A purchase order PDF in a few minutes
This purchase order generator makes a PO as a PDF. You enter your company as the buyer, the vendor, where the goods should go, the PO number and dates, then one line per item with SKU, description, quantity and unit price. The preview shows the finished order while you type, with subtotal, discount, tax, shipping and total, and a signature line for the person who authorizes the order. The PDF is built in your browser with the same layout as the invoice generator.
Your company details, logo, ship-to address, payment terms and tax settings can stay in this browser for the next order. The vendor and the amounts are never stored. New PO counts the number up, so PO-1042 becomes PO-1043, and empties the vendor and the items.
What a purchase order is
A purchase order, as this tool makes it, is the buyer's written order: what to deliver, how many, at which price, where and by when, and on which payment terms. Its number gives both sides one reference for the delivery, the vendor's invoice and the payment.
For purchases by the US federal government, the Federal Acquisition Regulation spells out what an order means. FAR 13.004 says a quotation from a supplier is not an offer, so the government cannot accept it to form a contract. The order the government issues in response is the offer to buy, on the terms it states, and a contract forms when the supplier accepts it. The supplier can accept by telling the government, preferably in writing, or by delivering the supplies or performing the work. Until then, the government may withdraw, amend or cancel the order by written notice. Rules for private businesses differ by country and by contract, so ask a lawyer if the legal effect of your orders matters.
Purchase order vs quote, invoice and receipt
The four documents made by tools on this site each do a different job:
| Document | Made by | What it does |
|---|---|---|
| Price quote | Seller | States prices for the buyer, with a valid-until date |
| Purchase order | Buyer | Orders goods or services at those prices, with delivery date and address |
| Invoice | Seller | Asks for payment, with payment terms and a due date |
| Receipt | Seller | Confirms a payment that was received |
Put the vendor's quote number under Reference, and ask the vendor to show your PO number on its invoice. Then the quote, the order, the invoice and the receipt all point to each other.
How the totals work
Each line amount is quantity times unit price, rounded to the cent, as in the invoice generator. The discount is a percentage of the subtotal and comes off before tax. Tax is the rate times the discounted subtotal. Shipping is added after tax, unless you turn on Tax applies to shipping; then shipping is added first and taxed with the rest.
Example: an office orders 4 chairs (SKU CH-200) at $189.00 and 10 boxes of copy paper (SKU PP-10) at $42.50. That is $756.00 plus $425.00, a subtotal of $1,181.00. A 5% discount takes off $59.05. Sales tax at 7% on $1,121.95 is $78.54. Shipping of $35.00 makes a total of $1,235.49. With tax on shipping, the tax is $80.99 and the total $1,237.94.
Fields on the PDF
- Header: your logo, company, address, contact and tax ID on the left; PO number, PO date, payment terms, delivery date and reference on the right.
- Vendor and Ship to: side by side under the header. Same as my company copies your name and address into Ship to.
- Items: description with the SKU on its own line, quantity, unit price and amount.
- Totals, notes and signature: subtotal, discount, tax, shipping and total, then your notes and a line to sign with the authorized name under it.
Limits
- One tax rate per order. For items with different rates, add the tax into the prices and leave the rate empty.
- The PDF uses the standard Helvetica font. Letters outside Western European languages lose their accent or become "?".
- The PDF is not signed electronically. Print and sign it, or sign it in a PDF app.
- It is a PDF document, not a structured e-procurement or EDI order.
How to make a purchase order
- 1Enter your company details and add a logo if you have one. They stay on this device for next time.
- 2Add the vendor, the ship-to address, the PO number, the dates and the payment terms.
- 3Add one line per item with SKU, description, quantity and unit price, then the discount, tax and shipping.
- 4Check the preview, add the authorized name and download the PDF.
Sources
Related guides
- How to Calculate Sales Tax
- EU Reverse Charge VAT: How to Invoice B2B Clients in the EU
- How to Price Freelance Work: Hourly, Day or Fixed Price
Frequently asked questions
Is the purchase order generator free?
Yes. No account, no watermark and no limit. The PDF is made in your browser, so nothing about your company, your vendor or your order is stored on our side.
Who sends a purchase order?
The buyer. You fill in your company as the buyer, the vendor you order from, where the goods should go and what you want at which price, then send the PDF to the vendor. In the header of the PDF your company comes first, the vendor is listed under Vendor and the delivery address under Ship to.
Is a purchase order a contract?
That depends on the law that applies and on the terms. For purchases by the US federal government, FAR 13.004 says a quotation is not an offer; the order the government issues is the offer, and a contract forms when the supplier accepts it, for example by delivering. For your own business, ask a lawyer if the legal effect matters.
Can I add shipping without tax?
Yes. Type the shipping cost in the Shipping field. By default it is added after tax. Turn on Tax applies to shipping when your tax rate covers shipping too; the tax is then worked out on the discounted subtotal plus shipping.
Can I call the tax VAT or GST?
Yes. Type any name in the Tax name field or pick Sales tax, VAT or GST from the suggestions. The PDF prints that name with the rate, for example VAT (20%). The name starts from your currency, and the currency follows the currency picker in the site header.
Where are my details saved?
Only in this browser, and only your own company details: name, address, contact, tax ID, logo, ship-to address, payment terms, tax settings, the name under Authorized by and the last PO number. The vendor, the items and the amounts are never stored. Turn off the remember switch or press Clear to remove what is stored.
Why do some characters look different in the PDF?
The PDF uses the standard Helvetica font, which covers English and Western European languages. Letters outside that set lose their accent, emoji are left out, and other scripts like Cyrillic, Greek or Chinese become "?".