Purchase order template
Put an order to a supplier in writing before anything is supplied: the items, how many, the agreed prices, and when and where to deliver. Your copy is what the delivery and the bill get checked against.
- By Book Keeping Pros
- Sources checked 15 Oct 2026
A purchase order is the document a business sends a supplier to order goods or services. It names each item, the quantity wanted and the price agreed, and says where and by when the order should arrive. business.gov.au's tips for working well with suppliers include settling on one standard way of placing orders and avoiding orders that are rushed or changed. A numbered purchase order for each order, sent with enough time for the delivery date you ask for, is a simple way to do both.
Where you have a written contract with a supplier, business.gov.au suggests it should set out the goods or services to be supplied, the price and payment terms, timeframes and delivery terms, among other things. A purchase order then puts each individual order in writing. It also gives you something to check against: the goods when they arrive, and the supplier's bill when it comes in.
This one is a CSV file to open in a spreadsheet program. Sending an order doesn't put anything in your books by itself. When the cost reaches your books depends on your accounting method: business.gov.au explains that cash accounting records it once the bill is paid, while accrual accounting records it when the purchase takes place.
Download the template
The template as a CSV file, which opens in any spreadsheet program.
Download the CSV fileWhat's in the template
| Entry | Details | Quantity | Unit price (AUD) | Line total (AUD) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Order number | PO-1045 | |||
| Order date | 4 May 2026 | |||
| Supplier | Supplier A | |||
| Deliver to | Business address, rear loading bay | |||
| Deliver by | 11 May 2026 | |||
| Prices from | Supplier A quote Q-778, dated 28 Apr 2026 | |||
| Payment terms | 30 days from the bill date, as agreed with Supplier A | |||
| Item TB-200 | Pine board, sold per metre | 120 | 4.15 | 498.00 |
| Item TB-310 | Hardwood decking, sold per metre | 80 | 9.60 | 768.00 |
| Item FX-045 | Decking screws, box | 6 | 38.50 | 231.00 |
| Item FX-112 | Joist hangers, pack | 4 | 27.25 | 109.00 |
| Delivery | Delivery charge, as quoted | 1 | 45.00 | 45.00 |
| Order total | 1,651.00 |
Illustrative example only: these rows show the method and are not sourced data.
What goes in each column
- Entry: What the row holds: an order detail such as the order number or delivery date, an item by the supplier's code, or the order total.
- Details: The value of an order detail, or the item as the supplier describes it, with the unit it is sold in.
- Quantity: How many units of the item you are ordering.
- Unit price (AUD): The agreed price for one unit, from the supplier's quote or price list.
- Line total (AUD): The quantity multiplied by the unit price; the last row adds the line totals together.
How to use it
- Download the CSV file, open it in a spreadsheet program and fill in the order details at the top: a new order number, the date, the supplier, the delivery address and the date you need the goods by.
- Add a line for each item with the supplier's own code and description, so there is no doubt what you mean, and take each unit price from the quote or price list you agreed.
- Work out each line total as the quantity times the unit price, add the lines for the order total, and check the figures before the order goes out.
- Send the order to the supplier and keep a copy with your open orders until both the goods and the bill have arrived.
- When the delivery comes, compare it with the order and note anything short, damaged or extra. When the bill arrives, check its items, quantities and prices against the order and the delivery before it is approved for payment.
- If an order has to change after it is sent, issue a revised order under the same number, marked as revised, instead of altering the copy the supplier already has.
Related terms
Sources
- Suppliers
business.gov.au, Australian Government. Current at 16 October 2026, released 30 March 2026. Checked 16 October 2026.
© Commonwealth of Australia 2020, licensed under CC BY 3.0 AU. Licence: CC BY 3.0 AU.
- Choose between cash and accrual accounting
business.gov.au, Australian Government. Current at 15 October 2026, released 13 September 2024. Checked 15 October 2026.
© Commonwealth of Australia 2020, licensed under CC BY 3.0 AU. Licence: CC BY 3.0 AU.
Related guides
How to manage accounts payable
How to handle supplier bills from arrival to payment: check and approve each one, match it to the order and delivery, pay on time and reconcile statements.
How to manage inventory
How to manage stock from day to day: recording what comes in and goes out, setting reorder points, spotting slow-moving stock and counting between stocktakes.
How to reconcile accounts payable
How to reconcile accounts payable: agree the payables list with the ledger, check each supplier statement line by line and explain every difference.