Creating a Purchase Order

Purchases
Apr 11, 2026

A purchase order (PO) is a document you send to a vendor to formally request goods or services. It establishes what you're ordering, at what price, and when you expect delivery — before the goods arrive or the bill is issued.


How to Create a Purchase Order

  1. Go to Purchases → Purchase Orders
  2. Click New Purchase Order
  3. Fill in the details
  4. Click Save

Purchase Order Fields

Field Description
Vendor The supplier you're ordering from
PO Number Auto-incremented reference number
Reference Internal reference or project code
Order Date Date the PO is raised
Delivery Date Expected delivery date
Line Items What you're ordering — description, qty, unit, rate, tax, account
Ship To Delivery address if different from company address
Ship Via Shipping method (courier, freight, etc.)
Notes / Terms Any special instructions or terms for the vendor

Purchase Order Statuses

Status Meaning
Draft Not yet sent to vendor
Sent Submitted to vendor
Converted Converted to a bill after goods received
Expired Delivery date passed without conversion

Does a PO Affect My Accounts?

No. Purchase orders are non-posting documents. No accounting entries are created until you receive the goods and convert the PO to a bill.


Frequently Asked Questions

Do I have to use purchase orders?
No. You can create bills directly without a PO. POs are useful when you want a formal approval process or need a document trail before goods arrive.

Can I download a purchase order as a PDF?
Yes. Open the PO and click Download. The PDF includes your company logo and all order details.

What if the vendor sends a different quantity than ordered?
When converting to a bill, you can adjust the quantities to match what was actually received.

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