What to do when only part of an order arrives
The delivery driver unloads four pallets and hands you a signature pad. You ordered five. The paperwork has a line that says 'balance to follow.' Nobody can say when.
This is not rare. Suppliers run short, split shipments across trucks and send what they have. How your shop handles the missing pallet decides whether it becomes a small note or a three-week argument.
Receive what actually arrived
The golden rule is to record what is in front of you, not what the order says. If you ordered 10 gallons and 7 turned up, enter 7. It feels wrong to put a smaller number than the paperwork, and it is exactly right.
- Received
- Still due
The order stays open until every line is either complete or closed on purpose.
Track the balance
A partial receipt leaves a remainder. Good practice is to keep that remainder attached to the original order, so anyone can open the order and see 3 still due. The alternative is a second order for the leftover, which is how duplicates are born.
Ask the supplier when the balance will ship and note the date. If it does not arrive, you have a date to quote when you chase.
When to close the rest
Sometimes the balance is never coming. The supplier discontinued the item, or you found it elsewhere. Do not leave the order hanging forever. Closing short means you stop expecting the rest, with a reason recorded.
Day 1
Order placed for 10 gallons
Expected in five days.
Day 6
7 gallons arrive
3 still due. The order stays open.
Day 9
Supplier promises the balance
A date goes on the order.
Day 20
Closed short, with a reason
No more is expected. Stock is unchanged.
What about too much?
Occasionally a supplier sends more than you ordered. Decide on your rule in advance. Some businesses accept a small margin, some refuse any excess. Whatever you choose, an unexpected extra case is a conversation with the supplier, not something to slip quietly onto the shelf.
Talking to the supplier
A short delivery is a normal part of business, and it is also a chance to learn how reliable a supplier is. Fill rate puts a number on the other side of it. Keep a note of how often each one ships short and how long the balance takes.
After a few months you will know which suppliers send complete orders, which send most of an order in a week and the rest in a month, and which treat the order date as a polite suggestion. That list is gold at negotiation time, and it is the best input you can have for setting safety stock.
When you call about a balance, have the order number, the line, the quantity still due and the date you were told. A supplier who hears 'order 2291, three gallons of primer, promised for the 14th' answers very differently from one who hears 'where is my stuff?'
Record what is in front of you, not what the paperwork says.