How to Send a Purchase Order and Receive Stock Properly

To send a purchase order and receive stock properly in a small shop, use a purchase workflow like Tukri that lets you create a purchase order, receive stock against that PO or record a direct purchase entry, automatically update item cost, and keep a supplier payable ledger so supplier dues do not get mixed with daily cash.

In a busy Bangladeshi shop, purchase mistakes usually do not happen at the moment of ordering. They show up later: the supplier sends 11 cartons instead of 12, one flavour is missing, the cost changed from last time, or the goods arrived but nobody updated stock. By closing time, the shelf looks full but the numbers are wrong. That is why shop owners commonly find that buying stock needs its own routine, separate from sales.

What is the correct purchase flow for a small shop?

The correct purchase flow for a small shop is simple: make a purchase order first, receive only what actually arrived, then pay or leave the balance in the supplier payable ledger.

A practical flow looks like this:

1. Create a purchase order for the supplier.
2. List the products, quantities, and expected prices.
3. Send the PO to the supplier.
4. When goods arrive, receive stock against the PO.
5. Check what actually came in before confirming.
6. Let the received stock update inventory and item cost.
7. Record full payment, partial payment, or unpaid balance.
8. Keep any remaining amount in the supplier payable ledger.

This matters because a purchase order is not the same as a completed purchase. A PO is your request. Stock should increase only when goods are actually received. That distinction prevents inflated stock, especially in grocery, pharmacy, electronics, and hardware shops where partial delivery is common.

Tukri supports both sides of this workflow:

• Create a purchase order to send to a supplier.
• Receive stock against that PO.
• Or record a direct purchase entry if you bought items immediately without ordering first.
• Receiving updates cost.
• Supplier balances stay in a supplier payable ledger.
• Purchase returns are recorded separately.

When should I use a purchase order and when is direct purchase entry enough?

Use a purchase order when the supplier will deliver later, when the order is large, or when you want a clear record of what you asked for. Use direct purchase entry when the goods and bill are already in front of you.

A paper notebook can be enough for a very new shop with a few items and one familiar supplier. But once you start ordering mixed items, buying on credit, or comparing supplier prices, a purchase order for small shop use becomes worth the extra step.

Use a PO when:

• You order today and receive later.
• The supplier may deliver in parts.
• You need staff to verify delivery.
• You buy many SKUs in one order.
• You want fewer disputes about quantity or price.

Use direct purchase entry when:

• You went to the wholesaler and brought the goods back yourself.
• The full quantity arrived immediately.
• You do not need a prior order trail.

In Tukri, both methods exist because small shops in Bangladesh use both. A pharmacy may place planned orders with a distributor, while a neighbourhood grocery may do a quick refill purchase from the market in the afternoon.

How do I receive stock against a PO without creating stock mistakes?

To receive stock against PO correctly, match the delivery to the original order and confirm only the items and quantities that physically arrived.

In practice, follow these steps:

1. Open the original purchase order.
2. Put the delivered items on the counter or storeroom floor.
3. Count each item before entering it as received.
4. Compare brand, size, unit, and variant.
5. Enter the actual received quantity, not the ordered quantity.
6. Confirm the purchase only after the count matches the cartons, boxes, or pieces in hand.

This sounds basic, but it is where many stock problems begin. In a pharmacy, one batch may arrive short. In a grocery shop, you may order a carton but receive loose pieces. In clothing, one colour variant may be missing. If staff simply marks the full PO as received, stock becomes overstated and later the owner thinks items were stolen or sold without billing.

Tukri helps here because stock is received against the PO, not guessed afterward. Once received, inventory is updated from the actual receipt. That makes later stock checks more believable.

How does receiving stock affect inventory cost and supplier dues?

Receiving stock should update inventory cost from the purchase, and any unpaid amount should appear in the supplier payable ledger.

This is one of the most important parts of shop purchase management in Bangladesh. Owners often remember the quantity but forget that cost changed. Later they check profit and wonder why the margin looks off. If purchase cost is stale, profit is stale too.

In Tukri:

• Receiving stock updates cost.
• Purchases can be paid fully, partially, or left unpaid.
• The unpaid amount is kept in the supplier payable ledger.

That separation is useful at end of day. Your cash drawer should reflect actual money movement. Supplier dues should sit in payables, not in someone’s memory or on a loose paper slip. Shop owners commonly find this especially helpful when they buy on market day, pay one supplier now, and settle another after a few days.

What should I do if goods are wrong, damaged, or need to be sent back?

If goods are wrong, damaged, or unsellable, record a purchase return process instead of quietly adjusting stock later.

A proper purchase return process usually means:

1. Identify which items are being returned.
2. Confirm the quantity going back to the supplier.
3. Record the purchase return.
4. Let the supplier balance reduce if the goods were on credit, or track the refund if already paid.

This matters because purchase returns and manual stock corrections are not the same thing. A stock adjustment is for damage, count correction, or loss inside the shop. A purchase return is for goods going back to the supplier after purchase. Keeping those separate gives a cleaner audit trail.

In Tukri, purchase returns are part of the purchases and suppliers workflow, so the movement is recorded against the supplier side rather than hidden as a vague stock edit.

Paper khata or a POS app for purchases: which is better?

For a tiny shop with very few purchase transactions, a notebook can still work. But for repeat suppliers, partial deliveries, changing costs, and unpaid supplier balances, a POS app for purchases like Tukri is more reliable.

The honest view: if you buy five items a week from one person and pay cash every time, paper may be enough for now. But once your shop has multiple suppliers, staff receiving goods, or frequent price changes, digital records save time and reduce disputes.

A good habit is to keep purchases as disciplined as sales. If you already bill properly but buy stock casually, your reports will still be weak because cost and payables are incomplete.

If you want a cleaner purchase workflow, try Tukri at tukri.bd. Start with direct purchase entry for same-day buys, then use purchase orders and receiving against PO for supplier deliveries as your shop grows.