Construction - Managing Material Deliveries and Three-Way Cost Matching

Create a job-linked PO before ordering, specifying product codes, quantities, agreed unit prices, and expected delivery date. No materials ordered without a PO reference.

Send the PO to the site supervisor 24 hours before expected delivery so they know what should arrive and in what quantities.

Count every line item against the PO before signing the delivery note. Note any shortages or visible damage on the delivery note before signing.

Log the signed delivery note against the open PO. Update PO status to full, partial, or short delivery. Record outstanding items for follow-up.

Send written notification to the supplier the same day for any shortage or damage, referencing PO number and delivery note. Request revised delivery date in writing.

When supplier invoice arrives, match it to the PO and delivery note. Flag any quantity, price, or item discrepancy to the supplier in writing before approving payment.

Raise the discrepancy with the supplier in writing and do not pay the disputed amount. Record the agreed resolution on the PO record and request a corrected invoice or credit note.

Before raising any customer invoice, confirm all delivered material costs are attributed to the job record. No customer invoice leaves until the job cost picture is complete.

My site team signs delivery notes without checking quantities and I end up paying for materials that were short-delivered or damaged.

By the time the supplier invoice arrives, no one can remember what was on the delivery note - so it just gets paid without being checked against the original order.

Unmatched material costs keep appearing after I have already invoiced the customer, and there is no way to recover them at a fixed contract price.