Poll: Do you ask clients for a PO (Purchase Order) before starting a project? Thread poster: ProZ.com Staff
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This forum topic is for the discussion of the poll question "Do you ask clients for a PO (Purchase Order) before starting a project?".
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When a client doesn't have any automated PO system (XTRF, Plunet etc.), I will usually ask for a PO. This has grown historically, because I used to work for a German client on a pure trust basis until she simply decided to leave an 800-euro invoice unpaid and not answer any emails or calls. Since I had not POs to work with, I wasn't even able to sue for the money, even though she was in the same country as me (and, ostensibly, a translator herself).
That said, most of my current clients ar... See more When a client doesn't have any automated PO system (XTRF, Plunet etc.), I will usually ask for a PO. This has grown historically, because I used to work for a German client on a pure trust basis until she simply decided to leave an 800-euro invoice unpaid and not answer any emails or calls. Since I had not POs to work with, I wasn't even able to sue for the money, even though she was in the same country as me (and, ostensibly, a translator herself).
That said, most of my current clients are actually using some sort of automated system, with one of those generating a monthly PO by the month's end. Luckily, this one client is definitely legitimate and trustworthy, so I am not questioning this belated PO generation. ▲ Collapse
| | | | Ventnai 
Spain
Local time: 23:31
German to English
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They send one automatically. They know what they are doing. No need to ask.
| | | | Samuel Murray
Netherlands
Local time: 23:31
Member (2006)
English to Afrikaans
+ ...
If I ask "do you want me to go ahead" and they reply "yes", then that is good enough for me.
I have, unfortunately, encountered clients whose accounting departments refuse to honour an invoice unless a certain specific bit of information is on it that the project manager had neglected to communicate to me (e.g. a PO number) and then it takes a while to get that information from the PM. But once I've worked for a client, then I have a template of the invoice that I had sent to them,... See more If I ask "do you want me to go ahead" and they reply "yes", then that is good enough for me.
I have, unfortunately, encountered clients whose accounting departments refuse to honour an invoice unless a certain specific bit of information is on it that the project manager had neglected to communicate to me (e.g. a PO number) and then it takes a while to get that information from the PM. But once I've worked for a client, then I have a template of the invoice that I had sent to them, and I can see what information I had previously entered on the invoice.
Added: for most clients I do however specifically ask "do you want me to go ahead" or something similar before going ahead, unless they or their system has sent a message or PO that makes it clear.
[Edited at 2022-05-20 08:43 GMT] ▲ Collapse
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None of my long-standing customers send POs: we have been doing business for so long that a formal PO isn't required and good old-fashioned trust is all we need. For new direct clients, I always send a formal quote stating price, delivery date and payment conditions and they reply accepting my terms. Some international organizations establish a formal contract for each job. All of the new agencies I work with send a PO with each job (just a reference number or a proper PO), most before the job s... See more None of my long-standing customers send POs: we have been doing business for so long that a formal PO isn't required and good old-fashioned trust is all we need. For new direct clients, I always send a formal quote stating price, delivery date and payment conditions and they reply accepting my terms. Some international organizations establish a formal contract for each job. All of the new agencies I work with send a PO with each job (just a reference number or a proper PO), most before the job starts and one immediately after delivering the job. ▲ Collapse
| | | | Michael Newton
United States
Local time: 17:31
Japanese to English
+ ...
For me, a PO is mandatory. There are some agencies which will issue a PO only after (and this can take months) the translation has been submitted. These agencies are to be avoided as this is a stalling tactic to avoid payment. The Blue Board is rife with agencies like this.
| | | | | Confirmation by mail | May 20, 2022 |
I rarely receive a document headed Purchase Order from my regular clients, and not always from others.
The usual routine is:
1. Client sends a mail asking if I can take the job, with details such as subject area, word count and deadline, or frequently the text in question if it is not highly confidential.
