Resolve partial or damaged deliveries
An order gets marked received even though units are missing or rejected.
For warehouses receiving supplier orders across multiple shipments.
What good looks like.
Accepted, quarantined, rejected and outstanding quantities remain distinguishable until resolved.
- Starts when
- A shipment arrives with partial quantities, damage or unexpected items.
- Accountable owner
- Receiving lead
Where AI could help.
AI could organize discrepancy photos and draft a supplier claim. Warehouse staff count stock and quality decides usability.
How the work could move.
A suggested process to adapt to your team. Each handoff needs a clear owner and a visible check.
Match the arrival
Receiving clerk
Link shipment to PO, transfer, SKU and UOM; capture actual counts on a receipt record.
Ready when: Physical items are matched or placed in an unidentified-goods exception.
Separate usable stock
Quality reviewer
Record accepted, quarantined and rejected units with damage evidence.
Ready when: Only approved units are eligible for availability updates.
Keep balances open
Buyer
Reconcile ordered quantities with all receipt rows and explicitly canceled units; retain expected remainder.
Ready when: A partial arrival cannot close quantities still owed.
Resolve the claim
Buyer + inventory controller
Record agreed credit, replacement or cancellation and verify final receipt balances.
Ready when: Every discrepancy has an owned next action or approved final disposition.
Explore the setup, checks, and exceptions
Start with your tools.
Use immutable receipt rows linked to the PO and shipment. Map your receiving system explicitly; PO and physical-transfer states may be separate.
When things go wrong.
- Wrong SKU stays separate from acceptance of the ordered SKU.
- Duplicate arrival notices must reference the existing receipt.
- Expected missing units remain outstanding until a cancellation is approved.
A useful first step.
Work through one partial delivery with damaged units and prove that sellable stock and outstanding balance differ correctly.
What to measure
Track shortage and damage rates, unresolved claim value and receipt corrections.
Want this working with your team and tools?
Build it yourself, adapt what you already have, or work with us. We can help you choose where to start and handle the technical build.