Purchase Order Generator

A purchase order (PO) is a formal document sent by a buyer to a vendor requesting the supply of specific goods or services. It details the items, quantities, agreed prices, and delivery terms, and serves as a legally binding contract once the vendor accepts it.

What Should a PO Include?

• PO number — A unique identifier for tracking and cross-referencing with invoices and shipments.
• Vendor and buyer details — Names, addresses, and contact information for both parties.
• Line items — A detailed list of products or services with descriptions, quantities, and unit prices.
• Dates — The PO issue date and the expected delivery or due date.
• Terms and conditions — Payment terms, shipping instructions, warranties, and any other agreed-upon conditions.

PO vs Invoice

A purchase order is created by the buyer before goods are delivered. It says “we want to buy these items at these prices.” An invoice, on the other hand, is created by the seller after goods are shipped. It says “you owe us this amount for what we delivered.” Together they form a paper trail: the PO authorizes the purchase and the invoice requests payment. Matching POs to invoices is a key part of accounts payable reconciliation.

How Nventory Helps

Nventory lets you create, track, and manage purchase orders directly from your inventory dashboard. When stock levels hit your reorder point, Nventory can auto-draft a PO pre-filled with the right vendor, quantities, and pricing — saving your team hours of manual data entry. Every PO is linked to incoming inventory so you always know what's on order and when it's arriving.