Internal reference and PO numbers: where they appear
How to attach a PO number or internal tracking reference to an order, and where it shows up afterwards.
Written By Andres Kõiva
Last updated 1 day ago
Raal lets you attach your own reference number to an order. Common uses are a purchase-order number for finance, an HR ticket number for onboarding, or an asset-management ID.
Where to enter it
On Step 3 of the order wizard, in the Order identifiers card, use the Internal reference field. The placeholder suggests formats like "PO-10491" or "HR-QNB-2026", but the field is free text and the field help states that it is shown on invoices and exports.
The field is optional, so you can leave it blank.
Where it appears later
The reference travels with the order:
Order list and order detail views in the portal.
Invoices issued by Raal.
Data exports when you pull a list of orders.
That lets your finance team reconcile invoices against purchase orders without translating Raal order IDs into your own numbering.
Editing it after placing the order
Once an order is placed you cannot edit the internal reference yourself. Comment on the order in the portal or contact Raal support, and we will update it so the change flows through to invoices and exports.
Tips
Use prefixes consistently, for example "PO-" for finance-driven orders and "HR-" for onboarding. It makes filtering exports much easier.
If the purchase order does not exist yet when you place the shipment, leave the field blank and ask support to add it later.
The internal reference is not a courier tracking number. Tracking appears separately on the order detail page once the courier label is generated.