Odoo Purchase Order Template: Fields and Setup

An Odoo purchase order template is a reusable layout for recording supplier, item, price, delivery, and approval details before placing an order. Odoo can also generate a purchase order document from its Purchase app; the blank template below is a printable starting point, while the exact fields and print layout in Odoo depend on your version and configuration.

What an Odoo Purchase Order Template Does

A purchase order (PO) is a buyer’s written request to a supplier for specified goods or services, at agreed prices and conditions. A template makes the information easier to capture consistently and gives both sides a document to check against the delivery and supplier bill. It is not the same thing as a supplier quotation: the quotation describes what the supplier offers, while the purchase order records what the buyer is ordering.

In Odoo, the Purchase app manages purchasing records and can produce a printable or shareable document from an order. This is different from downloading a blank file and filling it in manually. The app stores order details in structured fields; a report layout presents selected information from those records. A standalone template is useful for planning, manual purchasing, or deciding what information your company wants to include before configuring an Odoo report.

Keep the document focused on operational facts: who is buying, who is supplying, what is being ordered, how much it costs, and when and where it should arrive. A PO should not be treated as a substitute for reviewing the applicable contract, purchase terms, or internal approval rules.

How a Purchase Order Works in Odoo

Odoo’s purchasing process generally begins with a request for quotation (RFQ), which is a draft request or proposed order sent to a supplier. A buyer can add products or services, quantities, prices, and expected dates, then review the supplier’s response. When the buyer confirms the RFQ, it becomes a purchase order. Labels, available actions, and workflow details can vary by release, installed apps, and company settings.

After confirmation, the PO can connect to other steps in the business process. For stockable products, a receipt may be created so staff can record what arrived. Supplier bills can be entered and compared with the order and, where relevant, the received quantities. The options for when bills are controlled—such as by ordered quantities or received quantities—depend on configuration. A printed PO is therefore one view of a broader record, not the entire purchasing workflow.

A practical sequence is:

1. Create or select the supplier and add the items or services being requested.
2. Check quantities, unit prices, taxes, currency, and the expected delivery date.
3. Review the draft with the appropriate approver, if your process requires approval.
4. Confirm the order and send or print the resulting document for the supplier.
5. Record receipts and supplier bills in the relevant Odoo workflow, then investigate differences.

For a service purchase, there may be no physical receipt. The business may instead record completion or use another internal review step. The template should reflect the kind of purchase rather than assume every order concerns warehouse stock.

Fields to Include on the Template

A useful PO template captures enough detail to identify the transaction without making the form difficult to read. Include the fields that matter to your purchasing process; not every organization needs every optional field.

• Document identification: PO number, order date, and status or revision, if used.
• Buyer details: legal or trading name, purchasing contact, email or phone, and billing address.
• Supplier details: supplier name, contact, address, and supplier reference when one is provided.
• Delivery information: ship-to location, requested date, and any delivery instructions.
• Order lines: item or service description, product code, quantity, unit of measure, unit price, and line total.
• Commercial summary: currency, applicable tax display, shipping or other charges if relevant, and total.
• Terms and authorization: agreed payment or delivery terms, notes, and an approval name or signature field when required by policy.

Use consistent units and clear descriptions. “Fasteners” may be too vague if the supplier needs a specific size or grade; a product code plus a short description is more useful. If a price is quoted per box, state the box quantity or unit clearly so that the buyer and supplier do not mistake it for a per-item price. When an order has multiple delivery dates or destinations, identify which lines relate to each one.

Printable Odoo Purchase Order Template

Copy this generic layout into a document or spreadsheet for manual use, or treat it as a checklist when planning an Odoo report. Leave fields blank until the buyer has verified the details. The sample is fictional and demonstrates how the fields might be completed; it is not an Odoo record.

Choosing Between a Blank File and Odoo’s Report

A blank printable template works well when someone needs to collect information before entering an order, when purchases are occasional, or when the organization is still defining its process. It can also serve as a paper backup. Its limitation is that it does not automatically update stock, supplier records, order status, or accounting-related records. Someone must enter and maintain the information separately, which can create duplicate records and inconsistencies.

