What you need to know before you deliver
A purchase order (PO) is our official way to ask for your products or services. We need a PO number before you start work or ship anything. If you deliver goods or provide services without one, we may not be able to pay you. Corporate Accounts Payable reserves the right to delay or refuse invoices that do not show a valid PO number.
How to get a purchase order number
Every PO number is ten digits long and starts with 43, 45, or 47. If you are not sure what your PO number is, contact the City department you are working with. They will provide it before you place an order. Do not begin work or delivery until you have the number in writing.
Delivering goods and services
When you deliver to a City facility or work site, you must bring a packing slip or proof of delivery. This document needs to show:
- The goods you are delivering
- The exact quantities
- Any items that are on backorder
Our staff will check your delivery against the packing slip before we accept it. If the items do not match, we will reject the delivery. For services, send a service completion document to the City department before you send your final invoice. This helps us confirm the work is done so Accounts Payable can process your payment faster.
How to send your invoice
We only accept invoices by email. Do not drop off or mail paper invoices to any City department. Please follow these steps to avoid payment delays:
- Save your invoice and any attachments as a single PDF file.
- Only one invoice per PDF file.
- Keep the filename under 50 characters.
- Keep the file size under 5 megabytes.
Every invoice must include the following details:
- Vendor name
- Invoice date (on or after the delivery or service completion date)
- Purchase order number
- Name and email address of the City employee who received the goods or services
- Name of the City department that received the goods or services
- Subtotal before taxes
- GST/HST (separate line)
- PST (separate line, if applicable)
- Invoice total
- GST/HST and PST registration numbers (if registered)
Email your PDF invoice to [email protected]. If your email address or invoice details are missing key information, Accounts Payable will return it to you.
When we pay
We aim to pay all valid invoices within Net 30 days of receiving a correct invoice. If you have questions about your payment status, email [email protected] or call the main line at 519-555-0100.
Need help?
If you need a PO number, want to confirm delivery instructions, or have questions about invoicing, contact the Purchasing Manager, Victor Almeida, at 519-555-0100 or [email protected]. For general rules on how we buy goods and services, see Procurement policy and guidelines.