22+ Order Templates – Google Docs, Apple Pages

In business, buyers often show their interest toward a product by submitting a request for it. This request is referred to as an order. Orders are essential for buyers to communicate their intentions to a seller, which will likely lead to an official transaction between the two parties.

An order contains general information about the item being requested by the buyer. Thus, it’s important to make sure your order form caters the exact needs of the company for a successful sale.

Elements of an Order Form

An order form typically consists of the following elements:

1. Heading: This indicates the purpose of the order form along with the details behind it. The heading tells the reader what the order is for and how it should be handled in a business operation. Say for instance, a product order form will have the order number and the order date written in plain sight. This should be as specific as possible for readers to easily grasp.

2. Item Information: You might have more than a hundred items in your inventory, some of which possess similar characteristics as the others. To avoid confusion, it’s important to provide specific information about each item. The product name, description, quantity, price, model number, color, and size are just some points that will help you identify what is being ordered. This is usually organized in a tabular format so you can immediately find what you’re looking for in the order slip.

3. Shipping Information: For purchase orders that require to be shipped from the seller’s warehouse to a buyer’s address, shipping information must be provided in the order form. This includes the shipping location, receipt date, and the mode of shipping. Buyers will also be informed as to when their orders are set to arrive at its intended location. This must be stated clearly in the order form to avoid further problems with the delivery of a buyer’s items.

4. Payment Details: Buyers are often given the option to choose between bank credit, debit, and cash on delivery for their mode of payment. Keep in mind that you may be charged for shipping and service fees, depending on the kind of items you have ordered. This must be specified in the order so that both parties are fully aware of the terms made. You may also see event order examples.

22+ Order Templates

Insertion Order Template

Basic Advertising Insertion Order Template

Advertising Insertion Order

Company Work Order

Print Insertion Order

Simple Fundraiser Order

Change Order Request Summary

Contract Change Order

Customer Order Confirmation

International Purchase Order

Maintenance Work Order

Online Order Confirmation

Retail Purchase Order

Sales Order Confirmation

Service Order Confirmation

Transport Work Order

How to Create an Order Form

An order form is a simple document that you can make without encountering any trouble. But to successfully fulfill an order, you need to take note of the basic steps of making the order form itself. Refer to the steps below and you should have an order form in no time:

1. Define your purpose: Identify how your order form will be used. Is it an order confirmation or an order receipt This will help clarify what should go in the document apart from the basic elements listed above. It’s a good idea to start with an outline of what you want to include in the order form. This will help you organize details on the page to establish a logical flow of information.

2. Select a template: Order forms are generally designed the same way. They each comprise of the same contents, except for a few minor differences. This is why using a template would be the most efficient option for you. What’s great about a template is how they are extremely easy to use and modify to suit your personal requirements. You can even use the same template again for a similar purpose. It’s a time-saving alternative that you should definitely consider.

3. Edit your content: If there are parts of the order form that do not meet your main objective, feel free to change them. It’s also important to add your company details for branding purposes. You may also adjust the layout along with the placement of elements to suit your preferences.You may also see delivery order examples.

4. Proofread and edit: As for the final step of the process, always remember to check the document for any errors that may have been committed. Perhaps you might have forgotten a few key elements that should have been included in your order form. Spelling mistakes should also be addressed just in case. By doing so, you can help ensure that the data collected by your order form remains accurate and clear. Once you are satisfied with what you have, you can post the order form on your website or forward it for printing.

Tips for Making an Order Form

No matter what type of order form you’re making, be it a service order or a sales order, there are few tips to consider for the document to serve its purpose:

• Use specific terms: The order form should be flexible enough to cater to different audiences. Otherwise, you might end up gathering the wrong information due to a possible misinterpretation. This will only lead to inaccuracy and the misuse of the order form. It’s best to use a simple language and avoid complex wording to make it easy for readers to grasp what you’re trying to communicate.
• Keep it organized: A cluttered layout can be distracting to the eyes. Not only will it be difficult for users to input the right information in the order form, but it may take a while for a reader to process what has been ordered. This is one of the reasons why you need to be considerate in terms of how the items on your order form are arranged.
• Use a legible font: Another way to make your order form readable for the convenience of every user is to choose an appropriate font style and size. Since an order form is typically used in a professional setting, look for a formal font to apply. You may also see job order examples.
• Group similar elements together: Like any other business form, an order form is also comprised of headings and subheadings to categorize sections according to their specific type. This will make it a lot easier to fill up the form and find what you’re looking for. You can also use lines or boxes to separate these items.
• Provide writing space for entries: Although online order forms and slips are automatically generated through a system, printed documents need to be filled by hand. In such cases, it’s important to allocate a reasonable amount of space for written entries. You can either use blank spaces to collect data or use the cells provided by the tables of your template.

Types of Purchase Orders

Monitoring your company inventory is one of the best ways to ensure that you have enough supplies to operate and meet consumer demands without overpaying. Without this strategy in place, you may end up losing customers due to the lack of supplies or wasting resources after buying more items than needed. To avoid these scenarios, you need to understand the different types of orders that are common in a B2B or B2C setting.

• Standard Purchase Order: Here, you will find the number of items, price, time frame, and other specifications of a particular order. This may be used by any type of business regardless of their specialty. A direct description of the order will give both the buyer and the seller a clear idea of what is being purchased.
• Planned Purchase Order: Although it’s almost impossible to foresee what the company will need in the future, planned purchase orders are still made in an attempt to determine how many items the company might need over a given period. This is typically based on the number of employees and customers the company has to accommodate at a time. Most companies also make it a habit to place purchase orders from the same supplier on a regular basis. You may also see money order examples.
• Blanket Purchase Order: Some companies would rather plan several orders at a time as opposed to just one purchase order. This kind of arrangement will likely involve an informal pricing agreement between the two parties. Because ordering in larger quantities is bound to generate incredible discounts for the buyer, this is something that both sides can definitely benefit from as well.
• Contract Purchase Order: In contrary to a planned purchase order, a contract purchase order involves a legal agreement between the buyer and seller. This type of purchase order offers security as it ensures that both sides have reached a level of understanding and that they vow to live up to their promise.

Order FAQs

What is an order in business?

An order refers to a spoken or written intention to pursue a commercial transaction with a business for the products or services they offer. Orders help businesses collect and report costs and revenues over a particular period. By documenting these orders on print, the buyer and the seller may prove that an order has been made or received by the opposite party. This may also be used to check the product pricing, availability, specifications, and delivery costs, and to record an agreement to the transaction.

What does it mean to place an order?

When you want to purchase an item online or reserve a product once they have it in store, you place an order by filling out a form provided by the business. The order form will then be submitted for review and you will be informed what to do for the next step of the transaction. Placing an order is fairly common in the world of business, especially in e-commerce. This allows a company to continue business with a customer even if the item they wanted is no longer in stock.

An order plays a significant role in the world of business. It allows buyers to express their desire to purchase a good or service from a seller. Because of how important they are in a business transaction, they must be prepared properly for the benefit of both sides. So the next time you find yourself in need of an order form, be sure to keep our templates and guidelines in mind.