An Odoo-generated report is more appropriate when the order is already managed in the app and the printed document should reflect the saved record. It can draw on information entered in the system and can be designed to match the organization’s needs. However, the report only displays information available to it and configured for that document. A custom printed layout does not, by itself, change the underlying purchasing workflow or add approval controls.

Choose based on how the document will be used:

• Use a blank file for drafting, a simple manual process, or a requirements checklist.
• Use the standard Odoo printout if it includes the details your suppliers need and your team can work with its layout.
• Consider a customized report if recurring requirements—such as additional references or delivery instructions—are missing from the standard output.

Setting Up and Adapting the Layout

Before changing a report, list the information that must appear and identify who owns each field. For example, purchasing may own the supplier reference, a receiving team may confirm the ship-to location, and an approver may be responsible for authorization. This helps distinguish a genuinely required field from information that is merely nice to have.

For a manual file, keep the order-line table wide enough for descriptions and use a clear area for the total and terms. For an Odoo report, first inspect the available printout and the settings in your installed version. Odoo interfaces and report customization options can change, and access may depend on user permissions or installed modules. If the standard report is insufficient, a person familiar with that Odoo version may need to adjust the report template or use an appropriate customization method.

Test the resulting document with representative cases before using it routinely: a one-line order, a multi-line order, a long product description, a service, and an order with a different delivery address. Check that totals and labels remain legible, that no required information is clipped, and that the document does not expose internal notes that are not intended for the supplier. Keep a consistent versioning or change process so staff know which layout is current.

Common Errors and Checks Before Sending

Many purchasing problems are not caused by the visual design of the template but by missing or mismatched data. A polished PO can still be wrong if it names the wrong supplier contact, uses an ambiguous unit, or sends goods to an outdated location. Review both the document and the underlying order before sending it.

• Wrong quantity or unit: Check whether the quantity is in individual items, packs, hours, or another unit.
• Unclear description: Add a product code, model, specification, or service scope where necessary.
• Price mismatch: Compare the entered price with the accepted quotation and confirm the currency.
• Missing delivery details: State the requested date and exact destination, especially if it differs from the billing address.
• Unexpected total: Check how taxes, shipping, discounts, and other charges are represented in the document and system.
• Draft sent as a confirmed order: Verify the order’s status and your company’s approval process before communicating a commitment.
• Duplicate purchasing: Search for an existing order or supplier reference before creating another record.

One common misconception is that a PO template automatically makes an order approved or legally complete. A template is only a way to organize information; approval rules, contractual terms, and the effect of sending an order depend on the organization’s process and circumstances. If a situation requires legal, tax, or other professional advice, ask a qualified professional.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Odoo have a purchase order template?
Odoo can generate a purchase order document from a purchase record, and the report can be configured or customized depending on the version and setup. The blank printable layout above is a generic aid, not a claim that it is an official built-in Odoo file.

Is an RFQ the same as a purchase order in Odoo?
No. An RFQ is a draft request or proposed order. In the usual workflow, confirming it turns it into a purchase order. The exact screen labels and available actions can vary with the Odoo version and configuration.

Can I edit the Odoo purchase order PDF?
You can often change the report layout through the customization options available to your installation, but editing a downloaded PDF only changes that file. It does not update the saved purchase order. For repeatable changes, adjust the report or have an appropriate administrator or developer handle the customization.

What information should a purchase order include?
At minimum, identify the buyer and supplier, order date or number, item or service, quantity, unit, price, currency, delivery details, and total. Add terms, references, or approval information when your process requires them.

Can I use this template for services as well as products?
Yes. Replace stock-focused fields with a clear service description, scope, quantity or time basis, rate, delivery or completion date, and the person responsible for confirming completion. Adapt the form to the way your organization records and approves service purchases.

Related

• Local Delivery Receipt Template: Fields, Use and Tips
• KPMG Memo Template: A Practical Format and Sample Memo
• Kitchen Countertop Estimate Template: What to Include