BuildWellFree Purchase Order Generator
Order materials in writing: list the items, the job and where to deliver, see the PO as you type, and download a PDF. Free, no account.
Everything stays in this browser. Nothing you type is sent to BuildWell.
How to use the free purchase order generator
The free purchase order generator puts a materials order in writing before the supplier pulls a single item. Add the vendor, a PO number, the delivery date and the job, then list each item with its quantity and quoted price. The preview updates as you type, and the PDF is ready to email to the counter. Below the tool: a worked example, what every purchase order needs, the mistakes behind short deliveries and billing disputes, and how a PO links your estimate to the supplier’s invoice.
- 1
Add your business
Enter your business name, the office address the supplier should bill, your phone and email, and your logo.
- 2
Add the vendor
Enter the supplier’s name and branch address, and the phone and email of whoever quoted the order.
- 3
Number it and set the delivery date
Give the order a PO number from your own series, the date you placed it, the date you need it on site, and the job it’s for.
- 4
List the items
Add a line for each item with the size, grade or product number, the quantity and the quoted unit price. Put delivery on its own line, and set the tax rate if you pay tax on materials.
- 5
Say where and how to deliver
Under ship-to and delivery, give the site address, where to drop the load, the hours and who to call. Then download the PDF and send it.
Who uses a purchase order
Anyone who buys materials on account, or for several jobs at once, gets more from a written order than a phone call. These trades use purchase orders most.
General contractors
Several jobs draw on the same supplier accounts. A PO per order, with the job on it, puts every supplier invoice on the right job’s costs.
General contractor software →Kitchen remodelers
Cabinets and appliances have long lead times and exact model numbers. A written order with the style, finish and sizes is what you hold the supplier to.
Kitchen remodeling software →Roofers
Shingles and underlayment are ordered by the bundle and the roll for a set day. The PO fixes the drop date and whether the load goes on the roof.
Roofing software →Flooring installers
Flooring for one room has to come from the same production run. Put the run or lot number on the order, with the extra for cuts and waste.
Flooring software →Plumbers
Fixtures and water heaters are often special orders. The PO records the exact model and finish the client chose, so no substitute turns up on install day.
Plumbing software →Landscapers
Plants, stone and soil come by the count, the pallet and the cubic yard, often in stages. A PO per load keeps the schedule and quantities straight.
Landscaping software →How to make a purchase order: an example
Here is a filled-in purchase order for framing and drywall materials on a kitchen remodel, made with the generator above. The builder, supplier, job and prices are invented for the example; your prices come from your own supplier’s quote.
- The job on every orderThe Job row ties the order to job 26-114, so the supplier’s invoice lands on the right job’s costs.
- Items a counter can pullEach line has the size, grade or sheet type, so nobody guesses between half-inch and five-eighths drywall.
- Quoted prices, with the quote numberThe unit prices match the supplier’s quote, and the terms name it. If the invoice comes in higher, the PO records the agreed price.
- Delivery as its own lineThe delivery charge is listed, so the total matches the supplier’s bill. The tax rate is an example; use yours.
- Where and when to drop itThe site, where the load goes, the hours and who to call: the details that prevent a wasted trip or drywall left in the rain.
Before you send it, check it has
- A unique PO number from your own series
- Your business and the vendor, with contacts
- The job the order is for
- Each item with its size, grade or product number
- Quantities, units and the quoted unit prices
- Delivery charge, tax and the order total
- The delivery date, ship-to address and site contact
- Who authorized the order
What goes into a strong purchase order
The parts every purchase order needs, and why each one matters to the supplier filling it and the office paying for it.
A PO number in its own series
Number orders apart from estimates and invoices, like PO-2318. The supplier copies it onto the delivery ticket and the invoice, so you can match all three.
Who’s buying and who’s selling
Your business as the buyer, with the address to bill, and the vendor with the branch and the person who took the order.
The job it’s for
A job on every order turns a stack of supplier invoices into job costs you can check against the estimate.
