Cash flow finance
Purchase order finance Ireland: fund confirmed orders
Purchase order finance in Ireland pays your supplier against a confirmed customer order, so your company can deliver an order bigger than its cash allows.
- How long
- Per order, until your customer pays
- Depends on the lender and the deal
- How fast
- Around 2 to 3 weeks
- Typical; never guaranteed
- Our fee
- €0 to you
- The lender pays us commission
Quick eligibility check
See what your company could borrow
Step 1 of 3 · about 60 seconds
About 60 seconds · no credit search · not recorded on the Central Credit Register
Prefer to talk? +353 1 536 9910- How long
- Per order, until your customer pays
- Depends on the lender and the deal
- How fast
- Around 2 to 3 weeks
- Typical; never guaranteed
- Our fee
- €0 to you
- The lender pays us commission
- Irish limited companies
- Several lenders, one request
- No fees for your company
- No obligation
At a glance
Purchase order finance at a glance
around 2 to 3 weeks
- Irish limited companies
- Often 12+ months trading
- Stock / orders
- 1
Tell us what you need
Three taps: purpose, amount, business type. About 60 seconds, no credit search and not recorded on the Central Credit Register.
- 2
We match you to lenders
We check your profile against lender criteria and approach only those likely to consider it. One request, only to lenders likely to consider it.
- 3
Compare any offers
See the rate, fees, security and any personal guarantee side by side before you decide anything.
Lenders we work with
We are a broker, not a lender. Lender names and logos are trademarks of their owners and are shown with permission. Their inclusion does not mean the lender endorses Welcome Finance. Finance is subject to each lender’s own approval, which is not guaranteed.
About purchase order finance
Purchase order finance, often shortened to PO finance or PO funding, is supplier finance for large orders. When a creditworthy customer sends your company a confirmed purchase order, a funder pays your supplier, directly or through a letter of credit, so the goods can be made or shipped. You deliver, invoice the customer, and the funder is repaid from the customer’s payment, plus its fees.
It is pre-delivery funding, unlike invoice finance, which only starts once you have invoiced. Many PO funders expect the resulting invoice to move onto an invoice finance facility, so the two often run together. PO finance usually suits resellers, such as wholesalers, distributors and importers buying finished goods for a known customer, with a thin margin on a big order. Companies building general stock are usually better served by stock or trade finance.
Purchase order finance is a specialist product. Some trade and supplier-payment finance from our panel may suit some purchase needs: Treyd, for example, funds supplier invoices for Irish companies selling physical goods, with one to five months to repay. Our trade finance and stock finance pages explain those options.
What it’s used for
- Paying a supplier deposit or the full cost of a confirmed order
- Opening a letter of credit for an overseas supplier
- Accepting a first large order from a major new customer
Who it’s for
- Wholesalers and distributors with a confirmed order larger than their cash allows
- Importers buying finished goods for a known customer
- Resellers supplying large retailers or public bodies on credit terms
- Companies with thin margins on big, one-off orders
No credit search · not recorded on the Central Credit Register · about 60 seconds
Purchase order finance calculator
Cash tied up in your trading cycle
€328,767
- Owed by customers
- €328,767
- Held in stock
- €98,630
- Less: owed to suppliers
- −€98,630
- Cash conversion cycle
- 60 days
This is roughly the cash your company needs to keep trading at this size. Invoice finance, stock finance or a working capital facility can fund some or all of it.
Check eligibility for working capitalIllustrative only. Actual rates, fees and terms depend on your circumstances and the lender. This is not an offer of finance.
How purchase order finance works
- 1
Confirmed order
Your customer issues a firm purchase order.
- 2
Funder checks
The funder checks your customer, your supplier, the margin and the delivery plan.
- 3
Supplier paid
The funder pays the supplier, or arranges a letter of credit, for an agreed share of the cost.
- 4
Deliver, invoice, repay
You deliver and invoice; the customer’s payment, often via invoice finance, repays the funder.
Types of purchase order finance
Purchase order finance
Supplier costs funded against one confirmed customer order.
