- Purchase order tools at a glance
- Eleven purchase order tools to look at
- Your purchase orders are business records
- Approval rules that people will follow
- Questions to ask a purchase order vendor
- Signs you need purchase order software
- My plain advice on choosing purchase order software
- Frequently asked questions
The best purchase order software makes it easy to request, approve and track every purchase, then match it to the invoice: small companies usually want simple approvals with a mobile app, while mid-sized and larger firms need full procure-to-pay workflows. Eleven options follow in no particular order.
Without purchase orders, spending happens first and gets explained later. Someone orders supplies on a card, an invoice turns up that nobody recognises, and finance spends the end of the month chasing approvals that should have happened weeks earlier.
Purchase order software flips that around, so purchases are requested and approved before money is committed. The eleven tools below are listed alphabetically and in no particular order, and every description comes from the vendor's own site, read this week. If staff expenses are the bigger headache, see my roundup of expense management software.
Purchase order tools at a glance
In the free plan column, Yes means the tool's own site names a free plan, a free version or a free profile. Trial only means a time-limited trial. Not stated means the pages I read named neither, even where there's a button inviting you to try it or book a demo.
| Tool | Type | Good for | Free plan |
|---|---|---|---|
| Approve.com | Procurement and approvals software | Fast purchase requests and approvals | Not stated |
| Coupa | Spend management platform | Large companies with complex buying | Not stated |
| Fraxion | Procure-to-pay software | Mid-sized finance teams | Not stated |
| Odoo Purchase | Order app within a business suite | Small companies wanting an all-in-one suite | Yes |
| Order.co | Business buying platform | Multi-location teams ordering supplies | Not stated |
| Planergy | Spend management and AP automation | Purchase orders through to receiving | Not stated |
| Precoro | Procurement software | Growing companies centralising purchasing | Not stated |
| ProcurementExpress | Purchase approval software | Teams preparing for audits | Trial only |
| Procurify | Procurement software | Mid-market teams wanting spend control | Not stated |
| Spendwise | Spend management software | Purchasing and AP in one place | Trial only |
| Tradogram | Procurement software | Growing teams tracking orders to delivery | Not stated |
Eleven purchase order tools to look at
Approve.com
Best for: Finance teams that want purchase requests captured quickly and approved anywhere, without chasing emails.
Coupa
Best for: Large organisations that want purchasing, invoicing and supplier management on one well-known spend platform.
Fraxion
Best for: Mid-sized finance teams that want purchasing, invoice processing and approval routing automated in one procure-to-pay system.
Odoo Purchase
Best for: Small companies that want purchase orders inside a wider suite of business apps, with a free option for one app.
Order.co
Best for: Businesses with several locations that want everyday buying simplified and orders tracked in one place.
Planergy
Best for: Organisations that want purchase requests, approvals, purchase orders and receiving tracked in one spend management tool.
Precoro
Best for: Growing companies that want purchase requests, purchase orders and vendor communication centralised and automated.
ProcurementExpress
Best for: Smaller organisations that want purchase approvals and a clean audit trail, with a free trial to try it.
Procurify
Best for: Mid-market companies that want intake, approvals, purchase orders and invoice matching in one procurement workflow.
Spendwise
Best for: Businesses that want purchasing and accounts payable workflows together, with a free trial to start.
Tradogram
Best for: Growing teams that want purchase orders tracked from approval to delivery, alongside supplier management.
Your purchase orders are business records
GOV.UK says a limited company must keep records for 6 years from the end of the last company financial year they relate to, or longer in some cases, such as when the company buys something it expects to last more than 6 years, like equipment or machinery.
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Purchase orders, approvals and delivery records are part of that trail. When you compare tools, check how long they keep records, whether you can export them in a usable format, and what happens to your history if you ever leave.
Approved suppliers come first, so look at vendor management software.
Approval rules that people will follow
The best setups keep approval rules simple: small purchases go through quickly, bigger ones go to the right manager, and anything unusual gets a second look. Too many steps and people start working around the system.
Mobile approvals help more than you'd think. A manager who can approve a request on their phone in a minute won't hold up an order for three days. And don't forget the supplier's side: a clear purchase order with a number they can quote on their invoice makes matching far easier, and it's one less email for your finance team to chase when something doesn't add up.
Cards with built-in approvals are set out in my Ramp and Brex comparison.
Questions to ask a purchase order vendor
- How quickly can someone raise and send a purchase order?
- Can approval rules change by amount, team or supplier?
- Do you match orders, deliveries and invoices automatically?
- Which accounting systems do you connect to?
- Can managers approve from a phone?
- How long are records kept, and can we export them?
Signs you need purchase order software
- Invoices arrive that nobody recognises. Spending happens without approval.
- Approvals live in email. Finance chases replies every month.
- Nobody knows what's committed. You only see spending once it's billed.
- Audits mean digging. Records are spread across inboxes.
Do you make purchase order software? Tool makers can ask to be considered for a featured place on this list.
My plain advice on choosing purchase order software
Start with the people who buy things, not the finance team. If raising a purchase order takes longer than ordering on a card, adoption will stall, so test the request screen with a busy manager before anything else.
Then connect it to your accounting software from day one, so approved orders and invoices meet without retyping. Good habits matter as much as tools; my notes on organised accounting practices explain why.
Frequently asked questions
What is purchase order software?
It's software for creating, approving, sending and tracking purchase orders, so spending is agreed before it happens and matched to invoices later.
Do small businesses need purchase orders?
Once more than a few people buy things, purchase orders help you see commitments early and stop surprise invoices.
What is three-way matching?
It's checking that the purchase order, the delivery record and the supplier's invoice all agree before an invoice is approved for payment.
Is purchase order software the same as procurement software?
Purchase orders are one part of procurement. Full procurement suites add sourcing, supplier management and contracts.
Can purchase order software connect to my accounting system?
Most tools connect to popular accounting packages. Check the exact integration for the system you use.
How long should I keep purchase orders?
In the UK, a limited company must keep records for at least 6 years from the end of the financial year they relate to, and longer in some cases.
