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What is a sales order?
A sales order is internal-facing in many companies and customer-facing in others. It documents that the seller has accepted a customer order, locks in agreed pricing and quantities, and serves as the source of truth for the picking, packing, and shipping process. In businesses without ERP software, the sales order doubles as an order acknowledgment to the customer.
Sales order vs invoice vs purchase order
A purchase order (PO) is sent by the buyer to the seller. A sales order (SO) is created by the seller to confirm and track that order internally. An invoice is sent by the seller to the buyer after delivery, requesting payment. SO sits in the middle of the flow: PO in → SO created → goods shipped → invoice sent.
When to use a sales order
Use sales orders when you need to confirm customer orders before invoicing, reserve inventory, document agreed pricing for orders that ship later, or formalize complex orders with multiple line items and ship dates. For simple service businesses that invoice immediately, an invoice alone may be enough.
Frequently asked questions
Is the sales order template free?
Yes. The sales order template, generator, and downloads are all free with no signup required and no usage limits.
What is the difference between a sales order and an invoice?
A sales order confirms what the customer ordered before fulfillment. An invoice requests payment after delivery. The sales order comes first; the invoice comes later. For some businesses, both documents are sent to the customer; for others, the SO is purely internal.
Do I need a sales order if I already send invoices?
Not always. If you fulfill and invoice in the same step (e.g. a service business or instant-shipment retailer), invoices alone are usually enough. Sales orders shine when there is a delay between order acceptance and fulfillment.
Other documents you might need
Same Cool Money design, same instant PDF — for every step of the buy-and-sell flow.