In Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central, you receive goods on a purchase order by entering the quantity to receive on the purchase line and then posting the receipt. Business Central separates receiving from invoicing, so when you post a receipt you only update the warehouse transactions and the inventory level. The item’s invoice status is handled separately.
You do not have to receive the full ordered quantity. If you order 300 units but the vendor only delivers 290, you enter 290 in the Qty. to Receive field and post that amount. Your inventory increases by exactly what you received.
After posting the receipt, the received items are added to your on-hand inventory and are available to use immediately.
Check your inventory before receiving
Before you receive anything, it is worth checking the current inventory of the item you are about to receive. Open the item list and find the item, for example the item number Alu Rim. In this case the inventory shows zero on hand. This gives you a clear starting point so you can confirm afterwards that the receipt posted correctly.
Find the purchase order in Business Central
Go to the Purchasing menu and open Purchase Orders. You can locate your order in two ways. You can search by the vendor number, or if you know it is the most recent order, you can simply scroll down and pick it from the bottom of the list. Open the purchase order to see its lines.
Receive a partial quantity on a purchase order
The purchase order in this example has one line with a quantity of 300. The plan is to receive the goods, not to invoice them yet.
If the vendor delivers less than ordered, you adjust what you post. The vendor sends only 290 of the 300 ordered, so you enter 290 in the Qty. to Receive field on the line.
Post the receipt and update inventory
From the Process tab, choose Post. Business Central distinguishes between receiving and invoicing, so when you post the receipt, only the warehouse transactions are posted. The invoice side is not affected at this point.
After posting, the line shows a quantity received of 290. The remaining 10 units stay open on the order and can be received later when the rest arrives.
Go back to the item list and check Alu Rim again. The inventory now shows 290 on hand. Those items are part of your available stock and you can use them for whatever you need.
Q&A
What is the difference between receiving and invoicing a purchase order in Business Central?
Business Central separates the two steps. When you post a receipt, you only post the warehouse transactions and increase your inventory. Invoicing is a separate action that handles the financial and vendor side. This lets you take goods into stock before the invoice is processed.
Can I receive a smaller quantity than what was ordered on a purchase order?
Yes. Enter the actual amount delivered in the Qty. to Receive field on the purchase line. If you ordered 300 and the vendor sent 290, you post 290 and the remaining 10 stay open on the order for a later receipt.
How do I check that a purchase receipt updated my inventory correctly?
Open the item list before and after posting. Note the inventory level for the item first, post the receipt, then open the item list again. The inventory should increase by exactly the quantity you received. In this example it went from 0 to 290.
How do I find a specific purchase order in Business Central?
Go to the Purchasing menu and open Purchase Orders. You can search by vendor number, or if it is your most recent order, scroll down and select it from the bottom of the list.