2. I reply yes, confirming the deadline etc. or ask for an extension if necessary.
(2a, 2b, 2c... Further negotiations if necessary)
3. The client confirms... See more I rarely receive a document headed Purchase Order from my regular clients, and not always from others.
The usual routine is:
1. Client sends a mail asking if I can take the job, with details such as subject area, word count and deadline, or frequently the text in question if it is not highly confidential.
2. I reply yes, confirming the deadline etc. or ask for an extension if necessary.
(2a, 2b, 2c... Further negotiations if necessary)
3. The client confirms the final terms, and sends a mail with their job number, the final version of the text if not already sent, Studio pack if relevant.
4. I send a quick mail to confirm I have received the files etc.
The mail in step 3 is probably the nearest I get to a PO, but if the client has already sent all the details at stage 1, it may be just a single line saying ´fine, thanks´, and in that case I skip stage 4.
Other clients do send a more structured PO, but the quick mails are legally binding, and as long as we agree on all the details, there is no need for more. ▲ Collapse
| | | | Sadek_A
Local time: 02:31
English to Arabic
+ ...
Requesting, and getting, PO must become a standard practice in our line of work, even when operating via e-platforms.
It's a legal right and plays a big role in proving provider's claim(s).
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Some clients send their own POs. With other trusted clients, emails seem to be more than enough to confirm they accept my rates and I can go ahead and start the translation. So far I have never had any payment problems but I completely understand the need to have a PO with a new client.
| | | | John Fossey
Canada
Local time: 17:31
Member (2008)
French to English
+ ...
I ask the client for confirmation that they want me to proceed with the translation, after agreeing to the price and delivery date. When they confirm, we have a binding contract. Some clients then issue a PO, others don't. Regardless, once I have their confirmation and acceptance we have a binding contract and the PO is really superfluous.
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I have only asked for PO's from foreign agencies that I never worked for before. If they became repeat clients who demonstrated their appreciation for my efforts by paying me within a couple of hours, or exactly when they said they would, I wasn't the least bit concerned, after the first project they sent my way, about receiving a PO from them. And of course now, since I have been, more than anything, a literary translator during the intervening years, the author's or publisher's down payment se... See more I have only asked for PO's from foreign agencies that I never worked for before. If they became repeat clients who demonstrated their appreciation for my efforts by paying me within a couple of hours, or exactly when they said they would, I wasn't the least bit concerned, after the first project they sent my way, about receiving a PO from them. And of course now, since I have been, more than anything, a literary translator during the intervening years, the author's or publisher's down payment serves as the OK for me to proceed with the project, and with full confidence.
[Edited at 2022-05-20 18:27 GMT]
[Edited at 2022-05-20 18:28 GMT] ▲ Collapse
| | | | neilmac
Spain
Local time: 23:31
Spanish to English
+ ...
I only work with one agency nowadays, and only on rare occasions. They always send me the PO without my having to ask for it.
The rest of my clients don't usually need a PO. When my academic clients want to order a translation or revision, nowadays they first ask me for a pro forma estimate, which they have to submit to their accounting or funding department, who may then issue a PO or contract, depending on their in-house procedures. I might occasionally have to remind them that they hav... See more I only work with one agency nowadays, and only on rare occasions. They always send me the PO without my having to ask for it.
The rest of my clients don't usually need a PO. When my academic clients want to order a translation or revision, nowadays they first ask me for a pro forma estimate, which they have to submit to their accounting or funding department, who may then issue a PO or contract, depending on their in-house procedures. I might occasionally have to remind them that they haven't sent any of these documents, or at least they haven't reached me. But this doesn't happen all that often, and it's not a dealbreaker.
[Edited at 2022-05-20 19:02 GMT] ▲ Collapse
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Regular clients just send me a job and let me know when they would like it done by. I say OK (or not); I do the job, send it back; they pay me.
With new clients I require some kind of formal agreement on terms, which may be in the form of a PO, or just correspondence that makes the agreement clear.
What does "Not really" mean? The translator imagines (or dreams about) asking for a PO but doesn't actually do it?
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