Supplier payment finance
A revolving limit to pay supplier invoices and repay later, not tied to one order.
Letter of credit
A bank’s undertaking to pay your overseas supplier against shipping documents.
Typical eligibility
Every lender sets its own criteria. These are common starting points. We’ll tell you which lenders are likely to consider your business.
- Irish limited company reselling finished goods
- A firm purchase order from a creditworthy business or public sector customer
- A supplier with a track record of delivering to specification
- A gross margin large enough to cover the finance costs
What you’ll usually need
- The customer’s purchase order and contract terms
- Supplier quote or pro-forma invoice
- Shipping, delivery and customs plan
- Latest accounts, management accounts and director ID
Advantages
- Lets you accept orders bigger than your cash
- Supplier can be paid upfront or by letter of credit
- Can flow straight into invoice finance after delivery
Things to consider
- Usually dearer than invoice or stock finance
- Only works for confirmed orders from strong customers
- Delivery or quality problems leave you owing the funder
Rates, fees and costs
PO finance is usually priced as a fee per transaction plus interest or a monthly charge on the amount advanced for as long as it is outstanding, so it costs more the longer your customer takes to pay. Add any invoice finance charges after delivery, bank fees for letters of credit, freight, duty and currency costs. Work out the total cost against the margin on the order before you commit. Tell us what your company needs and we'll tell you honestly whether our panel can help, or where to apply instead.
We are paid commission by the lender when finance completes. We do not charge your company a fee and never ask for payment upfront.
Example (for illustration only): a company wins a confirmed order worth €100,000 and needs €60,000 to pay its supplier first. A funder pays the supplier, the company delivers and invoices the customer, and the customer pays the full amount 60 days later. If the funder’s offer showed fees of €3,000, the funder would be repaid €63,000 from that payment and the company would keep €37,000, before its own other costs. The real cost depends on the funder’s offer, and finance is subject to status and the funder’s approval.
If the supplier delivers late or faulty goods, or the customer cancels or disputes the order, your company still owes the funder. Funders usually take security over the goods and the resulting invoice and may ask for director guarantees. Currency moves can wipe out a thin margin. Any asset or guarantee given as security may be at risk if repayments are not kept up. Directors should take independent legal advice before signing a personal guarantee. Check what happens if the order is delayed or only part-delivered.
Finance is subject to status and the lender’s approval. Welcome Finance is a commercial finance broker, not a lender. We arrange finance for limited companies for business purposes only; this is not regulated by the Central Bank of Ireland.
Compare purchase order finance with alternatives
Not sure this is the right fit? Here’s how it compares with the options businesses most often weigh it against.
Purchase order finance
This page- Amount
- Varies
- Term
- Per order, until your customer pays
- Typical speed
- Usually 1 to 3 weeks for a first order; not guaranteed
- Security
- Stock / orders
- Typical min. trading
- 12 months
- Amount
- Varies
- Term
- Ongoing facility
- Typical speed
- Some providers fund within 24 hours once set up
- Security
- Invoices
- Typical min. trading
- 6 months
- Amount
- Varies
- Term
- Usually 1 to 5 months per purchase
- Typical speed
- Usually 1 to 3 weeks to set up
- Security
- Stock / orders
- Typical min. trading
- 12 months
- Amount
- Varies
- Term
- Per transaction
- Typical speed
- Usually 1 to 3 weeks to set up
- Security
- Stock / orders
- Typical min. trading
- 24 months
| Detail | This page Purchase order finance | Invoice finance | Stock finance | Trade finance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Amount | Varies | Varies | Varies | Varies |
| Term | Per order, until your customer pays | Ongoing facility | Usually 1 to 5 months per purchase | Per transaction |
| Typical speed | Usually 1 to 3 weeks for a first order; not guaranteed | Some providers fund within 24 hours once set up | Usually 1 to 3 weeks to set up | Usually 1 to 3 weeks to set up |
| Security | Stock / orders | Invoices | Stock / orders | Stock / orders |
| Typical min. trading | 12 months | 6 months | 12 months | 24 months |
How we work
Purchase order finance: frequently asked questions
What is purchase order finance?
