Create your purchase order

A purchase order generator gives small businesses and procurement teams a fast way to authorise a purchase in writing. Instead of emailing a supplier a loose list of items and hoping nothing gets lost, you fill in a structured form that names the buyer, the vendor, the items, the quantities, the agreed prices, and the delivery expectations — then download a clean PDF that travels with the order. This purchase order generator is built for operations managers, office admins, and small business owners who want a paper trail for every order without standing up full procurement software. Enter the buyer and vendor details, list the lines, set the tax, and the live preview updates with every change. No signup, no watermark, nothing to install — just a professional PO number you can quote on the phone in under a minute.

What is a purchase order?

A purchase order, usually shortened to PO, is a buyer's written instruction to a supplier to supply specified goods or services at specified prices, on specified terms. Once the supplier accepts the PO, it becomes a binding agreement that protects both sides — the buyer has committed to take and pay for the goods, and the supplier has committed to deliver them at the agreed price. POs are the backbone of organised procurement: they let the buying business control spending through approvals, they give the supplier clear instructions, and they create a reference number that ties the delivery, the receiving check, and the eventual invoice back to a single source of truth.

What to include on a purchase order

• Buyer details: The company placing the order, with billing and delivery addresses if they differ.
• Vendor details: The supplier the order is being placed with, including a contact name and email.
• PO number and date: A unique reference number that follows the order through delivery and invoicing, plus the order date.
• Order lines: A row for each item with description, quantity, unit price, and line total.
• Subtotal, tax, and order total: A clear breakdown so the supplier can verify the figures before accepting.
• Delivery details: Delivery address, expected date, and any packaging or handling instructions.
• Terms and notes: Payment terms, shipping method, special instructions, and any reference to a contract or quote the PO is based on.

How to create a purchase order online

1. Open the purchase order generator above and pick a template.
2. Enter your business details in the Buyer section.
3. Add the supplier's details in the Vendor section, with a contact name and email.
4. Fill in the PO number, order date, and expected delivery date.
5. Add a row for each item with description, quantity, and unit price.
6. Set the tax rate and review the calculated totals.
7. Add delivery instructions and any reference to a prior quote or contract.
8. Preview the live document, download the PDF, and send it through your usual purchasing process.

Purchase Order vs Invoice

A purchase order and an invoice travel in opposite directions in a transaction. A PO is issued by the buyer and sent to the supplier before the goods are supplied — it says "we want to buy this, at this price, by this date." An invoice is issued by the supplier and sent to the buyer after the goods are supplied — it says "here is what we delivered, here is what you owe, please pay by this date." A clean three-way match between PO, delivery note, and invoice is the foundation of good accounts payable — when all three agree, the buyer pays with confidence; when they do not, the discrepancy is investigated before any money moves. Treating the PO as the original reference number keeps the chain intact. To establish a clear, standardized document numbering sequence for all your orders and bills, use our invoice number generator.

Frequently asked questions