Let’s talk about purchase orders and managing your suppliers.
To run your small business, you require a specific good or service, so you contact your suppliers and explain your requirements. They offer it. You have to pay. The story ends here.
Sound too simple? It is. Yes, the procedure of acquiring items can be trickier than what was previously described. Payment problems, supply shortages, misunderstandings that result in improper shipments, and schedule delays can all occur.
But it’s not impossible to get services from reliable suppliers in a seamless, timely manner — it is possible, and using purchase orders can help.
What is a Purchase Order?
Purchase orders are certainly something you encounter every day as you manage company supplies. A purchase order, or PO, is a formal document that a customer delivers to a vendor to authorise a transaction. It includes crucial purchase-related details such as the order date, amount, price, terms of payment, and delivery date. Each PO has a specific reference number that is used for tracking and oversight.
Purchase orders are essential for getting your supplies, keeping track of your inventory, and getting paid. Therefore, one of the fundamental components of business transactions is a purchase order. They follow your financial transactions, from the purchase of supplies to the selling of finished goods. To put it simply, a purchase order is a crucial document for both the buyer and the seller that contains details regarding the transaction and can be used as a reference in case of disagreement or misunderstanding.
Purchase Order Benefits
A purchase order is very beneficial to businesses because it:
- Helps in tracking payments and orders
- Records the amounts paid to various vendors.
- Maintains records for auditing
- Manages references for future correspondence
Types of Purchase Orders
It is essential to remember that not all purchase orders are made equally. If you’ve seen one purchase order, you’ve probably seen them all by this time, but that’s just not the case. There are five different kinds of purchase orders, and each carries a different amount of information.
1. Standard Purchase Orders
The most popular and well-known purchase orders are standard ones. In this case, the buyer is aware of the specifics of the transaction and can specify the product or service they are purchasing, as well as the quantity, delivery date, and terms of payment.
For instance, a business that is low on printer cartridges might submit a normal purchase order because they are certain of the quantity and delivery date they require.
Depending on your requirements, standard purchase orders can be created for a variety of different purposes such as:
- To be provided with services
- Subcontracting
- Consignment
2. Planned Purchase Orders
By submitting a scheduled purchase order in advance, a buyer is projecting how much of the goods their business will require in the future. The item, price, and payment terms are known in this instance, but the quantity and delivery date are speculative and dependent on educated guesses.
For instance, the buyer in charge would determine how many printer cartridges they require with a more flexible delivery schedule if the same company that is running low on printer cartridges placed a scheduled purchase order.
3. Blanket Purchase Orders
When using a blanket purchase order, a buyer submits several orders simultaneously to bargain for lower prices.
For instance, a corporation would think about using a blanket purchase order to buy printer cartridges and paper if doing so would allow it to negotiate a cheaper price from a single supplier.
4. Contract Purchase Orders
The most formal type is a contract purchase order. In this instance, a contract specifying the terms of the sale is signed by the buyer and seller before the issuance of a purchase order that refers to the contract. The most comprehensive level of legal defence is provided by this kind of purchase order.
Using the example of printer supplies, these businesses would be bound by a contract purchase order agreement if they enter into a contract with their supplier defining the goods, quantity, pricing, and delivery schedule and then follow it up with a regular purchase order.
5. Digital Purchase Orders
A defined procedure for purchase orders can make the procurement process run smoothly and be advantageous to both buyers and sellers.
In Microsoft Excel or Open Office, a digital purchase order can be quickly created and shared. When you open a new spreadsheet, select More Templates, and type “invoice” into the search bar, you can access pre-existing templates.
The Difference between Invoices and Purchase Orders
Purchase orders are written by buyers, whereas invoices are written by sellers. When there are specified payment terms (net 30, net 60, FOB, etc.), sellers may send an invoice to collect payment. They may also send an invoice with a zero balance to indicate that payment has been received for the order.
Similar information, including a billing address and shipping address, can be found on both purchase orders and invoices. Invoices often include a reference to the purchase order number along with an invoice number to verify the relationship and correspondence between the two documents.
