---
title: Receive a delivery
description: Receive goods against a purchase order, confirm a direct bill, or record an exceptional delivery with no order, and capture batch and expiry evidence.
order: 7
updated: 2026-09-16
keywords: receiving, delivery, purchase order, GRN, batch, expiry, shortfall
---

Receiving is where stock enters the ledger. There are three paths, and the screen tells you which one applies.

**Before you start:** the outlet must have a receiving profile declared. Until it does, a banner blocks normal receiving; ask an owner to set it under **Settings › Operating profile**. Receiving with no purchase order is owner-only and asks for a second factor.

## Path 1. Receive against a purchase order

1. Open **Stock › Receiving**. The **Expected** tab lists orders due.
2. Open the order. Every line shows the expected quantity.
3. Accept lines as delivered. For a shortfall or an over-delivery, change the quantity; the difference is recorded on the line.
4. Enter the delivery note number, and where relevant the batch reference, expiry date and receiving temperature. A chilled or frozen delivery that fails its temperature check is recorded as failed, not accepted quietly.
5. Confirm. Stock balances update and the order moves to _Received_ or _Partially received_.

## Path 2. Confirm a direct bill

Deliveries that arrive with an invoice and no order appear as pending receipts once the invoice is approved. Open the row and confirm the quantities inline.

## Path 3. Exceptional receipt with no order

For an emergency purchase or a system outage, an owner can receive without an order:

1. Open **Stock › Receiving** and choose **Receive without order**.
2. Pick the reason: emergency purchase, system outage, legacy recovery or owner-authorised non-PO.
3. Enter the lines and confirm with your authenticator code.

The reason is recorded on the receipt and shows on the audit trail.

## Resolve a quantity mismatch

When the delivery, the order and the invoice disagree, the receipt shows a mismatch. An owner resolves it with a reviewed disposition. The physical receipt, the invoice and the balance each keep their own record; nothing is overwritten.

## Review lot evidence

**Stock › Receiving › Evidence** lists batch references, expiry and disposition for each receipt. Review and mark accepted, rejected or needs review. This is evidence for inspections; it is not lot-level traceability.

## Related

- [Create a purchase order and send it on WhatsApp](/docs/how-to/create-a-purchase-order)
- [Your first stock count](/docs/tutorials/your-first-stock-count)