Purchase order checklist: check quantities, delivery and invoice references
Prepare a worked purchase order, distinguish approval from payment, and match a partial delivery without approving the wrong quantity.
A purchase order should describe what the buyer authorized and give both sides a reference to use later. Use fictional order PO-208 to check the requested items, agreed price and delivery details before sending it to a supplier.
Make the authorization specific
The buyer orders six notebooks at USD 5 each, four mugs at USD 8 each and two desk mats at USD 14 each. The agreed goods total is USD 90. Tax and shipping are excluded from this arithmetic exercise.
| Item | Quantity | Unit price | Line total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Notebook NB-01 | 6 | USD 5.00 | USD 30.00 |
| Mug MG-02 | 4 | USD 8.00 | USD 32.00 |
| Desk mat DM-03 | 2 | USD 14.00 | USD 28.00 |
| Total | 12 units | — | USD 90.00 |
Identify the buyer, supplier and destination
Use the buyer’s actual business information as the issuing party and identify the supplier clearly. Confirm how your exported layout labels the receiving party before sending it. The delivery destination may differ from the buyer’s billing address.
The current editor has general address, Reference, Notes and Terms fields rather than a dedicated approval workflow or a separate ship-to form. Put a clearly labelled delivery destination and the authorized contact in Notes when needed; do not leave their roles ambiguous.
PO-208 — requested delivery: [agreed date]. Deliver to: [recipient and delivery address]. Please reference PO-208 on dispatch documents and the related invoice. Confirm any unavailable item, substitution or changed delivery date before dispatch. Buyer approval reference: [your internal approval reference].
Check a partial shipment against the order
If only three of the four mugs ship, the shipment contains eleven units and one mug remains outstanding. The goods value of that shipment at the original unit prices is USD 82: USD 30 + USD 24 + USD 28. The USD 90 order value and USD 82 shipped-goods value answer different questions.
This comparison does not decide when the supplier is entitled to invoice. Follow the agreement: some orders use advance payment or milestones. A quantity mismatch is a reason to investigate, not to invent a payment rule.
Match records before approving an invoice
Compare the PO, the available delivery evidence and the supplier’s invoice. Check quantities, unit prices, currency and references. If the invoice describes all four mugs as delivered but the delivery record shows three, ask for clarification and record the resolution.
A PO is not a receipt and does not prove that payment occurred. Keep approval, delivery and payment events distinguishable. Docuivo creates a document; it does not enforce purchasing limits or route approvals for you.
- Use an unused PO number from your register.
- Confirm the supplier and the actual ship-to address.
- Check item codes, pack sizes, quantities and prices.
- Document substitutions and partial shipments explicitly.
- Keep the original order and later approved changes.
This guide provides general educational information and is not legal, accounting, tax or financial advice. Requirements vary by country, industry and transaction. See how Docuivo tests its tools and calculations.