Purchase order template

Free purchase order template: items, quantities, agreed prices, delivery date and address, with an authorized-by line. Download Excel or Word, or save a PDF.

Free generators

  • Ordered goods
  • Spare parts
  • Delivery to site

Preparation guide

A purchase order is the buyer's order to a supplier. It fixes the items, quantities, prices and delivery before anything ships, so the delivery and the supplier's invoice can be checked against it.

Deliverables and line items
Ordered goods, Spare parts, Delivery to site: state the quantity, unit and agreed price for each line, as the supplier quoted it.
Supplier and quotation
Name the supplier and quote the number of the quotation this order accepts, so each price can be traced to the offer.
Delivery
Give the delivery date, the address the goods go to, the shipping method and who receives them.
Scope to agree
Quote the supplier's quotation number, the unit of each item and the delivery window, so the delivery and invoice can be checked against the order.
  • Check the supplier's quotation number, the delivery date and address, and who approved the order.
  • Check that each quantity, unit and unit price matches the supplier's quotation.
  • Give the order a number of its own, so the supplier can quote it on the delivery note and the invoice.

  1. Match the quotation

    Example: take "Ordered goods" from the supplier's quotation and copy its quantity, unit price and specification exactly.

  2. Approve and send

    Confirm the delivery date and address for every line, including "Delivery to site", then sign the authorized-by line and send the order.

  3. Receive and reconcile

    When the goods arrive, check them against the order, then match the supplier's invoice to the order number before paying.

What the document must show

These details make a purchase order easier to approve and to file.

  • Your company name and address as the buyer
  • The supplier's name and address
  • Order number and date
  • Each item with quantity, unit price and amount
  • Delivery date, delivery address and shipping method
  • Payment terms and the total, with tax shown separately
  • Who authorized the order

The sales tax depends on where the work is supplied, so set the rate that applies to your customer before sending.

Official rate reference: US government: state and local taxes

Frequently asked questions

Purchase order template: what should it include?
Start with the line items this template already carries — Ordered goods, Spare parts, Delivery to site — and replace them with what you are ordering, as the supplier quoted it. Then check the required details above, especially the order number and the delivery date.
How is tax calculated on this template?
The sales tax depends on where the work is supplied, so set the rate that applies to your customer before sending. The editor keeps the net amount, the tax and the total apart, and recalculates all three when you change a quantity, a unit price or the country setting.
Is a purchase order the same as an invoice?
No. The buyer sends a purchase order to ask for goods or services at agreed prices; the supplier sends an invoice to ask for payment. Quote the order number on the invoice so the two can be matched.
Is this template free?
Yes. Editing and PDF export are free with an account; there is no payment step and no watermark on the document.
Can I download it as Excel, Word or PDF?
Yes. The spreadsheet and the Word file download straight from this page, and the spreadsheet keeps its formulas, so changing a quantity updates the tax and the total. For PDF, open the template and use Print / PDF.
Can I use it in another language or currency?
Yes. The document language can be set to any of 33 languages, and changing the country setting updates the currency, the date format and the tax rate.