Purchase orders often arrive in multiple shipments: backorders, split shipments from different warehouses, or partial deliveries due to supplier shortages. Waiting to receive the entire order before updating inventory creates lag and inaccuracy. Partial receipts in Antero let you record parts as they arrive, updating inventory incrementally and keeping records current.
Why allow partial receipts?
If a PO includes 10 different parts and only 7 arrive in the first shipment, you need those 7 in inventory immediately for work orders scheduled this week. The other 3 might arrive next week or next month. Partial receipts let you receive the 7 now, update inventory, and flag the remaining 3 as pending. This keeps inventory accurate and prevents holding up work waiting for complete orders.
How to record partial receipts
Open the purchase order in the Ordering section. Click Receive Parts. A receipt dialog appears showing all parts on the PO with fields for Quantity Expected and Quantity Received. If you’re receiving only some parts, enter quantities only for what arrived. Leave the rest at zero or blank. Enter the Date Received for the current shipment. Add an Employee (who received the shipment) and optional Invoice Number. Click Save. Antero adds the received quantities to inventory and marks those parts as partially received.
Track what’s still pending
After recording a partial receipt, the PO remains open with a status showing which parts are complete and which are pending. Return to the same PO next week when more parts arrive and record another partial receipt. Each receipt updates inventory and the PO status independently. The PO only closes (marked complete) when all parts are fully received—meaning quantity received equals quantity expected for every line item.
Add comments to explain delays
The Receive Parts dialog includes a comments field. Use it to note why receipts are partial: “Supplier backordered 3 units, expects delivery next Monday.” These comments appear in the PO history and help future users understand what happened. If a coworker asks “Why is this PO still open?” they read the comments and see “Partial receipt, 3 units pending backorder.” Context prevents confusion.
Multiple shipments, multiple receipts
A PO for 20 filters might arrive in three shipments: 10 today, 7 tomorrow, 3 next week. Record three separate partial receipts. First receipt: Quantity Received = 10, Date = today. Second receipt: Quantity Received = 7, Date = tomorrow. Third receipt: Quantity Received = 3, Date = next week. Antero tallies the total (10+7+3 = 20) and marks the PO complete after the third receipt. Inventory increases incrementally at each step.
Inventory updates immediately
Each partial receipt adjusts inventory in real-time. After receiving 10 filters, those 10 are available for work orders immediately. The remaining 10 expected filters don’t appear in inventory until you receive and record them. This accuracy is critical: if you show 20 filters in stock before receiving them all, work orders might consume parts that aren’t physically available, causing confusion and delays.
Close POs manually if orders are incomplete
Sometimes orders never fully arrive—supplier discontinues a part, you find an alternative, or you cancel the remaining items. If a PO has partial receipts but will never be complete, you can manually close it. Select the PO, click Close Order, and confirm. Antero marks it complete even though some quantities weren’t received. Add a comment explaining why (“Remaining 5 units cancelled, switched to alternative part”). This prevents old incomplete POs from cluttering the open orders list forever.
Track transaction history
Each partial receipt creates a transaction record in the Transactions section. View the full history to see all receipts for a PO: dates, quantities, employees, and invoice numbers. This audit trail is valuable for reconciling invoices against receipts or investigating discrepancies. If an invoice charges for 20 parts but you only received 17, the transaction history proves what you actually got.
Invoice matching with partial receipts
Suppliers often invoice when they ship, not when you receive. With partial receipts, you might receive an invoice for 20 parts but only have 15 in hand. Record the partial receipt for the 15 you have, note the invoice number in the comments, and hold payment until the remaining 5 arrive and are received. This matching process prevents paying for parts you haven’t yet received, protecting against supplier errors or shipment losses.
Partial receipts for large or expensive orders
Capital equipment orders with long lead times often arrive in stages: major components first, accessories later. Using partial receipts, you can put the major components into service while waiting for accessories. Inventory and cost tracking remain accurate at each stage. For expensive parts, this also helps with budget tracking—you can see exactly how much has been spent (received and invoiced) versus what’s still pending.
Why incremental receiving beats lump-sum updates
Waiting to receive entire orders before updating inventory creates multi-week gaps where inventory doesn’t reflect reality. Partial receipts keep inventory synchronized with physical stock daily, so operators see accurate quantities when planning work and supervisors make better reorder decisions based on current, not stale, data.
Next Steps: Manage Antero inventory with partial receipt tracking →
