How to make a purchase order in one minute
- Fill in Buyer (your business) and Vendor (the supplier). Add the Ship to block when goods go somewhere other than your billing address, such as a site or a warehouse.
- Check the PO number and Order date. Purchase orders run in their own PO- sequence, and the vendor will quote this number on the invoice.
- Set the Delivery date you need the goods by, and put delivery hours, access details or a contact name in Notes.
- Add line items with Description, Qty, Unit and Rate, matching the vendor's quote so the invoice can be checked against it. Add Tax lines and Shipping under Totals if the quote included them.
- State payment terms in Terms and conditions (Net 30 from receipt of goods, for example), turn on the Signature line for the authorised-by signature, then press Download PDF.
What to include on a purchase order
A purchase order is the buyer’s side of a transaction: it says what you want, from whom, at what price, delivered where and by when, and who approved the spend. The vendor works from it, and later the invoice is checked against it.
The heading and a PO number. The document is titled Purchase Order and carries a number from its own PO- sequence. That number is the thread that ties your order, the vendor’s delivery note and the vendor’s invoice together, so ask the vendor to quote it.
Buyer and vendor. Your business goes in Buyer, with a contact name and email so queries reach the right person. The supplier goes in Vendor. Saved clients work for vendors too, so a regular supplier autocompletes.
Ship to and delivery date. Ship to is a separate block because goods often go to a site, a warehouse or a customer rather than to your office. Delivery date is the date you need the goods by; delivery windows, access codes and a contact for the driver belong in Notes.
Items. One line per product, with Description, Qty, Unit (each, boxes, pallets) and Rate. Copy the vendor’s part numbers and unit prices from their quote so the invoice can be matched line by line. The Order total replaces Balance due, because nothing is owed until the vendor invoices.
Terms and conditions of purchase. Payment terms (Net 30 from receipt of goods and a correct invoice), acceptance of partial deliveries, return conditions and any reference to a framework agreement go in Terms and conditions.
Authorised by. Turn on the Signature line and it prints an authorised-by line for the person approving the purchase. On paper it is signed; as a PDF it records who raised the order.
Where a purchase order generator fits in the buying process
The purchase order is the first of three documents. The vendor ships with a delivery note, you check the delivery against the PO, and the vendor’s invoice is approved only when all three agree on quantities and prices. Keeping the same line descriptions across the three makes that check a matter of seconds.
Statuses in Recent documents follow that path: Draft while you are preparing it, Sent once it is with the vendor, and Paid when the vendor’s invoice has been settled, so the list shows which orders are still open. Set an order to Void if it is cancelled, and Duplicate it for a repeat purchase so the new order takes the next number.
If you are the seller and a customer sends you a purchase order, build it in the editor and choose Convert to invoice: the lines carry across, the invoice takes the next INV- number, and the customer’s PO number goes in the Reference / PO number field so their accounts team can match it. A purchase order is not an invoice, not a receipt and not a delivery note; it asks for goods, and each of the other documents answers a different question.
Your data stays on your device
Purchase orders, vendor details and delivery addresses stay in your browser's local database and are never uploaded. The PDF is generated in your browser by a small worker; nothing is uploaded, and there is no account to create. Drafts, clients and your business profile live in your browser's local storage (IndexedDB), and one button under "Your data" deletes all of it. To verify, open your browser's developer tools, watch the Network tab while you fill in and download a document, and note that no request carries your details. Read the privacy policy and how it works for the details.
Templates, currencies and PDF output
| Templates | Classic, Modern, Minimal, Compact, Ledger, Receipt (6 layouts; accent colour and logo are yours). Prefilled invoice and receipt templates by trade open in the same editor. |
|---|---|
| Currencies | 68 ISO currencies with the right symbol and decimals, for example USD, CAD, GBP, EUR, AUD, INR and JPY. Country presets also set the tax lines and ID labels. |
| Paper sizes | A4 and US Letter; page numbers on multi-page documents |
| Numbering | Sequential per type, default prefix PO-0001, editable |
| Output | PDF download (text stays selectable), print, or a prefilled email with the PDF attached by you; file name Purchase-Order-number-client.pdf |
Frequently asked questions
What is a purchase order and who issues it?
A purchase order is the buyer's written instruction to a supplier: these items, at these prices, delivered here by this date. The buyer issues it, the vendor accepts it by supplying the goods, and the vendor's invoice then quotes the PO number. Office managers, contractors buying materials and small businesses restocking all use them to keep spending approved and traceable.
What is the difference between a purchase order and an invoice?
A purchase order is sent by the buyer before goods are supplied and asks for them; an invoice is sent by the seller afterwards and asks for payment. The two should agree line by line, which is why the editor puts the same Description, Qty, Unit and Rate columns on both. If you receive a PO and need to bill against it, Convert to invoice carries the lines across.
How should I number purchase orders?
Use one continuous PO- sequence: PO-0001, PO-0002 and so on, never reused, so a vendor's invoice can always be traced to one order. The editor keeps a separate counter for purchase orders and warns if a number already exists in your history. Some businesses fold the year in, such as PO-2026-014; the prefix is editable.
Is a purchase order legally binding?
Often a purchase order accepted by the vendor forms a contract, but that depends on the wording, the vendor's terms and the law where you trade, so treat this as general background rather than advice. The practical protection is clarity: exact quantities, agreed prices, a delivery date, your conditions of purchase and an authorised-by signature.
Should a purchase order include tax?
Show the tax the vendor quoted so the Order total matches the invoice you expect. Add up to three Tax lines under Totals, or pick a country preset to load GST, HST, VAT or sales tax with the usual labels. If the vendor quoted prices inclusive of tax, switch on the tax-inclusive toggle. Check current rates with the vendor or your tax authority.
How do I send a purchase order to a vendor?
Download the PDF and attach it to an email, or press Email to open your mail app with the subject and a short message prepared. The file name includes the PO number and vendor, which helps their accounts team. Nothing is transmitted by this site; it only builds the file on your device.
Can I change a purchase order after sending it?
Yes. Open it from Recent documents, edit the lines or dates and download again, then tell the vendor which version stands. For a substantial change, Duplicate the order so the revision gets a new PO number and set the old one to Void, which keeps the audit trail clean.
Related
- Free invoice templates by trade, plus receipts and quotes
- Invoice requirements by country: what each preset changes
- Free invoice generator
- Free delivery note generator (packing slip)
- Free proforma invoice generator (pro forma)
- Purchase order template with vendor, ship-to block and PO number
- Commercial invoice template with HS codes, origin and incoterm
- Invoice generator USA: invoices with sales tax, in US dollars
Last updated 2026-09-27. Presets are starting points — confirm current rates and requirements with your tax authority. PDF engine: pdfmake (MIT); fonts: Inter and Noto Sans (SIL Open Font License).