The fact that the order information and other technical details seen in the purchase order are typically absent from the invoice is a major difference.
Purchase Order Format Letter
Purchase order format in word, as well as excel, is accepted everywhere.
Even a sample or pre-existing purchase order template is available online for download. An Excel sheet or Word document can be used to create a simple PO format. The following fields are commonly found in a standard purchase order:
1. Header:
The document’s header section contains crucial information about the PO and your business. The following details are provided here:
- PO Number – It is a special number that is used to track the order.
- PO date – It is the day the purchase order is issued
- Customer Details – It includes the company name, registered address, and GST information for the buyer.
- Supplier ID – A Unique Vendor ID is assigned by the buyer to a specific vendor.
2. Vendor information:
This contains information about the vendor, such as company name, address, contact information, and GST information. To keep records for audits, certain specifics are necessary.
3. Delivery details:
Such as the time, location, and mode of delivery, are included in the delivery details section. If you want the products mailed, you must include the shipping address and any other necessary information.
4. Payment conditions:
It contains information on taxes, freight, discounts, credit terms, and other conditions. This data is a crucial component of the PO format as it aids in the creation of invoices and, if necessary, the resolution of future disputes.
5. Order details:
It contains information about the order, such as the SKU ID, the description of the good or service, the quantity needed, the cost per unit, and the date of delivery.
So, it provides an overview of the order, including the total cost, delivery charges, discounts, and taxes.
How does a Purchase Order work?
The purchase order procedure is rather simple. Before shortlisting a seller or vendor, you should make a list of the necessary items. Negotiating the purchase conditions and price with the vendor is the next stage. That is how a purchase order is made.
To better understand how a PO functions, let’s examine one from beginning to end, from creation to payment:
1. Buyer creates a PO
Firstly, the buyer must create a PO by entering the necessary data, such as the date, billing address, shipping address, amount, quantity, delivery date, approval by, and other pertinent data. Excel or Word can be used to create the PO format. Make sure it is concise and easy to comprehend for the seller.
2. The Buyer presents the PO for approval to the internal team
The buyer must share the prepared PO with the internal team to obtain the required permissions. The normal PO format used by organisations ensures accurate information and internal approvals. Additionally, having a common structure allows for flexibility for each order while saving time.
3. Sending the vendor a PO
The PO is prepared to be forwarded to the vendor once it has received internal approval. Sharing the PO with the seller and giving them a reasonable amount of time to approve it is a smart idea.
4. Seller examines and approves the PO
After receiving the PO format, the seller reviews it and determines whether or not they can fulfil it. A contract is created after the seller accepts the PO, making it enforceable. A copy of the authorised PO must be returned to the buyer by the seller as part of this process.
5. PO fulfilled
The PO must be fulfilled upon the seller’s confirmation. The shipping of the items to the buyer is the seller’s responsibility. A bill is also created by the vendor and delivered alongside the products or services. This invoice must be kept and handled by the buyer for accounting needs.
6. PO settled
Payment is made against the PO for goods and services at this step. You can close the PO once it has been paid for and preserve a record for reference in the future.
Conclusion
Although initially appearing difficult, creating purchase orders is essential for efficiently managing your company’s money. You can ensure that you record the necessary information about your business transactions by using the right PO format. Online PO templates make it simple to get your PO creation and maintenance process going.
FAQs
1. What do you mean by Purchase Order?
Ans: A purchase order, or PO, is a formal document that a customer delivers to a vendor to authorise a transaction. It includes crucial purchase-related details such as the order date, amount, price, terms of payment, and delivery date.
2. How many types of Purchase Orders are there?
Ans: There are 5 types of purchase orders:
- Standard Purchase Orders
- Planned Purchase Orders
- Blanket Purchase Orders
- Contract Purchase Orders
- Digital Purchase Orders
3. What is the meaning of a PO number?
Ans: It is a special number that is used to track the order.
