contribute to a contract, but that depends on its terms, the supplier's acceptance, other agreements, conduct, and local law. Do not assume the generated document alone settles conflicting terms or proves acceptance.
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