Clients & FreelancingIntermediate
Purchase Order (PO)
PronunciationPUR-chiss OR-der
Definition
A Purchase Order (PO) is a formal, legally binding document issued by a client to a freelancer or vendor to authorize a specific purchase of services or goods. It outlines the agreed-upon scope, pricing, and delivery terms before the work begins.
Where you hear it
During contract negotiations, project onboarding, or when submitting an invoice for payment.
Examples
Please send me the PO number so I can reference it on my invoice.
The client requires a PO before they can approve the project budget.
Common mistake
Confusing a PO with an invoice; a PO is issued by the buyer to authorize the work, while an invoice is issued by the freelancer to request payment after the work is done.
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