purchase order

Meaning

An official document issued by a buyer committing to pay the seller for specific products or services to be delivered in the future. It is commonly abbreviated as PO. Once accepted by the seller, it becomes a legally binding contract.

Examples

• We need to raise a purchase order before we can buy the new software licenses.

  We need to raise a purchase order before we can buy the new software licenses.

• Could you please send us the purchase order number for this invoice?

  Could you please send us the purchase order number for this invoice?

• Our supplier won't ship the goods without an approved purchase order.

  Our supplier won't ship the goods without an approved purchase order.

• I am waiting for the finance department to sign off on the purchase order.

  I am waiting for the finance department to sign off on the purchase order.

• Please reference the purchase order on all future correspondence.

  Please reference the purchase order on all future correspondence.

Common Mistakes

• ✗ I need to make a purchase order.

  ✓ I need to raise a purchase order.

  In professional business English, collocations matter. We 'raise', 'create', 'issue', or 'generate' a purchase order, rather than 'make' it.

• ✗ We received a purchase order from our client to pay them.

  ✓ We received a purchase order from our client for the work.

  Clients send purchase orders to buy things from you, not to pay you directly. It is a request to buy, not a payment document.

Related Expressions

Practice

• Our accounting team won't release the funds without a valid ___.

  💡 Often abbreviated as PO

  Show answer

  purchase order

• Please make sure to write the ___ number on the top of the invoice.

  💡 The official document sent by the buyer to order goods

  Show answer

  purchase order