Receiving Goods (Purchase Receipt)

This is the step where a purchase order stops being a plan and starts being real inventory. Two things happen here, in order: approving the PO, then generating a purchase receipt from it — and only the second one actually moves stock.

Why approval is a separate click

Approval is a deliberate checkpoint before anything can be received — it exists so a draft order can be reviewed (right vendor, right quantities, right price) before it's allowed to affect real inventory. Once approved, the "Make" menu on the order offers a Purchase Receipt, prefilled with everything from the PO.

The receipt's quantity field defaults to the full ordered amount, but it's editable — this is exactly where you'd record a partial delivery if the vendor only shipped part of the order. Whatever quantity you confirm here is what lands in quantity on hand the moment you save.

Tips

• A partially received PO stays open for the remaining quantity — you can create a second purchase receipt against it later for the rest of the shipment.
• The cost recorded on the receipt is what future sales of this stock will be measured against for margin, so it's worth confirming it matches the actual invoice from your vendor.
• This receipt is what unblocks selling the item — until stock is received, a sale against it will be rejected unless negative stock is explicitly allowed (see Company Preferences).