Browse the field guide 48 workflows
Stock and Purchasing

Receive a Purchase Order

Record what the vendor actually delivered, including partials, serials, costs, damage, and job allocation.

Usually handled by
Warehouse receiver or purchasing coordinator
Working time
About 12 minutes
Related workspace
View inventory features
Start here Main menu → Inventory → Purchase Orders → open the PO

What good looks like

Received inventory and purchase-order status match the packing slip, physical goods, and known exceptions.

Have these details ready

  • The correct purchase order
  • Packing slip and delivered goods
  • Receiving location plus serial, batch, or landed-cost information when required

Run the workflow

  1. Match the shipment

    Verify vendor, PO number, ship-to location, package count, and packing slip before opening the receiving action.

  2. Inspect the goods

    Separate damaged, wrong, backordered, and acceptable items. Photograph material exceptions before stock is put away.

  3. Enter actual receipt

    For each line, record only the quantity received now. Capture serials, batches, received date, and required line details.

  4. Handle job-linked material

    Confirm whether material should remain in warehouse stock, reserve to a job, or use the job Purchase Orders tab for job-specific receipt.

  5. Record discrepancies

    Document shortages, overages, substitutions, damage, cost differences, and vendor follow-up instead of forcing ordered and received quantities to match.

  6. Complete and verify

    Save the receipt, check PO status such as Partially Received or Received, and confirm stock and job readiness updated correctly.

Check your work

Do not call the workflow complete until these statements are true.

  • Received quantities match the packing slip
  • Serial/batch details are complete where required
  • PO, stock, and job readiness show the same reality

If something does not look right

The shipment is partial

Receive only what arrived and leave the balance open with an expected follow-up.

The invoice cost differs

Record receiving facts first, then route cost variance through purchasing/accounting reconciliation.

Keep the workflow moving

Put the process to work

Run the workflow with your own customers, crews, and pricebook.

Start a trial or review the connected feature workspace before setting up your team's process.