Should a purchase order be considered M1?

On the drive in from Southlake my daughter and I discussed how obtuse taking Macro-Economics in school is. The lines of unimportant data that must be memorized in order to make an acceptable grade can be mind-numbing. Instead of memorizing the definition and exact amount of M-1, one should ponder the uses and ramifications of currency, the multiplier effect etc. We discussed the question of a p.o. from a fortune 500 company. Would a rational businessman buy equipment and hire personnel based on a purchase order from IBM? If the answer is yes, what does this say about the relative importance of M1?