Accurate inventory starts at the receiving desk. If a supplier delivery is entered with the wrong quantity, warehouse or product, the error can affect selling, replenishment and later stock checks. The best time to catch that mistake is while the goods and supplier paperwork are still together.
A retail shop in Jaffna or another part of Sri Lanka does not need a complicated receiving routine. It needs an agreed sequence, a person responsible for checking the delivery, and a clear distinction between an unfinished record and stock that has actually been posted.
Prepare a clear receiving area
Keep new deliveries separate from stock already available for sale until the quantities have been checked. Put the delivery note or invoice with the goods and identify the staff member responsible for entering the receipt. This makes it easier to investigate differences without asking several people what happened.
Check the supplier and destination first. In a business with multiple branches or warehouses, a correct quantity entered in the wrong location still creates misleading availability. Confirm where the goods physically arrived and which warehouse should receive them.
In Distribook Admin, the verified workflow is Stock → Goods received. The goods-received guide explains the form, permissions and posting process. Access to a warehouse and permission to create a receipt do not automatically imply permission to post or cancel it.
Compare each item with the paperwork
Count the actual delivery rather than copying the invoice quantities without checking. Compare the product description and selling or receiving unit. For example, six packs containing multiple pieces must be understood consistently by both the person counting and the person entering the receipt.
Record discrepancies for review before posting:
- Missing or extra units compared with the supplier paperwork.
- Damaged goods that need a separate decision.
- A different size, colour or product supplied in place of the ordered item.
- Free quantities or charges that need to be represented correctly.
- Batch, expiry or serial information required for the delivered products.
If your workflow uses serial entry, check that each required serial corresponds to a received unit and is not duplicated. If batch or expiry information is relevant, enter it from the actual packaging rather than assuming the entire delivery has the same details.
Review costs and the scope of price changes
A receiving record can contain more than quantities. Check line costs, discounts, selling prices and other charges against the supplier’s invoice and the shop’s pricing decision. Ask the responsible manager to resolve unexpected differences before you make them part of the stock record.
Pay particular attention to New price applies to in Distribook. This delivery only and All unsold stock have different effects. A staff member who intends to price only a new delivery should not select the broader option simply because it is visible.
The stock and prices guide provides related instructions. Pricing decisions should be made by the people authorised to make them; this checklist is about entering the agreed information accurately.
Separate drafts from posted receipts
Use a draft when the delivery still needs checking. Saving a draft preserves the work, but it does not receive the stock. Once quantities, destination and pricing have been reviewed, an authorised user can confirm posting.
After posting, inspect the finished goods-received record and make sure the result matches the intended delivery. Posted receipts are read-only. If a connection problem leaves the result uncertain, check the existing record before entering the same delivery again.
Resolve errors with the original record
If an incorrect receipt needs cancellation, read the displayed blockers and follow the GRN cancellation instructions. Cancelling posted goods removes stock and cannot be undone. It may be blocked when payments exist, received stock is no longer available, or a serial has already left stock.
Keep the supplier paperwork and a clear explanation together. Do not create an unrelated adjustment merely to hide a receiving mistake. Accurate records are easier to understand when they tell the same story as the physical goods.
Finish each delivery by confirming its status and making checked goods available to the sales team according to your shop’s process. Explore the Admin documentation for related inventory workflows, or the inventory management solution for a broader overview.