Purchase order template
Tell a supplier exactly what you are buying, at what price and by when. Your PO number then ties their delivery note and invoice back to your order.
How purchase orders fit in
The buyer issues the purchase order; the supplier ships against it with a delivery note or packing slip, then sends an invoice quoting the PO number. Matching those three documents (the PO, the delivery record and the invoice) before paying is known as three-way matching, and it is the simplest control against paying for goods you never received.
From this page, Turn into: Delivery note or Packing slip copies the items across for your supplier or your own warehouse.
Questions
Who issues a purchase order, buyer or seller?
The buyer. The seller responds with a delivery and an invoice that references the PO number.
Is a purchase order a contract?
Once the supplier accepts it (in writing or by shipping), a PO commonly forms a binding contract on the terms it states.