UK purchase orders need clean supplier, buyer, price, and VAT context. Everhour turns approved billable work into invoices later.
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Use this page when you need a UK purchase order that names the buyer, names the supplier, lists the goods or services, and sets the commercial terms before work starts or goods ship. A purchase order is a purchasing document, not the VAT invoice itself. It should still collect the details the finance team will need when the supplier sends the invoice.
Include a PO number, issue date, supplier name and address, buyer name and address, delivery or service details, item descriptions, quantities, unit prices, currency, VAT treatment if known, payment terms, and the person approving the purchase. A clean PO prevents the common three-way matching problem: the supplier invoice, purchase order, and receipt record all describe the same work in different ways.
The PO number is the anchor. Put it where the supplier will copy it onto the invoice, then keep line items specific enough for approval and reconciliation. A line such as "Website support, April 2026, 20 hours at £75 per hour" is easier to match than "consulting services." Add delivery dates, project codes, department names, and contact details when those fields determine who approves the later bill.
Payment terms also belong on the purchase order when the buyer and supplier agree them before invoicing. UK businesses can set their own payment terms. Without an agreed payment date, payment is due 30 days after the invoice or delivery or service date, and statutory late-payment interest for business-to-business transactions is 8% plus the Bank of England base rate unless a contract sets a different rate.
A UK purchase order should not pretend to be a VAT invoice, but it should help the supplier issue one correctly. VAT-registered businesses must charge VAT on taxable goods and services unless they are exempt, and VAT invoices must show the supplier's VAT number and display VAT separately. The current VAT registration threshold is £90,000 in taxable turnover, with voluntary registration allowed below that threshold.
Use VAT fields carefully. The UK standard VAT rate is 20% for most goods and services, the reduced rate is 5% for qualifying supplies, and zero-rated supplies are charged at 0% while still being accounted for on VAT invoices where applicable. If the later VAT invoice uses another currency, the total VAT chargeable must still be shown in sterling.
A one-off template is enough when you need a single purchase order, a simple supplier agreement, or a record for a low-volume buying process. It works best when the buyer manually checks the later invoice against the PO number, supplier details, line descriptions, price, VAT treatment, and payment terms before payment approval.
A managed workflow fits better when purchases connect to billable work, project budgets, expenses, and client invoicing. 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.
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No. A purchase order records the buyer's request before supply or payment. A VAT invoice is issued by the supplier and must include the required VAT invoice information where VAT applies, including the supplier's VAT number, VAT rate, VAT-exclusive amounts, and total VAT in sterling.
The supplier needs the buyer's legal name and address, PO number, delivery or service address, clear line descriptions, agreed prices, payment terms, and VAT treatment if already agreed. Limited company names should match formal records, and sole trader details should identify the trader and any business name used.
Include VAT rates when the buyer and supplier have agreed the treatment, especially for taxable supplies. The later VAT invoice controls the tax record, so the supplier still needs to apply the correct UK VAT treatment, such as 20% standard, 5% reduced, 0% zero rate, or exempt treatment where applicable.
Yes, a purchase order can state prices in a foreign currency if both parties accept that commercial term. The later UK VAT invoice may also show amounts in another currency, but the total VAT chargeable must be expressed in sterling.
Vague line items cause the most delay because approvers cannot match the invoice to the authorized purchase. Use specific descriptions, quantities, unit prices, service periods, project codes, and the PO number. The supplier should be able to copy the PO reference onto the invoice without asking for clarification.
Everhour Billing & Invoicing lets teams select uninvoiced time and expenses, preview the breakdown, and generate invoices from rates, billable time, and billable expenses while excluding non-billable work. Invoices can be exported to QuickBooks Online, Xero, or FreshBooks as drafts.
Everhour syncs exported invoice status, invoice number, issue date, and amount back into Everhour, so project and billing reports stay connected after the invoice moves into the accounting tool. Invoiced time is marked as invoiced to prevent accidental reuse.
Move beyond one-off purchasing documents when billable work repeats. Everhour connects tracked time, expenses, rates, invoice drafts, and accounting exports into one billing workflow.
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