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Purchase Order
PO-001
Buyer
Your business
Supplier
Client
| Item | Qty | Rate | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| — | 1 | $0.00 | $0.00 |
Free Purchase Order Generator
Create a purchase order with the items, quantities, prices and a delivery date. A PO number is what most suppliers need before they'll invoice you, and it makes reconciling the invoice afterwards straightforward.
Built by Slashit · Last updated 27 September 2026
What is the purchase order generator?
A purchase order is you ordering from a supplier in writing. It says what you want, how much of it, at what price, and when you need it — and it carries a PO number the supplier quotes back on their invoice. That number is the point. It lets you match an incoming invoice to something you actually agreed to buy, which is how businesses avoid paying for things nobody ordered. Note the direction: on a purchase order you are the buyer, so your details go in the 'from' section and the supplier goes in 'to'. This generator builds the document in your browser and downloads it as a PDF.
How our free purchase order generator works
Enter your business as the buyer
This is the opposite way round to an invoice. You are ordering, so your details come first.
Add the supplier
The business you are buying from, and their contact if you have one.
List what you are ordering
Item, quantity, unit price. Being specific here is what prevents the wrong thing arriving.
Add a PO number and a deliver-by date
Most suppliers need the PO number before they will invoice you.
Download the PDF and send it
Keep your copy. It is the document you will check the invoice against.
What can you use the purchase order generator for?
An invoice arrives for more than you expected
The PO is the document that settles it. It states the price you agreed, in writing, before the work.
A supplier needs approval before shipping
A PO is usually all they need. It shows the order is authorised.
You are buying on behalf of a client
The PO separates what you committed to from what the client has approved, which keeps your own accounts clean.
Ordering the same items regularly
Reuse the last PO, change the quantities and the number. A repeat order takes a minute.
Who uses our free purchase order generator?
Small businesses
Order stock or materials with a paper trail, so an unexpected invoice can be questioned.
Agencies
Commission a printer, a photographer or a freelancer with agreed deliverables and a fixed price.
Anyone with a supplier who requires a PO
Many larger suppliers will not process an order without one.
Office and operations managers
Keep spending visible and approvable before the money is committed.
Why use the purchase order generator?
Gives you a PO number
The reference that links your order, their invoice and your payment. Without it, reconciling is guesswork.
Fixes the price before delivery
A written order at an agreed price is your position if the invoice comes in higher.
Nothing is uploaded
Supplier names, prices and quantities stay on your device.
How a purchase order fits with the other documents
The same transaction seen from two sides.
| Stage | Who writes it | Document |
|---|---|---|
| Asking the price | Buyer asks, supplier answers | Quotation |
| Placing the order | Buyer | Purchase order |
| Asking for payment | Supplier | Invoice |
| Confirming payment | Supplier | Receipt |
Tips for getting the best results
Number POs in a single sequence
PO-001 onwards, no gaps. A missing number is a question you will have to answer at year end.
Be specific about the item
'Business cards' is not an order. '500 business cards, 400gsm matt, double-sided' is.
Put the delivery address in the notes
Obvious to you, not to the supplier — particularly if you are shipping to a client instead of yourself.
Send the PO before the work starts
A purchase order written after delivery is not a purchase order. It is a receipt with extra steps.
Frequently asked questions
What is a PO number?
A reference you assign to an order, which the supplier then quotes on their invoice. It is how you match an invoice to something you actually ordered.
Who issues a purchase order — the buyer or the seller?
The buyer. That is the difference from an invoice, and the reason the 'from' section on this generator is you.
Is a purchase order legally binding?
Once a supplier accepts it, a PO generally forms a contract to supply those items at those prices. That is why the quantities and prices should be exact.
Do small businesses need purchase orders?
Not for everything. They earn their keep the moment you have more than one person able to spend money, or a supplier whose invoices are hard to check.
What is the difference between a purchase order and an invoice?
A PO is a request to supply, written by the buyer before the goods arrive. An invoice is a request for payment, written by the supplier after.
Can I use this for services rather than goods?
Yes. Describe the service as a line item — a day rate with a quantity of days works well.
