Goods Receipt Note
When a supplier's goods arrive at your door, two things are true and often different: what you ordered, and what actually turned up. A Goods Receipt Note — a GRN — is where you write down what actually turned up, check it against the order, and put it away into a store so your stock figures are real.
You open the purchase order the goods were sent against, record the quantity that came in for each item — the same as ordered, short, or over — choose the store the goods go into, and save. From that moment your stock reflects what you truly hold, and the supplier's bill can be matched against what you actually received, not just what was ordered.
Availability depends on your plan and your role.
The idea in one picture
A GRN sits between the order and the bill, and its job is to record the truth of the delivery:
Purchase Order (what you ordered)
│
▼
Goods arrive ──► Goods Receipt Note (what actually came in) ──► Stock in a store
│ │
│ └──► Quality check (if the item needs one)
▼
Supplier's bill ──► matched against the receipt
You order, the goods come, you receive them on a GRN, the stock lands in a store, and the bill is checked against the receipt. If an item needs inspecting before you trust it, the receipt raises a quality check.
A real example
Say you raised a purchase order for 500 units of a raw material. The lorry arrives and you count the delivery: 480 units — the supplier was 20 short.
Here's what you do:
- You open a new GRN against that purchase order. It brings in the supplier and the ordered items for you.
- Against the item, you record the received quantity as 480, not 500. The receipt now shows a short delivery of 20.
- You send the 480 units into your Raw Material store, so your stock of that material goes up by exactly what arrived.
- Because this material must be inspected before use, saving the receipt raises a quality check — the 480 units wait to be accepted or rejected before they count as good, usable stock.
- The purchase order updates itself: 480 received, 20 still pending. When the supplier sends the balance, you record a second receipt against the same order.
Nothing was guessed. Your books show 480 units received, 20 outstanding, and 480 waiting on inspection — exactly the real situation.
What a goods receipt note does for you
- Records reality, not the order. Received quantity is entered per item, so a short or over delivery is captured the moment it happens.
- Puts stock away. The goods land in the store you choose, so your stock figures match your shelves.
- Feeds the bill. When the supplier's bill comes in, it's matched against what you received — you pay for what arrived, not what was ordered.
- Triggers a quality check. For items that must be inspected, the receipt raises a check so the goods aren't treated as usable until they pass.
- Keeps the order honest. The purchase order tracks how much of it has been received and how much is still pending.
- Holds the paper trail. The supplier's delivery note number, gate and vehicle details, and any photos or documents all sit on the receipt.
Where goods can go
When you receive goods, you decide where they land:
| Choice | What it means | When to use it |
|---|---|---|
| Into a store | The received goods are put away into a specific store, and your stock there goes up | The normal case — you know where the goods belong (e.g. Raw Material) |
| Left unassigned | The receipt is recorded but you haven't yet chosen a store | Goods are received at the gate but not yet moved to their shelf — assign the store when you know it |
Manage the places goods can go on the Stores page.
Received against ordered
The heart of a receipt is comparing what came in with what was ordered:
| Situation | What you record | What happens to the order |
|---|---|---|
| Exact | Received quantity equals ordered | That item is fully received |
| Short | Received quantity is less than ordered | The balance stays pending; receive it later on another GRN |
| Over | Received quantity is more than ordered | Allowed only when you confirm the over-receipt; the extra is flagged |
How a quality check fits in
Some items you can trust on sight; others must be inspected before you use them. For items that need it, saving the receipt raises a quality check. The received goods wait as "to be inspected" until someone accepts or rejects them:
- Accepted goods become good, usable stock.
- Rejected goods are held apart and can be returned to the supplier.
Until the check is done, the goods are on your premises but not yet counted as ready to use. Set up which items need checking and carry out inspections on the Quality page.
Statuses at a glance
| Status | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Draft | Started but not yet finalised |
| Awaiting quality check | Received, waiting on inspection before the goods count as usable |
| Accepted | Received (and, where needed, passed inspection) — stock is on hand |
| Billed | The supplier's bill has been matched against this receipt |
| Closed | Fully dealt with — nothing outstanding |
Getting started
| Task | Guide |
|---|---|
| Record a goods receipt | How to Record a Goods Receipt |
| Track and verify receipts | How to Track and Verify Receipts |
Related guides
- Purchase Orders — the order the goods are received against
- Suppliers — who the goods came from
- Bills — the supplier's bill, matched against the receipt
- Quality — inspecting received goods
- Stores — where received goods are put away
Need help? Contact support at support@bizconnekt.com