Purchase order number
A unique reference for this order. Ask the supplier to quote it on their delivery note and invoice so everything can be matched.
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Free Purchase Order Generator
Order From Your Suppliers in Writing
Create a purchase order with a unique PO number, supplier and buyer details, itemised quantities, agreed pricing, delivery information and payment terms — then download a PDF to send.
Your business
Supplier
Order details
Line items
Totals & notes
Order total: $0.00
Your business name
Purchase order
#PO-0001
Supplier
Client name
Order date
Sep 22, 2026
Deliver by
Oct 6, 2026
Terms
Net 30
Currency
USD
| Description | Qty | Rate | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| — | 1 | $0.00 | $0.00 |
- Subtotal
- $0.00
- Order total
- $0.00
Everything stays in your browser. Nothing is uploaded, and the PDF has no watermark.
Buyer to supplier
How a Purchase Order Works
The PO travels in the opposite direction to an invoice — you send it, the supplier fulfils it.
A purchase order is the buyer's written instruction to a supplier: these items, this quantity, this agreed price, delivered here by this date. Once the supplier accepts it, both sides are working from the same record instead of a phone call nobody wrote down.
The PO number is what holds the process together. It appears on the order, on the supplier's delivery note and on their invoice, which is how goods received get matched to what was ordered and to what is being billed.
What goes on the order
Purchase Order Essentials
Each field removes a question the supplier would otherwise have to ask.
Supplier information
The supplier's trading name and contact details, plus the account number or contact you usually order through.
Buyer information
Your business details and who to contact about the order — often different from the delivery address.
Products or services
Describe each item the way the supplier lists it, with the product code where one exists, so the wrong thing does not arrive.
Quantities and agreed pricing
The quantity ordered and the unit price already agreed. A price on the order is what makes an overcharge visible on the invoice.
Delivery information
Address, required date, and any access, timing or handling constraints at the receiving end.
Get the commercial terms down
Payment Terms on a Purchase Order
State the terms on the order rather than discovering them on the invoice.
- The payment period you have agreed, for example Net 30 from invoice date
- Any deposit or stage payment already arranged
- The currency the order is priced in
- Whether delivery, carriage or installation is included in the prices
- Who to invoice and where to send the invoice
- A request that the PO number appears on the invoice
Opposite directions
Purchase Order vs Invoice
Both list items and prices, but they are issued by different sides for different reasons.
Purchase order
- Issued by the buyer
- Commits to buying specific items
- Sets the agreed price before supply
- Carries the delivery requirement
- No payment is due yet
Invoice
- Issued by the supplier
- Requests payment for what was supplied
- References the PO number
- Carries a payment due date
- Checked against the order before payment
Supplying rather than buying? Raise an invoice.
Written for real orders
Purchase Order Examples
Four orders, each with the delivery and payment detail a supplier needs.
Trade supplies
Materials for a site start
- Concrete blocks, 100mm · 480 · 1.85
- Sand, bulk bag · 12 · 42.00
- Cement, 25kg · 40 · 6.20
Deliver to the site entrance, weekdays 7am–3pm. Quote PO-0417 on the invoice.
Office procurement
Hardware refresh for two hires
- Laptop, 14in, 16GB · 2 · 1,340.00
- Docking station · 2 · 195.00
- Monitor, 27in · 4 · 268.00
Delivery to reception by 30 Sep. Payment terms Net 30 from invoice date.
Hospitality
Weekly produce order
- Potatoes, 25kg sack · 6 · 18.50
- Mixed salad, 5kg case · 4 · 26.00
- Free-range eggs, tray of 30 · 10 · 9.40
Standing weekly delivery, Tuesday before 6am. Substitutions must be approved.
Services
Contracted design work
- Brand refresh, agreed fixed fee · 1 · 6,500.00
- Additional artwork, day rate · 4 · 620.00
Priced per accepted proposal. Invoice in two stages against this PO number.
Figures and references are illustrative only.
Avoid these
Common Purchase Order Mistakes
Ordering problems almost always trace back to something missing from the PO.
- 01
No PO number
Without a reference, nobody can match the delivery or the invoice back to the order.
- 02
Leaving prices off
An order with no agreed prices gives you nothing to check the supplier's invoice against.
- 03
Vague item descriptions
Use the supplier's own product names or codes, especially for sizes, grades and finishes.
- 04
No required delivery date
'As soon as possible' is not a date, and it is not something you can hold a supplier to.
- 05
Ordering verbally and confirming later
The written order should come first; a PO raised after delivery is a formality, not a control.
- 06
Not checking the invoice against the order
The whole point of a PO is the three-way match: order, delivery, invoice.
Questions
Purchase Order FAQs
How purchase orders work between a buyer and a supplier.
What is a purchase order?
A purchase order is a document the buyer sends to a supplier to order goods or services. It states exactly what is being ordered, in what quantity, at what agreed price and when it should arrive.
Who issues a purchase order — the buyer or the supplier?
The buyer issues it. The supplier then confirms or fulfils the order and invoices against the PO number.
What is the difference between a purchase order and an invoice?
A purchase order comes from the buyer and commits to a purchase. An invoice comes from the supplier and requests payment for what was supplied against that order.
How should PO numbers be structured?
Any consistent, unique sequence works. Many buyers use a prefix plus a running number, sometimes with the year or the department, so orders can be found quickly and never duplicated.
Does a purchase order need delivery details?
It should have them. A delivery address, required date and any access or timing constraints prevent the most common and most expensive supply mix-ups.
Should the supplier quote the PO number on their invoice?
Yes, and it is worth asking for explicitly on the order. Many accounts payable processes will not release payment for an invoice that cannot be matched to a purchase order.
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