A reference within the entered policy
PO-2026/001 has 11 characters. It fits an entered 20-character limit and the fixed policy, subject to comparison with the actual source and recipient requirements.
Document control
Free Purchase Order Reference Checker
Find length and character mismatches before copying a client reference into a draft. The fixed example policy permits ASCII letters, digits, hyphens, underscores and slashes; verify that the actual recipient uses that policy.
What you can do here
Check an entered purchase-order reference against a stated character-count limit and an explicit ASCII character policy without altering its original text.
Built for real invoice workflows
Confirm the actual client requirements and reference evidence before releasing the draft.
Preparing your calculator with today’s date…
Calculation notes
How the result is calculated
Count Unicode code points in the exact entered text, including spaces. Compare with the entered 1–120 character limit. Independently check each character against this fixed example policy: ASCII A–Z, a–z, 0–9, hyphen, underscore and slash. Report mismatching positions and Unicode codes without stripping or normalizing text. Input is limited to 240 UTF-16 code units. A format match does not establish authenticity, available PO value, approval, uniqueness or invoice acceptance.
Formulas and examples reviewed October 2, 2026. Illustrative figures; no tax or contractual determination.
A trailing space matters
PO-2026/001 followed by a space has 12 characters. Position 12 is U+0020 and fails the fixed policy; do not silently trim the reference without checking the source.
Questions about this calculation
Does passing prove the purchase order is valid?
No. Check the actual document, authorized scope, client requirements and remaining value separately.
Can my client allow other characters?
Yes. This checker uses one explicit example policy. If the actual policy differs, review that policy separately; an example-policy mismatch is not proof the reference is wrong.
How to use it
1
Paste the reference exactly as received; spaces are preserved for checking.
2
Enter the independently confirmed maximum character count.
3
Review mismatches and compare with the original purchase order before making an authorized correction.
Why it helps
Expose spaces and unsupported characters rather than silently removing them.
Keep the original reference visible with the result.
Separate a format check from actual purchase-order authority.
Next step
From free tool to live invoice workflow.
Use the result when creating your invoice in InvoiceAgent. Planner setup links carry the settings they describe into a draft. Review your dates, amounts, PDF, and reminder settings before scheduling.
Related workflows
Move from the quick answer into the rest of the invoice system.
Retain actual PO evidence
Retain actual PO evidence
Keep scope, reference and source version together.
Capture recipient requirements
Capture recipient requirements
Record the actual reference format and submission rules.
Review format and authority
Review format and authority
Trace mismatches back to source evidence.
Invoice templates
Invoice templates
Use the result inside invoice formats that are ready for clients and easier to automate.
Knowledge base
Knowledge base
Review the billing concepts behind the numbers before they go onto a live invoice.