How to handle partial deliveries

Why partial receiving matters

If you mark a purchase order as fully received when only part of it showed up, your stock on hand will be wrong for every variant on that order. That throws off your days of stock calculation and can push your next reorder date out too far, leading to a stockout before the real delivery catches up.

Separate the shipment from the order

Treat the delivery as its own event. Count and log only the units physically in hand, by SKU, before touching the purchase order. Do not guess based on the packing slip if the box count looks off, recount.

Keep the order open for the remainder

Once you have logged the received units, the purchase order should still show a balance owing for each SKU that came up short. That balance needs to stay visible so you do not accidentally reorder the full amount again or forget about it entirely.

Chase the remainder on a schedule

Set a date to check in with the supplier about the outstanding balance, based on what they told you. If a supplier is consistently short-shipping, consider that in your safety days for that supplier going forward, since it behaves like a longer or less reliable lead time.

Step by step

1. Count the delivered units by SKU as soon as the shipment arrives.
2. Log only the actual received quantity into Shopify stock, not the ordered quantity.
3. Leave the purchase order open with the remaining quantity still owing per SKU.
4. Note the supplier's promised date for the rest and set a follow-up reminder.
5. Check days of stock on the short SKUs so you know if you need an emergency top-up elsewhere.
6. If a supplier is often short, add extra safety days to that supplier's lead time going forward.
7. Close the purchase order only once the full quantity has arrived or you have written off the shortfall.

Worked example

A store orders 200 units of a candle SKU. The box arrives with only 140 units and a note that the rest ships in two weeks. The owner logs 140 units into stock, leaving the purchase order open for 60 units. Daily sales for that SKU run at 6 units a day, so 140 units on hand gives about 23 days of stock, which is enough to cover the two-week wait plus a few days of margin. The owner sets a reminder for the promised ship date to confirm the remaining 60 arrive before stock runs low.

How SteadyShelf helps

SteadyShelf supports receiving partial stock against a purchase order, so you log what actually arrived and the order stays open for the balance, which keeps your forecast and next order-by date accurate. It does not track expected arrival dates for split shipments or send automatic reminders for outstanding balances, so you still need to follow up with the supplier yourself.

$29/month flat, unlimited products and suppliers, 30-day free trial. Run the numbers now with the free reorder point calculator.

SteadyShelf is launching on the Shopify App Store. Join early access to get the install link first.

Related guides

• How to handle supplier minimums when cash is short
• How to improve inventory turnover
• How to keep a purchase order history
• How to handle one big order that skews your forecast

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