On a construction job the PO and the DO are the paper trail for materials. The PO fixes what you ordered, at what price. The DO, signed on site, proves what was actually delivered and when.
When a supplier invoice arrives, you match it to the PO and the signed DO before you pay. When you deliver to your own client, your DO signed by them is your proof for the claim.
What goes on each document
- PO: number, date and supplierYour PO number, the supplier or subcontractor, and the job it is for.
- PO: items, quantities and pricesDescription, unit, quantity, unit price and amount, with the total.
- PO: termsDelivery date and address, payment terms, and who to contact on site.
- DO: number, date and receiverYour DO number, who the goods are going to, the delivery address and the PO or job it relates to.
- DO: items and quantities, no pricesDescription, unit and quantity delivered. A DO usually carries no prices, because it is signed by people on site.
- DO: received byName, signature, company stamp and date of the person who received the goods.
How to use them on a job
- Raise the POBefore ordering, with the agreed price and delivery date. Send it to the supplier.
- Deliver with a DOEvery delivery to site carries a DO listing what was sent.
- Check and sign on siteCount the goods against the DO. Note anything short or damaged before signing.
- Match before payingMatch the supplier invoice to the PO and the signed DO. Pay only for what arrived.
- File them on the jobKeep the PO, DO and invoice together under the job, so the cost is easy to trace.
Common problems, and how to avoid them
- Ordering by phone or WhatsApp only. Without a PO, the price and quantity are easy to dispute when the invoice comes.
- Signing without counting. Once a DO is signed “received in good order”, a shortage is hard to claim back.
- Prices on the DO. Leave prices off delivery orders. They are handled by site staff and the receiver’s people.
- DOs lost on site. A signed DO in a site office drawer does not help the office. Photograph it and file it on the job the same day.
Do it in Raul instead
In Raul, Management creates Purchase Orders and Delivery Orders from the Documents page or a job’s Documents tab. Each one is saved in Documents and printed in your document style, with your logo.
See construction documents- Delivery Orders go to the client with no prices. Purchase Orders go to a supplier or subcontractor.
- Supplier invoices and DOs you receive can be added with Read it for me, and are filed on a job when added.
- Search finds any document by job, client or document number.
Common questions
What is the difference between a PO and a DO?
A purchase order (PO) is sent by the buyer to order goods or work at an agreed price. A delivery order (DO) goes with the goods and is signed by the receiver to confirm delivery.
Should a delivery order show prices?
Usually not. A DO confirms what was delivered and is handled by site staff, so prices are normally left off.
Who signs the delivery order?
The person who receives the goods on site signs it, with their name, the date and often a company stamp. One copy goes back to the supplier.
Do I need a PO for every purchase?
Not by law, but a PO for every order makes it much easier to check invoices and keep job costs right.