German purchase orders need clean supplier, VAT, delivery, and payment details. Everhour keeps later billing tied to approved work.
Fill in your details, add line items, hit Print when ready.
| Description | Qty | Rate | Tax | Amount |
|---|
The calculator gives you the number — Everhour takes it from there.
One click and you're timing. Start a timer, add an entry, edit the details. This is exactly how it feels in Everhour.
Set a budget, assign rates, and get alerted before you're over.
Measurement
Track your budget through time or costs
Every report you need — configured your way, always up to date.
Tracked hours flow straight into a polished invoice — no copy-paste, no manual math.
Use this page when you need a purchase order for a German supplier, customer, or internal approval flow. The document should identify the buyer, supplier, requested goods or services, delivery terms, price, VAT treatment, payment terms, and the person authorized to place the order. A purchase order is not the same as a German VAT invoice, but sloppy order data creates invoice corrections later.
For German transactions, align the purchase order with the invoice details the supplier will need after fulfillment. German VAT invoices under § 14 UStG require supplier and recipient full names and addresses, supplier tax number or VAT ID, issue date, unique invoice number, supply description, supply timing, taxable amounts, VAT rate, VAT amount or exemption note, and other case-specific notices.
Ask the supplier for the correct registration identifier before you send the order. A German VAT invoice must show either the supplier's Steuernummer issued by the tax office or the USt-IdNr. issued by the Federal Central Tax Office. Your purchase order should also show the buyer's legal name and billing address exactly as the supplier should use them.
Germany's VAT regime is Umsatzsteuer or Mehrwertsteuer. The standard VAT rate is 19%, and the reduced rate is 7% for specified categories of supplies. A purchase order should not guess the VAT category. List the agreed net price, the expected VAT treatment, and any exemption basis the supplier has confirmed, then let the final invoice reflect the performed supply.
Payment timing in Germany is mainly contractual, so write the due date or payment term directly on the purchase order. If no payment time is specified, performance may be demanded immediately. A debtor is in default at the latest 30 days after due date and invoice receipt, with different default interest rules for consumer and non-consumer transactions.
Include delivery dates, delivery location, buyer reference, contact person, currency, and approval notes. Foreign-currency amounts used to calculate German VAT and deductible input VAT must be converted into euros using the BMF monthly euro average rate unless the tax office permits daily-rate conversion supported by bank evidence or rate sheets. For cross-border orders, state the invoice currency clearly.
A one-off purchase order template is enough for a single supplier order, a small service request, or an internal approval record that needs clean commercial terms. It works best when the buyer already knows the supplier's legal name, registration details, agreed price, delivery date, and payment term. Keep a copy with the final invoice and proof of approval.
A managed workflow becomes necessary when billable time, expenses, approvals, and invoices need to stay connected. Everhour Billing & Invoicing converts tracked billable time and expenses into invoices, calculates invoice amounts from rates while excluding non-billable tasks, supports client settings and invoice customization, and exports invoices to QuickBooks Online, Xero, or FreshBooks with status sync back to Everhour.
This content is for general information only, may not be fully up to date, and is provided without any warranty or liability.
High Performer
G2
Summer 2026
Best Ease Of Use
Capterra
Summer 2026
Rated in the top time trackers across G2, Capterra, and TrustRadius — with consistent praise for ease of use, integrations, and support.
No. A purchase order records the buyer's request before supply, while a VAT invoice documents the taxable supply after it occurs. German VAT invoice rules under § 14 UStG require specific invoice identifiers, supplier and customer details, supply timing, taxable amounts, VAT rate, and VAT amount or exemption note.
The supplier should provide either its Steuernummer issued by the tax office or its USt-IdNr. issued by the Federal Central Tax Office. A German VAT invoice must show one of those identifiers, so collecting it at purchase order stage prevents invoice cleanup later.
Show the VAT treatment agreed with the supplier, but do not assign a rate without confirmation. Germany uses a 19% standard VAT rate and a 7% reduced rate for specified categories of supplies. The final invoice must show the correct VAT rate and VAT amount or an exemption note.
A simple PDF is treated as another type of invoice, not a German e-invoice. Since January 1, 2025, a German e-invoice must be issued, transmitted, and received in a structured electronic format that enables electronic processing, subject to the transition periods for issuers.
Use the payment term agreed with the supplier, such as payment within 14 or 30 days after invoice receipt. German civil law supplies fallback timing: if no payment time is specified, performance may be demanded immediately, and default generally occurs at the latest 30 days after due date and invoice receipt.
Everhour Billing & Invoicing lets teams select uninvoiced billable time and expenses, preview the breakdown, and generate invoices from rates while excluding non-billable tasks. It also supports client defaults for contacts, taxes, discounts, and payment terms, then exports invoices to QuickBooks Online, Xero, or FreshBooks.
Use the purchase order for the commitment, then let Everhour connect tracked billable time, expenses, rates, and invoice status into one billing workflow.
14-day free trial · No credit card · Cancel anytime
