Receiving part of a supplier delivery should not make the remainder disappear from the record. The open balance tells a purchasing team whether it is waiting for another carton, a correction or a credit.

Shopify's transfer guidance distinguishes accepted, rejected and canceled quantities. A warehouse receiving record can make the same distinctions even when the merchant uses another system. Physical arrival and commercial completion are separate events.

Reconcile one receipt without closing the purchase

Use separate columns for ordered, received, accepted and rejected quantities. Do not subtract a supplier promise from the open physical balance. For a line ordered at 120 units, with 90 arriving and two of those rejected, the receipt contains 88 accepted units. The physical delivery shortfall is 30; the accepted-stock difference against the original order is 32. Label those balances so purchasing knows which question it is answering.

The buyer then decides whether the supplier will replace the rejected units, complete the missing delivery or resolve a commercial balance another way.

Release the ready portion deliberately

  1. Identify each arrival against its purchase order and shipment reference.
  2. Count the units using the agreed receiving scope.
  3. Separate condition exceptions from accepted stock.
  4. Send purchasing a line-level balance with evidence.
  5. Obtain a decision on any partial outbound release before altering export documents.

If another delivery is expected, reserve a receiving reference for it. Do not mark future units as accepted because the supplier has sent a photograph.

Holding versus another dispatch

Use hypothetical planning inputs in USD. Holding four cartons for three days at an assumed US$0.25 per carton-day produces a $3 storage allocation. If sending a later balance requires a separate assumed $12 dispatch-preparation task, the two modeled handling items total $15. This does not establish the cheaper route: the additional transport quote and any destination receiving work are still missing.

For direct parcels, the merchant may approve releasing complete customer orders while incomplete orders wait. For consolidated air freight, obtain the cost and document effect of another shipment. For ocean replenishment, compare the inventory need against the next confirmed sailing and destination receiving arrangements. Use the actual booking options rather than inventing a common waiting period.

The completion message should state accepted stock, outstanding supplier quantities and the next action. It should leave the buyer able to reconcile the first receipt without mistaking it for completion of the entire purchasing agreement.

Sources and verification links

Operational rules can change. Check the linked primary sources and confirm shipment-specific requirements before booking.