What is a goods received note (GRN)?
By Tim White · Glossary · Last updated
A goods received note, or GRN, is the record a business makes when a delivery arrives, listing what was actually received. It's also called a receiving report. It's the third document in three-way matching, alongside the purchase order and the invoice, and it's how you confirm goods turned up before you pay for them.
What goes on a GRN
Date received, supplier, PO number, the items and quantities that arrived, and their condition. Whoever accepts the delivery fills it in, often by signing the driver's delivery ticket and noting shortages. In a small business, a signed packing slip photographed and kept with the PO often does the job.
How it's used
When the invoice arrives, compare it with the GRN. If the invoice bills 500 units and the GRN shows 480, hold payment for the missing 20 until the supplier ships them or sends a credit memo. Note damage on the GRN at delivery. A claim made two weeks later, with no record, is much harder to win.
Common questions
Is a goods received note the same as a receiving report?
Yes. Both terms describe the buyer's record of what was delivered.
Do services need a GRN?
Usually not. Services are checked with two-way matching, the invoice against the PO or contract.
Sources
Keep reading
Try it on your own invoices
10 invoices a month free, no card. Every field comes back with a confidence level and the text it was read from.