Purchase order finance is funding that pays your supplier against a confirmed order from your customer, so your company can fulfil an order it could not otherwise afford. The funder is repaid when your customer pays the invoice, often through invoice finance, plus its fees. It is also called PO finance or PO funding.
How does PO funding work, step by step?
Your customer issues a firm purchase order. The funder checks the customer, your supplier and the margin, then pays the supplier or arranges a letter of credit. The goods are made or shipped and delivered to your customer. You invoice, and when the customer pays, often after the invoice moves onto invoice finance, the funder is repaid with its fees.
How is purchase order finance different from trade finance?
Trade finance is the wider family of tools for buying and selling across borders, including supplier payment finance, letters of credit and documentary collections. Purchase order finance is one specific use: funding the supplier for a particular confirmed customer order. Supplier payment finance, by contrast, gives a revolving limit for any supplier invoice, whether or not you already have a buyer.
How is PO finance different from stock finance?
Stock finance funds goods you buy to hold and sell over time, and you repay within an agreed period whether or not they have sold. PO finance funds goods already sold to a named customer under a confirmed order, and repayment comes from that customer’s payment. PO finance relies on your customer’s strength; stock finance relies more on your company’s.
How much does purchase order finance cost?
It is usually one of the dearer forms of trade-related funding, because the funder takes delivery and performance risk before any invoice exists. Expect a transaction fee plus interest or a monthly charge for as long as the money is out. Irish providers do not publish standard rates, so get a written quote and check the total against your margin.
Who does purchase order finance suit?
Resellers with a confirmed order larger than their cash allows: wholesalers, distributors and importers buying finished goods for a known business or public sector customer. It suits thin-margin, high-value orders where the customer is strong. It is a poorer fit for manufacturers with long production cycles or companies building general stock.
What do PO finance providers look for?
A firm purchase order from a creditworthy customer, a reliable supplier, a clear delivery plan and a margin that covers the finance cost with room to spare. Providers also check your company’s accounts, trading history and experience with similar orders. Orders that can be cancelled easily, or depend on goods made to an untested specification, are harder to fund.
Can PO finance be combined with invoice finance?
Yes, and it often is. Once you have delivered and invoiced, the invoice can move onto an invoice factoring or discounting facility, and the advance repays the PO funder. Check that the two providers have agreed how their security over the goods and the invoice fits together before you start.
What if my customer pays late?
The PO funder usually keeps charging until it is repaid, so late payment adds directly to your cost. If a customer pays late, your company can claim statutory late payment interest, which is 10.4% a year from 1 July 2026, and compensation for recovery costs. Agree clear payment terms on the purchase order itself.
Can Welcome Finance help with purchase order finance?
Possibly. Some trade and supplier-payment finance from our panel may suit some purchase needs; Treyd, for example, funds supplier invoices for Irish companies selling physical goods, with one to five months to repay. Tell us what your company needs and we'll tell you honestly whether our panel can help, or where to apply instead.
Check in 60 seconds
Check your purchase order finance eligibility
Three quick taps. No credit search, not recorded on the Central Credit Register. No obligation.
- No credit search, not recorded on the Central Credit Register
- One request, several lenders: we’re a broker, not a lender
- For limited companies registered in Ireland
- No fees for your company: we’re paid commission by the lender
Step 1 of 3 · about 60 seconds
Sources: Treyd Ireland: supplier invoice financing (checked 22 Oct 2026); Treyd: financing for wholesalers and distributors (checked 22 Oct 2026); Bibby Financial Services Ireland: Funding solutions (checked 22 Oct 2026); Bank of Ireland: Invoice Finance, how does it work (checked 22 Oct 2026); Department of Enterprise, Tourism and Employment: Late payment in commercial transactions (checked 22 Oct 2026); Department of Enterprise, Tourism and Employment: Late payment interest rate (checked 22 Oct 2026).