The quick answer
To receive a purchase order in NetSuite, open the PO and click Receive, or use Transactions → Purchases → Receive Orders. On the Item Receipt, check the selected lines, actual quantities, and receiving location. