# Purchase Orders

Purchase orders (POs) let you formalize material and service orders with vendors before the work is done or the materials are delivered. You can create a PO, generate a PDF, attach supporting documents, and send it to the vendor -- all from one place.

## How It Works

A purchase order is a document you send to a vendor that says "we are ordering these items at these prices." It locks in pricing, gives you a PO number to reference, and creates a record you can match against when the vendor bill arrives. This helps you verify that you are only paying for what you actually ordered.

When a vendor bill comes in, you can link it to the PO to confirm the amounts match and flag any discrepancies.

## Steps

### Creating a Purchase Order

1. Go to **Purchase Orders** and click **New Purchase Order**.
2. Select the **Vendor** you are ordering from.
3. Select the **Project** the order is for.
4. Add **Line Items**:
   * Enter a description, quantity, unit price, and cost code for each item or service.
   * The system calculates the line total and overall PO total.
5. Add any **Notes** or special instructions for the vendor.
6. Attach supporting documents if needed (specs, drawings, quotes).
7. Click **Save** to save a draft, or **Submit** to finalize the PO.

### Generating a PDF

1. Open a submitted **Purchase Order**.
2. Click **Download PDF**.
3. The PDF includes your company info, the vendor's info, all line items, totals, and any attachments you included.
4. Send the PDF to the vendor by email or print it.

### Matching a Vendor Bill to a PO

1. When you [import a vendor bill](/project-management/proforge-core/importing-vendor-bills.md), look for the **Purchase Order** field.
2. Select the PO number that matches the vendor's invoice.
3. The system compares the billed amounts to the PO amounts and flags any differences.

![create purchase order basics (step 1)](/files/YFkfn4YnLgQnIYaJIkja)

![purchase order list](/files/VCyEPRqJBRULj5Hbkfni)

## Related Pages

* [Importing Vendor Bills](/project-management/proforge-core/importing-vendor-bills.md) -- match bills to purchase orders
* [Cost Codes](/project-management/proforge-core/setting-up-a-project/cost-codes.md) -- assign PO line items to cost codes
* [Accounts Payable Report](/project-management/proforge-core/reports/accounts-payable.md) -- track PO and bill status


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