Record each receipt separately and link it to the purchase order with its quantity, date, and supporting document. Calculate the open quantity from the ordered quantity and net receipts, then check each invoice against the deliveries it covers.
One purchase order, several deliveries
Jobsite logistics, storage limits, construction phases, and supplier availability often split an order into several deliveries. A single delivered status is not enough: the team needs to know how much of each line arrived and what remains outstanding.
For each delivery ticket, record the date, the person who verified receipt, and the quantity received. If the ticket differs from the field count, retain both figures and document the investigation. Changing a document just to make the numbers match conceals the original issue.
Example: 100 units in three shipments
Suppose an order for 100 units arrives in shipments of 40, 35, and 25. The outstanding quantity is 60 after the first shipment, 25 after the second, and zero after the third. Each receipt remains a separate record, while the order status reflects the combined receipts.
If five units from the second shipment are returned, net receipts fall to 95. Decide whether the supplier will replace them or the remaining obligation will be canceled. A return records a movement of materials; a cancellation changes the obligation. These figures are illustrative.
- Ordered: 100 units
- Documented receipts: 100 units
- Returned: 5 units
- Net received: 95 units
- Remaining for review or completion: 5 units
Check units before adding quantities
Ten packs are not ten individual units. Use a consistent item and unit of measure. If a pack contains 20 units, record the conversion and keep its source available so another person can reproduce the calculation.
A substitute product or specification is more than a quantity change. It needs the appropriate technical approval. Do not count it as the original item simply because the quantities look similar.
Match the invoice to the relevant deliveries
An invoice may cover one delivery ticket or several. Record which receipts it includes and check previous invoices to avoid billing the same delivery twice. Review cumulative invoicing, receipts, and the agreed commercial terms together.
For an illustrative order of 100 units at $20 each, an invoice for the first 40 units has a base amount of $800. If the supplier bills the full order after the first delivery, review the contract and any additional deliveries before deciding whether there is a discrepancy.
Close the order with an explicit decision on the balance
Review overdue outstanding quantities each week and assign an owner and a follow-up date. If the remaining materials are no longer needed, document the agreed cancellation instead of leaving an unexplained open balance.
Novapro brings purchase orders, documents, and project context together. Bring a partial-delivery scenario to the demo to check how your team's receipt and review process would work.
Frequently asked questions
Do we need a new purchase order for every shipment?
Not necessarily. Several receipt records can relate to one purchase order, preserving the original agreed quantities and commercial terms.
What if a delivery ticket is missing?
Record the receipt information that has been verified, flag the missing document, and assign someone to obtain it. Do not mark documentation complete solely because the order has a delivered status.
Keep reading
How to Build a Construction Procurement Workflow →
Three-Way Matching: Purchase Orders, Delivery Tickets and Invoices →
Invoice vs. Purchase Order Discrepancies: How to Review and Resolve Them →