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How to make a purchase order

By Diljit Ramachandran, founder of The Invoice Generator. Published Oct 26, 2026.

To make a purchase order, put your company and the supplier's details, a unique PO number and the date at the top, list each item with quantity and agreed price, add the delivery address, date and payment terms, get it approved and send it to the supplier.

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What are the steps?

  1. Add your company and the supplier, with contact details.
  2. Give the order a unique PO number and a date.
  3. List each item with quantity and agreed unit price.
  4. Add shipping, tax and the total.
  5. State the delivery address, delivery date and payment terms.
  6. Have the person who may spend that amount approve it, then send it.

What does a purchase order look like?

PO-2026-0412, dated 3 March. 20 units of part A at 8 each, 160. Delivery by 17 March to the main warehouse. Terms Net 30. Approved by the operations manager. Make a purchase order online and download the PDF, or start from the free template.

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Fill in three things and the tool opens with them already in place. Free, no signup.

What happens after you send it?

A purchase order (PO) is a buyer's written order to a supplier, stating what to buy, how many and at what price. The supplier delivers and sends an invoice quoting your PO number, which you match to the order before paying. See purchase order vs invoice and what a PO number is.

Questions

Who can create a purchase order?
Whoever your company authorizes to buy. Many firms limit the amount each person can approve.
Can I make a PO in Word or Excel?
Yes. See the Word purchase order template page for the steps.

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Drafted with AI assistance from public sources and our own tool, and published by Diljit Ramachandran. It has not been checked by an accountant. It is general information, not tax or legal advice. Rules differ by place; check with an accountant or your local tax office.