The composer had written a catalogue of his works in 1921, which is reproduced in Schmidt's book.
According to this list, the first noted piece was in 1914 Processional pour la crémation d'un mandarin for piano, now lost or destroyed.
Poulenc completed his last work, his Oboe Sonata, in 1962.

Piano, chamber music and songs
As a professional pianist, Poulenc wrote many pieces for his own instrument.
He was a prolific writer of works of chamber music, often with piano, and some works for two pianos.
Poulenc composed many songs (mélodies), most of them accompanied by piano, but some also in versions with a small instrumental ensembles, for example his Rapsodie nègre for baritone, flute, clarinet, string quartet and piano.
He composed easily for woodwind instruments, scoring for example a piano trio with oboe and bassoon instead of the traditional violin and cello.
Poulenc was less familiar with string instruments.
The cellist Pierre Fournier helped him to write the Cello Sonata, which he premiered with the composer as the pianist.
Poulenc destroyed all sketches for string quartets and three for violin sonatas, while only the fourth one survived, but was received critically.

Orchestra and stage
Among his works with orchestra are three operas, two ballet, incidental music for plays, film music and concertos, some with unusual solo instruments such as harpsichord and organ.
The harpsichordist Wanda Landowska inspired the composition of the Concert champêtre.

Collaboration in the group Les Six
Poulenc was a member of the group of composers Les Six, with Georges Auric, Louis Durey, Arthur Honegger, Darius Milhaud and Germaine Tailleferre, and contributed to their collective productions, which included another ballet.

Sacred music and choral music
Poulenc turned to writing also religious music in the 1930s, composing a Mass in G major for a cappella choir.
He composed the Stabat Mater in 1950 in memory of the painter Christian Bérard in 1950.
The late Gloria for soprano, choir and orchestra became one of his best-known works.
He drew inspiration for his sacred compositions mostly from liturgical texts.

 Songs 
For his songs and song cycles, he often collaborated with contemporary poets, setting poems by writers such as Guillaume Apollinaire, Louis Aragon, Paul Éluard, Max Jacob, Federico García Lorca, and Louise de Vilmorin, whom he mentioned in titles.
He further set poems by Louis Aragon, Théodore de Banville, Maurice Carême, Colette, Robert Desnos, Maurice Fombeure, Marie Laurencin, Madeleine Ley, François de Malherbe, Ronsard, Jean Moréas, Jean Nohain and Paul Valéry, among others.
In 1943, during the occupation of France, a cantata Figure humaine on poems by Éluard which celebrate Liberté.
The composer had written a catalogue of his works in 1921, which is reproduced in Schmidt's book. According to this list, the first noted piece was in 1914 Processional pour la crémation d'un mandarin for piano, now lost or destroyed. Poulenc completed his last work, his Oboe Sonata, in 1962.
Piano, chamber music and songs
As a professional pianist, Poulenc wrote many pieces for his own instrument. He was a prolific writer of works of chamber music, often with piano, and some works for two pianos. Poulenc composed many songs (mélodies), most of them accompanied by piano, but some also in versions with a small instrumental ensembles, for example his Rapsodie nègre for baritone, flute, clarinet, string quartet and piano. He composed easily for woodwind instruments, scoring for example a piano trio with oboe and bassoon instead of the traditional violin and cello. Poulenc was less familiar with string instruments. The cellist Pierre Fournier helped him to write the Cello Sonata, which he premiered with the composer as the pianist. Poulenc destroyed all sketches for string quartets and three for violin sonatas, while only the fourth one survived, but was received critically.
Orchestra and stage
Among his works with orchestra are three operas, two ballet, incidental music for plays, film music and concertos, some with unusual solo instruments such as harpsichord and organ. The harpsichordist Wanda Landowska inspired the composition of the Concert champêtre.
Collaboration in the group Les Six
Poulenc was a member of the group of composers Les Six, with Georges Auric, Louis Durey, Arthur Honegger, Darius Milhaud and Germaine Tailleferre, and contributed to their collective productions, which included another ballet.
Sacred music and choral music
Poulenc turned to writing also religious music in the 1930s, composing a Mass in G major for a cappella choir. He composed the Stabat Mater in 1950 in memory of the painter Christian Bérard in 1950. The late Gloria for soprano, choir and orchestra became one of his best-known works. He drew inspiration for his sacred compositions mostly from liturgical texts.
 Songs 
For his songs and song cycles, he often collaborated with contemporary poets, setting poems by writers such as Guillaume Apollinaire, Louis Aragon, Paul Éluard, Max Jacob, Federico García Lorca, and Louise de Vilmorin, whom he mentioned in titles. He further set poems by Louis Aragon, Théodore de Banville, Maurice Carême, Colette, Robert Desnos, Maurice Fombeure, Marie Laurencin, Madeleine Ley, François de Malherbe, Ronsard, Jean Moréas, Jean Nohain and Paul Valéry, among others. In 1943, during the occupation of France, a cantata Figure humaine on poems by Éluard which celebrate Liberté.
List of compositions by Francis Poulenc