How to Fax Purchase Orders — Supply Chain Document Transmission
A purchase order is the document that turns an informal arrangement into an actual order: it names the parts, the quantities, the agreed prices, and the delivery and payment terms a supplier needs to start production or pull stock. Manufacturers, retailers, and construction firms still fax POs when a supplier's order desk takes orders at a warehouse fax line rather than through EDI or email, or when the supplier won't schedule production without a hard-copy PO in hand. Faxing it through Send FAX Mail also pins down the date your commitment reached the seller, which matters when delivery windows, price holds, or quantity commitments are tied to the order date.
How to Fax a Purchase Orders
- 1Complete the PO with a unique purchase order number, the order date, and the buyer's full legal name and billing/shipping addresses — the PO number is the primary reference for all subsequent communications about this order
- 2Specify each line item with the supplier's part number or SKU, a clear description, ordered quantity, unit of measure, agreed unit price, and extended price — vague descriptions lead to substitutions or fulfillment errors
- 3State the required delivery date, shipping method (FOB terms, freight terms), and shipping destination clearly
- 4Include payment terms (Net 30, 2%/10 Net 30, etc.) and any applicable tax exemption certificate number
- 5Verify the supplier's order entry or purchasing fax number — many suppliers have a dedicated fax line for purchase orders that routes directly to their order entry team
- 6Log in to Send FAX Mail, upload the PO, and fax to the supplier; save the delivery confirmation to document when the order was placed
Document Format
Supplier part numbers must be written exactly as the supplier uses them — buyer's internal part numbers are not useful to the supplier's picking and shipping team. Quantities must be clearly stated with the unit of measure (each, case, box, linear foot, etc.). Extended prices must be calculated correctly — price discrepancies discovered by the supplier will delay order acknowledgment and fulfillment. Include the shipping address separately from the billing address if they differ. If the PO is subject to blanket terms and conditions, reference them on the PO face rather than attaching the full T&Cs to every PO.
Legal Considerations
A purchase order accepted by a supplier constitutes a binding contract under the UCC Article 2 for goods or common law for services. Under the UCC's battle of the forms provisions (§ 2-207), conflicting terms between a PO and a supplier's order acknowledgment are resolved by specific rules — ensure your PO contains an express statement that the contract is limited to the buyer's terms to preserve your negotiated terms. Retaining POs and delivery confirmations is essential for accounts payable audit trails, tax documentation, and supply chain dispute resolution. Government contractors must retain POs in accordance with FAR record retention requirements.
Industries That Fax This Document
Faxing a Purchase Orders — FAQ
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