Items that can’t be mistaken
Size, grade, color, model or product number. “Drywall” isn’t an order; “1/2 in drywall, 4x8 sheet” is.
Quantities and units
Pieces, sheets, boxes, rolls or cubic yards. A missing unit is how forty boxes become forty pieces.
Agreed prices and a total
Unit prices from the supplier’s quote, delivery, tax if you pay it, and the total: your record of what you agreed to pay.
Delivery details
The date it’s needed, the site, where to drop the load, the site’s hours and who to call. Most delivery problems start with one of these missing.
Terms and authorization
Whether substitutions are allowed, that the PO number goes on the invoice, and who approved the order.
Common purchase order mistakes
And how to avoid them, so the document does its job the first time.
Ordering by phone only
A call leaves no record. When the wrong item arrives, it’s your memory against the counter’s.
No job on the order
Without a job on it, supplier invoices pile up with nothing to say where they belong, and your job costs become guesses.
Vague items
“Lumber for the deck” lets the yard choose the grade, length and treatment. Name the size, grade and count.
Leaving out delivery
If the PO doesn’t say when and where, the load comes when the truck is free and goes wherever the driver can reach.
Paying without checking
Match the supplier’s invoice to the PO and the delivery ticket before you pay. Short shipments and price changes hide easily.
Allowing silent substitutions
A different brand or model can change the job. Say on the PO that substitutions need your written approval.
Purchase Order templates you can create
The generator has 6 layouts and 12 colors. Here is the example above in three of them; pick yours in “Look” at the bottom of the form.
Features of the free purchase order generator
Live preview
The document redraws as you type, in the same layout BuildWell itself sends.
Your logo and colors
Upload a PNG, JPG, SVG or WebP up to 2 MB, and pick from 12 colors.
6 templates
Classic, Headline, Banner, Statement, Minimal and Letterhead.
Tax and discounts
Set a discount and a tax rate. The discount comes off before tax, and the totals are exact to the cent.
Private by default
What you type stays in this browser and is remembered on this device. Nothing is sent to BuildWell.
A PDF with no account
Download the PDF from your browser’s print dialog and send it however you like. No sign-up.
Tracking and follow-up in BuildWell
BuildWell doesn’t send purchase orders. It gives you the list to order from: when it prices an estimate, each material is matched to a real product at a store near the job, with a quantity and a link to where the price came from. You’re notified when the client accepts and signs on their phone, and then you can copy those lines into a purchase order and order exactly what you priced. How the client portal works.
- Opened, and how oftenSee when the client opens your estimate and how many times.
- Accepted or declinedGet notified when the client accepts and signs on their phone, or declines.
- PaidGet notified when the client pays an invoice, and see what’s still owed.
- Sent from your phoneText or email the link in your own words. Clients need no app or account.
- Estimate E-1042 sent by textMon 9:14 AM
- Opened by the client · viewed 3 timesMon 7:52 PM
- Accepted and signedTue 8:03 AM
- Deposit invoice sentTue 8:10 AM
- Deposit paid by bank transferWed 11:26 AM
Skip the typing. Let it price the job.
Describe the job by voice or photos. BuildWell lists the work, prices it for your area, gets it signed on the client’s phone, and turns it into the invoice.
- AI estimates priced for your area
- Estimates, invoices, clients and projects
- Clients sign on any phone
- Card and bank payments, no extra BuildWell fee
- iPhone, Android and the web
- AI estimates priced for your area
- Estimates, invoices, clients and projects
- Clients sign on any phone
- Card and bank payments, no extra BuildWell fee
- iPhone, Android and the web
Both plans include every feature and start with a 3-day free trial. Add a card to start; you’re not charged until the trial ends. Cancel anytime.
Purchase Order FAQ
01Is it really free, with no sign-up?
02What is a purchase order in construction?
03What’s the difference between a purchase order and an invoice?
04Should a purchase order include sales tax?
05Do I need a purchase order for small orders?
06What if the delivery is short or the wrong item arrives?
07Can I add my logo?
08How do I save it as a PDF?
09Will my details be here next time?
Free resources
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