Purchase Order Template

Fill in a purchase order in your browser — your company, the vendor, shipping details and line items — and the totals calculate as you type. Print it, save it as a PDF from the print dialog, or download the line items as CSV.

What a purchase order is

A purchase order (PO) is a document a buyer sends to a supplier to order goods or services. It lists what is being bought, the quantities, agreed prices, delivery date and payment terms. When the supplier accepts it, the PO becomes the record of what was agreed. Later, the supplier's invoice references the PO number, and the buyer matches the PO, the delivery (packing slip or receiving record) and the invoice before paying — the “three-way match” that prevents paying for things that were not ordered or not received.

What to include on a purchase order

1. PO number — unique and sequential, so every order can be traced.
2. Date and required-by date.
3. Buyer details — company name, billing address and a contact for questions.
4. Vendor details — the supplier's legal name and address.
5. Ship-to address — if different from the billing address, with receiving hours or dock instructions.
6. Line items — item or SKU number, clear description, quantity, unit price and line amount.
7. Totals — subtotal, discount, tax, shipping and total.
8. Payment terms — such as Net 30, and any deposit.
9. Instructions — for example, “reference the PO number on all invoices”.
10. Authorisation — who approved the order.

How to use this purchase order maker

Enter your company details in the buyer box and the supplier's details in the vendor box. Add each item with its SKU or part number, description, quantity and unit price; the amount and totals update as you type. Set the tax rate if tax applies to your purchase, plus any shipping charge or discount. Then click “Print / save PDF” to produce a clean, one-page PO. In the print dialog choose your printer, or “Save as PDF” to email it. “Download CSV” exports the lines so you can paste them into a spreadsheet or purchase log.

Payment terms explained

Purchase order versus invoice

The PO comes first and is issued by the buyer; the invoice comes later and is issued by the seller. The PO says “we would like to buy this at this price”; the invoice says “you owe us this amount for what we delivered”. Matching the two catches mistakes such as wrong quantities or prices before money leaves the business. For small businesses that do not use purchasing software, a simple numbered PO and a spreadsheet log give much of the same control.

Worked example

An office manager orders 2 cases of printer paper at $42.50 and 3 toner cartridges at $68.00. The subtotal is $85.00 + $204.00 = $289.00. With 7% sales tax the tax is $20.23, and with $15.00 shipping the total is $324.23. The PO is numbered PO-2026-0015, requires delivery within two weeks and is sent to the supplier as a PDF. When the invoice arrives, it quotes PO-2026-0015, and the manager checks it against the PO and the packing slip before approving payment.

Good practice for small-business purchasing

• Keep PO numbers sequential and never reuse one, even for cancelled orders.
• Agree prices in writing before issuing the PO; attach the quote if you have one.
• Set an approval limit — for example, orders above a certain amount need a second signature.
• Record receipt of goods on a copy of the PO or packing slip, noting any shortages or damage.
• Pay against the invoice only after matching it to the PO and receipt.
• File or scan everything together for audits and tax records.

Tax on purchases

Whether sales tax applies depends on what you buy, where it ships, and whether your business is exempt or buying for resale. Suppliers usually calculate tax on their invoice. You can leave the tax rate at zero on the PO and let the invoice show the tax, or enter the expected rate to see the estimated total for budgeting. If you hold a resale or exemption certificate, provide it to the supplier before ordering.

Blanket and standing orders

If you buy the same items repeatedly from one supplier — cleaning supplies, packaging, printing — a blanket purchase order can cover a period such as a quarter or year with an agreed price list and a maximum total spend. Individual deliveries are then “released” against the blanket PO, each referencing the same PO number plus a release number. This reduces paperwork while keeping the price agreement and spending limit in writing. Record each release in your purchase log and check the running total against the blanket amount.