To automate supplier delivery notes against the purchase order, the note has to be read as it arrives, matched to the open PO in the ERP line by line, and turned into a goods receipt only when quantities agree. The tools that do this well identify the supplier first, compare every item and quantity against the PO, stop shortages and extras with a reason, and create the receipt linked to the PO so the invoice matches later.
In most warehouses it still works like this. A truck arrives, the driver hands over a delivery note, and someone at the dock counts, signs and puts the paper in a tray. Later a clerk finds the PO in the ERP, types the received quantities, and hopes the paper is still readable.
The delivery note is the middle document of the purchasing flow. Get it wrong and the invoice match fails weeks later, which is why it matters so much for three-way matching.
Why delivery notes are harder than they look
They arrive in every format
A printed note at the dock, a PDF emailed the night before, a photo from the driver’s phone. Some suppliers send one note per PO, some bundle three POs on one page.
Partial deliveries are normal
The PO says 500, the truck brings 300. The clerk has to receive 300 against the right line and leave 200 open. Receive 500 by habit and the invoice later looks correct when it is not.
The item codes do not match
The supplier prints their part number, your PO has yours. Someone translates, usually from memory.
Nobody checks the paper against the PO
The count on the dock is checked against the note. The note is rarely checked against the PO before it is keyed in.
What the automation has to do
Read the note wherever it comes from
Email attachment, scan, photo. No template per supplier, because a new supplier should work from their first delivery.
Identify the supplier and find the open PO
From the sender, the supplier name and the PO reference on the note. If the reference is missing, the supplier and the items point to the right open order.
Compare line by line
Item, quantity, unit of measure, and lot or batch where it matters. Short shipments, over-deliveries and items that are not on the PO at all are flagged with the reason, not received quietly. The same cross-check applies to purchase orders and packing lists.
Create the goods receipt linked to the PO
So the open quantity drops, the stock updates, and the supplier invoice has something to match against when it arrives.
How it works with DOConvert
DOConvert is the AI layer for the ERP. It reads the delivery note, finds the PO, checks the lines and only then creates the receipt. One delivery, step by step.
The delivery note arrives
The supplier emails the PDF before the truck leaves, or the dock scans the paper when it arrives. Either way it goes to one mailbox.
DOConvert identifies the supplier
From the email address and the document. New suppliers work without setup.
The open PO is found in the ERP
By the PO number on the note, or by supplier and items when the number is missing.
Lines are checked against the PO
18 lines match. One line brings 300 of an ordered 500, and one item is not on the PO at all.
Exceptions stop with a reason
The short line is received as 300 with 200 left open. The unknown item is held for the buyer with a plain note. Nothing is guessed.
The goods receipt is created
Linked to the PO in the ERP. For Priority users this runs through the DOConvert Priority connector, which is bi-directional, so it reads the PO and writes the receipt back. On Oracle Fusion Cloud ERP and Infor M3 the connection is direct too, no middleware. The receipt date can also feed the PO, the way real-time PO updates keep delivery dates current.
Who it fits
- Warehouse and receiving teams that handle dozens of deliveries a day on paper
- Purchasing managers who find out about short shipments only when the invoice does not match
- Controllers and AP teams whose three-way match fails because receipts are late or wrong
- IT and IS managers on Priority ERP, Oracle Fusion Cloud ERP or Infor M3 who want receipts created in the ERP itself, as part of wider Priority ERP document automation
Questions and answers
What if the delivery note has no PO number?
DOConvert uses the supplier and the items to find the open PO. If more than one PO fits, the note is held with the candidates listed, and someone picks in a few seconds.
Can it handle a partial delivery?
Yes. The received quantity is posted against the line and the balance stays open on the PO. The next delivery is matched against what is still open.
Does the warehouse still count the goods?
Yes. The physical count stays with the dock. What changes is that the count is checked against the PO automatically, and nobody retypes the note afterwards.
Do suppliers need to change anything?
No. They keep sending the same delivery notes. There is no portal and no agreed format.
Who supports this for Priority users in the UK?
DOConvert works with Medatech UK, the Priority partner, for UK implementations. A typical implementation takes about 10 business days.
Want to see it on your own documents? Book a Demo or Get Started