A Purchase Order Form is a commercial document and first official offer issued by a buyer to a seller indicating types, quantities, and agreed prices for products or services.
A Purchase Order Form is an official document used to request goods or services from a vendor. It is used to outline accurate purchase order information, including the purchase order number, purchase order date, material type, quantity, and unit cost. It serves as the official purchase request for both vendors and buyers, and it helps guarantee that buyers receive the correct item and quantity.
Before purchasing from a vendor, a buyer creates a Purchase Order Form to communicate purchase orders and details more accurately and quickly. It relieves both parties of any burden should purchase order quantities and purchase order items do not match.
Before sending a Purchase Order Form, make sure that all purchase order information is accurate and complete.
Date
Enter the date of purchase.
Vendor
Enter the name of the vendor.
Ship To
Enter the name of the individual or company to receive the purchase.
Shipping Method
Enter the shipping method.
Shipping Terms
Enter the shipping terms.
Delivery Date
Enter the date you want your order to be delivered.
Qty
Enter the quantity of the products you want to purchase.
Item #
Enter the item number of the products you want to purchase.
An item number is a unique number assigned to differentiate, categorize, and identify retail items.
Description
Enter descriptions of the products you want to purchase.
Job
Enter the job description of the product. For example, “Service.”
Unit Price
Enter the unit price of the products you want to purchase.
Line Total
To get the line total, multiply the product's unit price by the quantity. Then, enter the total.
Total Due
Add all the amounts listed on the Line Total column. Then, enter the total due.
Sales Tax
Enter the amount of sales tax.
Total
Subtract the amount of sales tax from the total due. Then, enter the total.
Authorized by
Enter the name of the individual from your company who will authorize the purchase order.
Date
Enter the date when your Purchase Order Form was authorized.
Purchase Order Form reminders:
1. Please send two copies of your invoice.
An invoice is a billing document that a vendor submits to a buyer for payment. It lists purchase order items, quantity, unit price, extended amount, and other purchase details. Ask the vendor to send you an invoice prior to purchasing his or her product. You may refuse to continue your purchase or pay for any purchase order items that are not correct or overpriced.
2. Enter this order in accordance with the prices, terms, delivery method, and specifications listed above.
Your Purchase Order Form contains the list of the products you want to purchase and suggestions or specifications on the delivery method. If the vendor accepts your Purchase Order, he or she is obligated to fulfill your requests.
3. Please notify us immediately if you are unable to ship as specified.
Although the vendor is obligated to fulfill your requests, there are instances that he or she cannot do them as specified.
4. Send all correspondence to:
Enter your contact information where the vendor may send correspondence regarding your purchase, including the issue on number 3.
Submit your completed and authorized Purchase Order form to the vendor for processing. Once received, the vendor may send you a purchase receipt confirming your purchase. If you have not received purchase confirmation within a few days, check with the vendor to confirm if he or she has received your purchase order.
If the vendor has already shipped the wrong purchase order items, you cannot reverse or cancel them. You can return them to the vendor, but there may be no refund, depending on whose fault it is.
To avoid this unfortunate case, double-check and verify the information on your Purchase Order form before sending it. If you already submitted it to the vendor and discovered an incorrect purchase order, contact the vendor as soon as possible to correct or modify it.
On the other hand, the vendor needs to check his or her inventory before shipment to ensure that the purchase order items are correct. The vendor also has the right to reject a Purchase Order Form that is not accurate, complete, and specific.
A Purchase Order Form can serve as a legal contract between you and the vendor. Thus, if anything is wrong with the purchased items, you or the vendor may use it to raise disputes or seek legal actions.
Purchase order items are products a buyer wants to purchase from a vendor. The purchase order items are presented with their quantity and price.
The primary goal of a Purchase Order Form is to give the vendor a written copy of a buyer's purchase order. A buyer may use it to communicate his or her expectations for the purchase, including what to purchase and how it must be delivered or handled.
In case of purchasing disputes, both parties may use a Purchase Order Form for negotiation or as evidence in court or arbitration proceedings. When a vendor accepts a buyer's Purchase Order Form, they enter into an enforceable legal contract. The vendor must comply with the purchase order and instructions. Otherwise, the buyer may forego the purchase.
A Purchase Order Form is essential for buyer-vendor communications. Any purchase order item missing information may delay purchase order processing. A Purchase Order Form helps avoid delays and purchase order mistakes as it contains purchase order basics that the buyer and the vendor have agreed upon.
In addition, most businesses or companies use a Purchase Order Form for record-keeping. It helps them organize purchase information, prepare purchase reports, and track purchase history. They use it to determine inventories and finances and for other accounting purposes.
Here are the four main types of purchase orders: