Invisible wrote:
> Personally, I have no idea what a "PO number" is.

This is actually useful to know if you're ever going to work for 
yourself. A PO# is an authorization the buyer files with his own 
accounting department to pay the seller for the stuff.

So, Fred needs a computer. He gets it approved with his management and 
all, and takes the approval to the accounting department, who gives him 
a PO#. He then fills out a Purchase Order, including the PO# on it, to 
purchase his computer. When the computer arrives, the mail department 
takes him the computer and delivers the included copy of the PO/invoice 
to the accounting department. The accounting department looks up the 
PO#, sees that it should be paid, and pays the bill.

It's a good thing to know, because if there's one thing I've learned 
working as a small consultant to big companies is this: If you don't 
have a PO# before you go to work, it will take you six months to get 
paid, if ever. If you *do* have a PO#, you mail the bill to the 
accounting department, and they pay it. If you *don't*, you mail the 
bill to the guy who hired you, who sits on it because paying you isn't 
his job, until you send it again, and again, and finally start tacking 
on finance charges and CC'ing the accounting department, at which point 
the accounting department goes "Finance charges??" and things start 
moving again.

-- 
Darren New / San Diego, CA, USA (PST)

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