Order from your suppliers with a clear, numbered purchase order: the vendor, ship-to address, each item with SKU, quantity and price, the delivery date, payment terms and a line for sign-off. Fill it in online and download PDF, Word or Excel. Free, no sign-up.
PROJECTCafé supplies restockPaper goods for November and a grinder part.
DESCRIPTIONQTYRATEAMOUNT
12 oz paper hot cupsSKU HC-12, case of 1,000
4 case62.00248.00
Hot cup lids, 12-20 ozSKU LD-1220, case of 1,000
4 case38.00152.00
Compostable napkinsSKU NP-500, case of 6,000
2 case45.0090.00
Commercial grinder burr setPart GB-64
1 each129.00129.00
DELIVERY AND TERMSShip to: Harbor & Pine Café, Receiving, 1205 S Congress Ave, Austin, TX 78704Payment terms: Net 30Shipping: Vendor truck, FOB destinationRequested by: Ana Ruiz, Manager
Subtotal$619.00
Order total$619.00
TERMSPlease confirm this order, the prices and the delivery date. Quote the PO number on your invoice, packing slip and all correspondence. Goods not matching this order may be returned.
Thank you for your business.Deliver to the back door, Monday to Friday, 7 am to 2 pm. Call on arrival.
Sample purchase order from a café to its supplier. Yours will show your business and vendor.
What is a purchase order?
A purchase order, or PO, is the document a business sends a supplier to order goods or services. It sets out exactly what you are buying, how many, at what price, where it should be delivered, by when and how you will pay. When the vendor accepts it, the PO becomes the agreement for that order. When the goods arrive, you check the delivery against the PO, and when the vendor's invoice comes in, you match it to the PO number before paying. That three-way match (order, delivery, invoice) is how businesses avoid paying for things they never ordered or never received.
Your business name, address and contact details (the buyer)
The vendor's company, contact and address
The ship-to name and address, if different from yours
Each item: description, SKU or part number, quantity, unit and unit price
Subtotal, tax, shipping and the order total
Payment terms (such as Net 30), shipping method, who requested it, and an authorization signature
How to create a purchase order
Open the purchase order maker. Your business is the buyer at the top; the vendor goes where a customer would on an invoice.
Give it a PO number. Use a simple series such as PO-1042. The maker counts up for you, so no number is used twice.
Add the vendor and ship-to address. The supplier's company, contact and address, then who receives the goods and where.
List each item. Description, SKU or part number, quantity, unit and the price you agreed. Totals and tax add up as you type.
Set delivery and terms. The date you need it by, payment terms such as Net 30, the shipping method, and who requested the order.
Authorize and send it. Download PDF, Word or Excel, sign the Authorized by line and email it to the vendor. Keep a copy to match against the delivery and the invoice.
Purchase order example
The sample above is Harbor & Pine Café's order PO-1042 to Lone Star Restaurant Supply: deliver by Oct 16, 2026, payment terms Net 30, requested by Ana Ruiz, Manager.
Item
Qty × unit price
Amount
12 oz paper hot cupsSKU HC-12, case of 1,000
4 case × $62.00
$248.00
Hot cup lids, 12-20 ozSKU LD-1220, case of 1,000
4 case × $38.00
$152.00
Compostable napkinsSKU NP-500, case of 6,000
2 case × $45.00
$90.00
Commercial grinder burr setPart GB-64
1 each × $129.00
$129.00
Order total
$619.00
Purchase order template in Excel, Word or PDF
Prefer a file you fill in yourself? Each one downloads blank, in any of the eight designs:
The Excel version adds up line amounts, tax and the order total with formulas, and opens in Google Sheets too.
Purchase order vs quote vs invoice
Quote
Purchase order
Invoice
Sent by
The vendor
The buyer
The vendor
Purpose
Offer a price
Place the order
Ask for payment
When
Before the order
Before delivery
After delivery
Key details
Price and how long it holds
Items, ship-to, deliver-by date, terms
Amount due, due date, PO number
On the selling side? Send a quote first, then an invoice that quotes your customer's PO number, or a proforma invoice if they need one before they pay. For a job your own crew will do, use a work order instead.
Questions about purchase orders
What is a purchase order?+
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, the agreed prices, where and when to deliver, and the payment terms. Once the vendor accepts it, it is a binding agreement for that order.
What should a purchase order include?+
A PO number, the order date, the buyer's and vendor's details, the ship-to address, each item with description, SKU, quantity and unit price, the subtotal, tax, shipping and order total, the delivery date, payment terms and an authorization signature.
What is the difference between a purchase order and an invoice?+
The buyer sends the purchase order before delivery, to place the order. The vendor sends the invoice after delivery, to ask for payment. The invoice should quote the PO number so the buyer can match the two and pay it.
What is the difference between a purchase order and a quote?+
A quote comes from the vendor and offers a price. A purchase order comes from the buyer and accepts it: it says what you are ordering at that price. Many buyers copy the quote number into the PO reference.
Is a purchase order legally binding?+
A purchase order becomes a binding contract once the vendor accepts it, in writing or by shipping the goods. Until then it is an offer to buy. Keep the accepted PO with the delivery note and the invoice.
Can I download a blank purchase order form?+
Yes. The Excel, Word and printable PDF purchase order templates download blank, with labelled lines for ship-to, payment terms and shipping. The Excel version adds up the totals with formulas.
Ready to send a purchase order?
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