A sales order (or order confirmation) is the document the seller sends back to a customer to acknowledge an order and confirm the details before fulfilling it. It is the mirror image of a purchase order: the buyer issues a PO, and you reply with a sales order quoting their PO number, the agreed items and prices, the ship-to address and the delivery date.
What to include on a sales order
- Your business details and a unique sales order number
- The customer and their billing address
- The ship-to address and the expected delivery date
- The customer’s PO number for cross-reference
- Itemised lines with agreed quantities and unit prices, tax and the order total
Sales order vs purchase order vs invoice
The purchase order is raised by the buyer to place the order. The sales order is your acknowledgement that you accept it and will supply on the stated terms. The invoice comes later, once the goods or services are delivered, to request payment. Keeping the same number thread across all three lets both sides match the paperwork. Create the matching invoice or packing slip from the same details with one click.