What is Purchase Order? | GEP (2024)

A purchase order (PO) is the official offer documenting the exact requirement of the buyer in terms of quality, quantity, performance, pricing and payment terms for the products or services. It is issued by buyers to their suppliers.

A purchase orderis the first official document created by the purchasing department to procure products. It is made after the purchase requisition is approved by the procurement department.

Each purchase order is given a unique number by the buyer. It includes details such as order date, shipping information, discount conditions, names of suppliers, description of goods, price per unit, and total quantity of items required.

The purchase order is not a contract until the supplier signs it. When the supplier receives a purchase order, they can accept or reject it. Once signed, the purchase order becomes an official contract which is legally binding for both parties. The supplier agrees to supply the items detailed in the purchase order, and the buyer agrees to pay the specified amount.

Benefits of Purchase Order

  • Buyers can keep track of goods ordered.
  • Buyers can avoid duplicate orders and save procurement costs.
  • They can quickly pay for procurement by matching invoices with POs.
  • Signed purchase orders become legally binding contracts.
  • Suppliers can manage their inventory better with purchase orders.

Electronic purchase orders expedite the procurement process, saving time for creating and sending purchase orders. E-procurement allows easier buying and selling of services. It can integrate with ERP solutions implemented by both buyers and sellers.

What is Purchase Order? | GEP (2024)

FAQs

What is purchase order short answer? ›

A purchase order is a legal document form used by a buyer and sent to a supplier for an order. A purchase order specifies items, quantities, prices, and credit terms for a purchase from the vendor. A PO becomes a legally binding contract when a vendor accepts the purchase order.

What is the response to a purchase order? ›

A sales order is sent as a response to a purchase order. Whenever a buyer wants to make a purchase, he'll send the supplier a purchase order. In return, the supplier will send a sales order, a similar document that confirms the price, quantity and other details about the sale.

What describes a purchase order? ›

A purchase order (PO) is a legal document sent by a buyer to their supplier. It demonstrates their commitment to pay for specific products and/or services from a seller, and establishes terms for payment. A PO communicates the buyer's needs to the seller, and establishes their expectations for the transaction.

What should I write in purchase order? ›

What Your Purchase Order Should Include
  1. Contact Information. The name, address, email, phone number and other contact information for both companies should be completed. ...
  2. PO Number. ...
  3. Item SKU. ...
  4. Item Description. ...
  5. Quantity. ...
  6. Price. ...
  7. Subtotals, Taxes and Totals. ...
  8. Payment Due Date.

What is a purchase order summary? ›

The Purchase Order Summary report lists items on purchase orders by location and either item name or purchase order number.

What is a purchase order example? ›

Example: A construction company needs to order construction materials. They would send a PPO to the supplier with the list of items and tentative date of delivery. Each time, the buyer can use the same PPO with any necessary adjustments.

How do you pass a purchase order? ›

Purchase order process flow
  1. Create a purchase order.
  2. Send out multiple requests for quotation(RFQ)
  3. Analyze and select a vendor.
  4. Negotiate contract and send PO.
  5. Receive goods/services.
  6. Receive and check invoice (3-Way Matching)
  7. Authorize invoice and pay the vendor.
  8. Record keeping.

How do I fill out a purchase order? ›

What is the purchase order form format?
  1. Header. Buyer and seller details, addresses, contacts, and a unique PO number.
  2. Date and delivery. Issue date and expected delivery date.
  3. Itemized list. Description, quantity, unit price, and total cost for each item.
  4. Payment terms. ...
  5. Shipping/billing. ...
  6. Signatures. ...
  7. Logo and branding.

What are the basics of a purchase order? ›

What is a Purchase Order? A purchase order is a commercial source document that is issued by a business' purchasing department when placing an order with its vendors or suppliers. The document indicates the details on the items that are to be purchased, such as the types of goods, quantity, and price.

What is a purchase order for dummies? ›

A purchase order is used by a buyer to place an order and is issued before delivery. An invoice is issued by a seller using invoicing software after an order is delivered. It defines the amount the buyer owes for the purchased goods and the date by which the buyer needs to pay.

What is a purchase order process? ›

The purchase order process consists of all the steps businesses take to create, approve, validate, manage, and track POs, from the moment a need is identified up to the point of delivery or sale.

What is PO and DO? ›

A purchase order (PO) is a commercial document and the first official offer issued by a buyer to a seller, indicating types, quantities, and agreed prices for products or services. DO generally stands for delivery order which is sent together with the products/goods.

How to write a simple PO? ›

How to create a Purchase Order
  1. Buyer details, such as name, billing address, and shipping address.
  2. Seller details, such as name and address.
  3. PO number.
  4. Order date and requested ship date.
  5. Payment method, such as cash, credit card, cheque, bank transfer, PayPal, etc.
Feb 1, 2024

What is the main purpose of a purchase order? ›

Purchase orders are an effective tool to document and track the incoming orders and expenses for different departments. This helps the purchasing and finance departments keep an eye on how much money is being spent, when, and what it's being spent on.

What is required on a purchase order? ›

Purchase orders are sent by the buyer to the vendor first, and they outline exactly what the order should contain and when it should arrive. It'll include things like quantity of items, detailed descriptions of the items, the price, date of purchase, and payment terms.

What is the short form of purchase orders? ›

A purchase order, often abbreviated to PO, is a commercial document issued by a buyer to a seller, indicating types, quantities, and agreed prices for products or services required.

What is the PO description? ›

A purchase order (PO) is the official offer documenting the exact requirement of the buyer in terms of quality, quantity, performance, pricing and payment terms for the products or services.

What is the best explanation for purchase order form? ›

A purchase order form is used as an official record and contractual agreement of the business transaction between buyer and supplier, and outlines key information of the order. It is important for record-keeping, auditing, and matching the PO to the invoice in order to issue payment.

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Article information

Author: Carlyn Walter

Last Updated:

Views: 5307

Rating: 5 / 5 (50 voted)

Reviews: 89% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Carlyn Walter

Birthday: 1996-01-03

Address: Suite 452 40815 Denyse Extensions, Sengermouth, OR 42374

Phone: +8501809515404

Job: Manufacturing Technician

Hobby: Table tennis, Archery, Vacation, Metal detecting, Yo-yoing, Crocheting, Creative writing

Introduction: My name is Carlyn Walter, I am a lively, glamorous, healthy, clean, powerful, calm, combative person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.