What is the difference between a purchase order and an invoice?

A purchase order is issued by the buyer before the work: this is what we want, at this price, delivered here. An invoice is issued by the seller afterwards: this is what we supplied, now pay. The PO number is what links them.

Is a purchase order legally binding?

Once the supplier accepts it, a PO generally forms a contract on the terms it states — which is why the terms box matters and why the number should be unique. Treat that as orientation, not legal advice.

Purchase order

Import

Order

PO number Order date Required by

Reference Currency Document language

Buyer — you

Company name Email

Billing address

Tax / VAT number Phone

Logo — stays in your browser

Supplier

Supplier name Contact email

Address Supplier VAT / tax number

Deliver to Delivery address — leave empty to use your billing address Delivery contact

Items

Totals

Tax treatment

Tax label Rate %

Shipping / handling Discount agreed

Apply tax after the discount

Terms

Payment terms Delivery terms

Notes and conditions

Authorised by

Print signature line

This is what prints. Press Print and choose “Save as PDF” as the destination — the page is laid out for A4 and US Letter, and the interface is hidden on paper.

Raise a numbered PO with delivery details and terms, so your supplier’s invoice has something to match against.

A PO is the reference number that stops your own invoices from sitting unmatched in someone’s accounts payable queue. Issuing one takes a minute and saves a fortnight.

Nothing is uploaded

Every field stays in your browser. There is no endpoint here that accepts a document, which is the only version of that promise worth making. Close the tab and it is still on your machine; clear your site data and it is gone from everywhere.

It remembers, so the second one is quick

Your details and settings are kept locally. Next time, open the page, press New, and everything that does not change is already filled in.

Print, do not export

The PDF is made by your own browser’s print engine, not by a library on a server. What you see in the preview is the same element that prints — there is no second rendering to go wrong.

Questions

What is the difference between a purchase order and an invoice?: A purchase order is issued by the buyer before the work: this is what we want, at this price, delivered here. An invoice is issued by the seller afterwards: this is what we supplied, now pay. The PO number is what links them.
Is a purchase order legally binding?: Once the supplier accepts it, a PO generally forms a contract on the terms it states — which is why the terms box matters and why the number should be unique. Treat that as orientation, not legal advice.

Purchase order

Raise a numbered PO with delivery details and terms, so your supplier’s invoice has something to match against.

Nothing is uploaded

It remembers, so the second one is quick

Print, do not export

Questions

The other tools

Invoice

Timesheet

Expense report

Payment schedule