Purchase order (PO) in creator deals

A purchase order (PO) is a formal document a brand or agency issues confirming a specific deal — scope, price, and terms — before work begins, often required for the brand’s own internal finance approval.

For a creator, a PO is a strong signal that a deal has cleared the brand’s internal approval process and that a specific budget has been allocated to pay it — verbal or email agreements without a PO can still fall through at that stage.

• For larger brands and agencies, ask for a PO number before starting deliverables, especially on higher-value deals.
• Reference the PO number on your invoice, since many finance teams won’t process payment without it.
• A missing PO on a deal a brand claims is "approved" is worth double-checking before you begin work.