Purchase Order (PO) Format in India — Free Template & Guide

A purchase order (PO) is the buyer's formal, numbered offer to buy specific goods or services from a vendor at agreed quantities, prices and terms. Once the supplier accepts it, the PO becomes a binding contract — which is exactly why a clean, GST-compliant format matters. This free purchase order format is built for India: it carries the buyer and seller GSTIN, an HSN/SAC column for every line, and separate CGST / SGST / IGST fields so intra-state and inter-state supplies are taxed correctly.

What a compliant PO must contain

Indian buyers should treat the PO as the document that downstream paperwork ties back to — the GST invoice, the goods receipt note, and finally three-way matching before payment. A few fields are non-negotiable:

• PO number & date — a unique, sequential reference. Every invoice, GRN and payment quotes it.
• Buyer details + GSTIN — your registered name, billing address, ship-to address and 15-digit GSTIN.
• Supplier details + GSTIN — the vendor's legal name, address and GSTIN (or a note that they are unregistered/composition).
• Line items — description, HSN/SAC code, quantity, unit, rate and taxable value per row.
• Tax columns — CGST + SGST for intra-state supply, or IGST for inter-state. Show the rate and the amount.
• Terms — delivery date, delivery location, payment terms (e.g. Net 30), freight/packing, and warranty.
• Authorised signatory — name, designation and sign-off so the PO is a valid commitment.

Every field, explained

Header block

The header identifies the two parties and the document. Put your company name, logo, full billing address and GSTIN on the left, and the supplier's name, address and GSTIN on the right. The PO number and PO date sit at the top right; keep numbers sequential (e.g. PO/2026-27/0042) so they're easy to audit. If the ship-to address differs from the bill-to address, show both — this drives whether the supply is intra-state or inter-state.

Line-item table

Each row should carry a clear description, the HSN code (for goods) or SAC code (for services), quantity with its unit of measure, the rate per unit, and the taxable value (Qty × Rate, less any line discount). The HSN/SAC is what determines the GST slab, so getting it right avoids disputes and short-payment at invoicing.

CGST / SGST / IGST columns

This is the part most generic templates get wrong. When the supplier's place of supply is in the same state as the ship-to location, GST splits into CGST + SGST (e.g. 18% becomes 9% + 9%). When they are in different states, the full rate is charged as IGST (18%). Your PO format should have all three columns so a single template handles both cases — fill the two that apply and leave the third blank. Need to split a rate quickly? Use the free GST calculator.

Totals & terms

Below the table, sum the taxable value, total CGST, SGST and IGST, then the grand total (round off and show the rounding line if any). Spell out payment terms (advance %, Net 15/30/45), delivery date and place, freight/packing responsibility, warranty, and any penalty or liquidated damages clause. Finish with the authorised signatory.

How to use this PO format

1. Copy the structure above (description, HSN/SAC, qty, rate, taxable, CGST, SGST, IGST, amount) into a spreadsheet or your ERP.
2. Fill the header with both GSTINs and a unique, sequential PO number.
3. Add one row per item with its correct HSN/SAC code and rate.
4. Decide intra-state vs inter-state from the ship-to state, then fill CGST+SGST or IGST — never both.
5. State delivery date, place and payment terms; get it signed; and send it to the vendor for acceptance.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Missing or wrong GSTIN — without a valid supplier GSTIN you can't claim input tax credit.
• Charging CGST/SGST and IGST together — it's one or the other, set by place of supply.
• No HSN/SAC code — leads to the wrong tax slab and invoice rejection.
• Reusing PO numbers — breaks audit trails and confuses three-way matching.
• Vague descriptions — "misc material" makes GRN verification impossible; be specific with grade and spec.
• No delivery date or payment terms — leaves both sides exposed when something slips.

Generate POs automatically in Procupy

Filling this format by hand for every order is exactly the busywork that slows buying teams down. Procupy converts an approved purchase requisition — or the winning bid from a reverse auction — into a GST-correct PO in one click: GSTINs, HSN/SAC and CGST/SGST/IGST are applied automatically based on the vendor's state, the PO number is sequential, and the document is matched against the GRN and invoice before payment. Pair it with vendor management so every supplier's GSTIN, PAN and bank details are verified up front.