Free Purchase Order Generator

Raise a proper purchase order in a minute: supplier, items, quantities, prices, delivery date and address, terms and an authorised-by line. Download as PDF and send it. Free, no signup, nothing leaves your browser.

Approving purchases on WhatsApp and typing POs from memory?

A free Make scenario can turn a purchase request from a form or Google Sheet into a numbered PO, ask the approver by email, and send the PO to the supplier once it is approved.

See how purchasing gets automated Start free on Make

Affiliate link: if you sign up to Make through it, The Gantry may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Purchases, receiving and supplier bills that never quite match? Book a free 20-minute systems review.

What goes on a purchase order

A PO number and date. Suppliers quote the PO number on their delivery order and invoice.
Your business details and the supplier's name and address
The delivery address and the date you need the goods
Item descriptions (ideally with the supplier's item codes), quantities and agreed prices
Subtotal, GST and total
Terms: payment terms, delivery terms, and what happens with short or damaged deliveries
Who authorised the purchase

Why bother with a PO

A PO fixes the price and quantity before the goods arrive. When the supplier's invoice comes in, it is checked against the PO and against what actually arrived before anyone pays. That check, three-way matching, is what stops a business paying for goods that never came or at a price nobody agreed. Without POs, the only record of what was ordered is a chat thread.

A simple PO process for a small business

Someone requests the purchase in a form, a sheet or a message.
The owner or a manager approves anything above an agreed amount.
The PO goes to the supplier with its number.
When the goods arrive, the receiver checks them against the PO and signs a goods received note.
The supplier's invoice is matched to the PO and the goods received note, then paid.

The whole chain, and where it usually breaks, is in procure to pay.

Questions

Is the purchase order generator free? Yes. No signup and no limit. Your details and recent POs are saved only in your own browser.

What is a PO number? A unique reference for each purchase order. Suppliers quote it on their delivery order and invoice so the documents can be matched. The generator suggests the next number after each download.

Should a purchase order include GST? If the supplier is GST-registered, their prices will be subject to GST. Choose "Add GST to prices" to show the total you expect to pay.

What is the difference between a purchase order and an invoice? The buyer issues the purchase order to place the order. The seller issues the invoice to ask for payment, ideally quoting the PO number.

The other free document makers

Invoice generator, Quotation generator, Receipt generator, Delivery order generator. Your business details and logo carry across all of them.