Who is this for?
StoreHub merchants, store managers, and outlet teams who create purchase orders, receive supplier deliveries using Goods Received Note (GRN), and need accurate stock in BackOffice, plus anyone who edits, cancels, emails, or prints POs.
Overview
This article covers the full lifecycle of a purchase order: creating a PO (from Supply Needs or the Purchase Orders page), filling it out and adding items (including by CSV), and receiving stock with Goods Received Note (GRN), so you record what was actually delivered (full or partial), track variances, capture invoice and delivery details, and update inventory when you confirm the GRN.
It also covers partial deliveries (multiple GRNs per PO), the Goods Received list (export CSV, download GRN as PDF), and editing, cancelling, emailing, or printing the PO. Make sure you have set up inventory tracking and suppliers first; see here if you have not.
Notes:
GRN means Goods Received Note. It is a receiving document used to confirm what your store actually received from a supplier against a Purchase Order.
The main purpose of GRN is to keep stock accurate, record delivery differences, and create a clear audit trail for receiving. You can receive full or partial deliveries, track quantity differences, and update inventory as soon as you confirm the GRN.
Before You Begin
Access to BackOffice Stock Management and employee roles that allow Purchase Orders and Goods Received Note (for GRN). Refer to this article.
Products you want to order must have their supplier set and tracking stock level on the product page, or they will not appear when you create a purchase order. Refer to this article.
To receive: A purchase order must already be created (and confirmed or sent, per your workflow). Have delivery details ready, including accepted quantities per item.
The Goods Received Note feature is currently available only to whitelisted merchants. If you do not see this option, please note that the feature is still in testing and has not yet been released to the public. If you are interested, please reach out to StoreHub Customer Support via Live Chat.
Step-by-Step Guide
Create a purchase order
You can start a new purchase order from Supply Needs or from the Purchase Orders page.
Option A: From the Supply Needs page
1. In your BackOffice, go to 'Stock Management'.
2. Click ' Create Purchase Order'.
Note: You can select the target store using the dropdown filter.
Option B: From the Purchase Orders page
1. In your BackOffice, go to 'Stock Management', then select 'Purchase Orders'.
2. On the Purchase Orders page, tap '+ New Purchase Order'.
Fill out and save the purchase order
1. Select the 'Supplier' and 'Target Store'. Choose whether to auto-fill the order based on your supply needs.
Note: Auto-fill adds items from Supply Needs for that supplier. If you set an ideal stock level on products, it can calculate how much to order to reach that level.
2. Tap 'Create'.
3. The items need restock will be auto filled from your supply needs; or you can click 'Add Item'.
Note: If items are not appearing, it is likely because a supplier has not been linked to them. To learn how to assign a supplier to an item, refer to this article.
Import items from CSV (Click to expand):
Import items from CSV (Click to expand):
Tap 'Import Items by CSV'.
In the pop-up, tap the CSV Template link to download the template.
Fill in the product details in the CSV. Do not change the first row (header row) or the import may fail.
Save the file as .csv, then in BackOffice tap 'Select File' and upload it.
Tap 'Import' to add the data to the purchase order.
For Serialized Products (Click to expand):
For Serialized Products (Click to expand):
When you add a serialized product to the purchase order, a pop-up will appear to explain its behavior.
On the pop-up, tap 'Proceed'.
4. On the purchase order detail page, add or remove items and adjust quantities, supplier prices, and notes as needed.
Qty to Order: Filled in automatically. You can change it to the quantity you want to order.
Unit Price: The product's supplier price, or its cost price if no supplier price is set yet. You can adjust it here to match what your supplier charges.
Note: On the Advanced or Pro plan with multiple units, pick the unit in 'Qty to Order'; 'Unit Price' then shows the price for that unit, with the price per base unit underneath.
Discount: Any discount your supplier agreed to give you on these items.
Tax Rate: The tax rate your supplier charges on these items.
5. Once you have reviewed your Purchase Order, check the box if you wish to 'Send email notification' to your supplier.
6. Click 'Continue'.
You can check your Purchase Order status.
Draft: The purchase order is saved but hasn't been sent to your supplier yet.
Open: The purchase order has been sent to your supplier and is waiting for the items to arrive.
Partially Received: Some of the ordered items have arrived, but not all- the purchase order stays open until the rest are received.
Fully Received: All items have been received, and the purchase order stays open until you click 'Mark as Complete'.
Note: Once your created a purchase order, you won't be able to edit it. You'll need to cancel the purchase order and resubmit it. Refer to this section of the article.
Receive a Purchase Order Using Goods Received Note (GRN)
Goods Received Note (GRN) records what was actually delivered for each Purchase Order. You can receive full or partial deliveries, track variance, and update inventory when you confirm the GRN.
With GRN your team can:
Record Accepted Qty by item
Capture supplier invoice and delivery order details (when required)
Create multiple GRNs for partial deliveries
Review records under Goods Received Note (list and detail)
Export to CSV and download GRN as PDF
1. In your BackOffice, go to 'Stock Management', then click 'Purchase Orders'.
2. Open the Purchase Order with an unresolved status; click 'Receive Order'.
3. On the GRN, key in the 'Supplier Invoice Number' and 'Delivery Order Number'.
4. Adjust the Date & Time following the received date.
5. In the item table, enter 'Accepted Qty' for each delivered item.
Note: With multiple units, pick the unit first; a line shows the same amount in your base unit, so 6 CTN reads as 144 can.
