Purchase Orders and Goods Receipt

What does purchase orders and goods receipt do in SERP?

A purchase order records what is ordered from a supplier; a goods receipt note, or GRN, records what actually arrives. SERP connects this work with purchasing & procurement, so users can review its operational context through the related records.

Business problem it addresses

An order confirmation does not establish that stores received the right quantity or that finance should pay an invoice.

Key functions

• Review supplier, item quantities, prices and required dates.
• Record received quantities against the appropriate order context.
• Retain receipt references for supplier invoice matching and stock review.

How the workflow works

1. Review approved requirement.
2. Prepare purchase order.
3. Receive goods.
4. Record GRN.
5. Review invoice matching.

Example business scenario

A supplier delivers only part of an order. Receiving records the actual arrival, inventory reviews the stock movement and the buyer can still distinguish the outstanding requirement from received goods.

Controls and availability

A GRN is receipt evidence, not payment evidence. Invoice quantity and price checks have their own rules, and a received quantity must not be assumed to be an accepted supplier invoice.

How to assess the result

Inspect the purchase-order reference, actual receipt quantities and outstanding requirement. Follow the GRN into the matching discussion when an invoice arrives. Stores should be able to explain what was received without using the invoice amount as physical evidence.

Connected SERP capabilities

Read the Purchasing & Procurement module guide for the wider process and SERP reporting for the distinction between a transaction document and an analytical report.