Review the 'Variance':
When the accepted quantity is lower or higher than the outstanding quantity, choose the reason where shown.
When the Accepted Qty exceeds the Outstanding Qty; key in the reason for accepting extra items
Create Goods Receive Notes with Serialized Items
To key in the Accepted Qty, you'll need to key in the serial number for serialized items.
1. On the GRN page, click '+Add serialized item'
2. Key in Serial No and the quantity will add up.
3. Click confirm.
4. Add optional notes, supplier invoice number, and delivery order number if your flow requires them, then tap 'Create' to confirm the GRN.
5. Once you've confirmed the details, click 'Create GRN & Update Inventory'
Notes:
When the GRN is created, inventory updates automatically for the accepted quantities.
For serialized products, follow any pop-up or 'Manage' steps to enter serial numbers for received items, same as before.
Receive Partial Deliveries Using Additional Goods Received Note
1. If a Purchase Order is only partially received, open the same purchase order and tap 'Receive More Items'.
2. Enter the newly delivered Accepted Qty and create another Goods Received Note.
3. Repeat until all outstanding quantity is received or you mark the Purchase Order complete per your business process.
Note: If an invoice number is required in your setup, you must fill it in before you can mark the purchase order complete. If a 'Delivery Order Number' is required, a missing one blocks completion the same way. To clear it, open the purchase order, open the GRN marked 'Missing Invoice' or 'Missing DO', click 'Edit', fill in the missing 'Supplier Invoice Number' or 'Delivery Order Number', then click 'Save'.
View, Export, and Download Goods Received Note Records
1. Go to 'Stock Management', then tap 'Goods Received Note'.
2. Use search and filters: document type, ID, date range, supplier, destination, as available.
3. Click on a item under the Date column to open the detail page and review line-level receiving.
4. From the list, tap 'Export to CSV'. From the GRN detail, tap 'Download PDF' when needed.
Cancel or delete a purchase order
1. Open the purchase order you want to cancel or delete.
2. Tap the blue 'Actions' tab or button (top right), then select 'Cancel' or 'Delete'.
Note: You can only cancel or delete a purchase order that has not been completed. Once received and marked completed, the PO cannot be cancelled or deleted.
Email or print a purchase order
1. Open the purchase order.
2. Tap the blue 'Actions' tab or button (top right), then select 'Email' or 'Print'.
Troubleshooting
Issue | Solution |
My product does not appear when I create a purchase order. | The product must have a supplier set and 'Track stock level' on. See here for more details. |
I cannot see 'Receive Order'. | Check the PO status and confirm your employee access includes 'Purchase Orders' with 'Create and Receive' enabled, plus access to 'Goods Received Note'. |
Totals look incorrect on the GRN. | Recheck accepted quantity, discount, tax rate, and freight at line level. |
I need another delivery for the same PO. | Tap 'Receive More Items' and create an additional GRN for the remaining quantity. |
I cannot edit a purchase order. | You'll to cancel the Purchase Order and resubmit it. |
CSV import fails (when creating a PO). | Do not change the first row of the CSV template. Save as .csv with matching product details. |
CSV export does not download or arrive by email. | Small exports (under 5,000 items) download right away; large exports are emailed to your registered address, so check your inbox and spam folder after about 10 minutes. The export goes to the email you use to log in to BackOffice, so if nothing arrives, check that inbox and its spam folder, then export again. |
Stock level did not update after GRN. | Inventory should update when the GRN is created. If not, confirm the GRN completed successfully. |
FAQs
1. When is my stock level updated?
With GRN, inventory updates when you create the GRN (confirm receiving). Each partial GRN updates stock for the accepted quantities in that delivery.
2. How is product cost calculated when I receive it?
The system still averages your existing and new stock costs from the prices you enter (for example, the supplier price on the line). To match the PO cost exactly, make sure current stock is 0 before receiving. This works the same way as before GRN.
3. Can I create more than one GRN for one PO?
Yes. Use 'Receive More Items' for each partial delivery until receiving is complete.
4. Can I export receiving records?
Yes. Export from Goods Received Note to CSV, and download a GRN as PDF from the GRN detail page.
5. Can outlet staff use GRN without seeing costs?
Yes, if your BackOffice roles hide cost fields. Staff with 'Receive and Mark Complete Only' access will not see supplier prices or totals.
6. Can I edit GRN details later?
Yes. While the PO is not completed or cancelled, you can edit the 'Supplier Invoice Number', 'Delivery Order Number' and 'Freight' on the GRN, but not the discounts.
7. Does GRN replace the old Receive Order screen?
If your account has GRN, receiving flows through the GRN form, and partial deliveries use multiple GRNs instead of only Save vs Mark Completed on the old screen.
8. Can non-manager staff create or receive GRNs?
Yes, if you give them access. In BackOffice, go to 'Employees', open the employee, then 'Access Control', and under 'Stock Management' tick 'Goods Received Note'. Staff who already have 'Purchase Orders' access are granted GRN access automatically. You can also limit them to receiving only (without seeing costs) using their role permissions.
Need help?
Contact StoreHub Support via live chat in your StoreHub app or email [email protected].
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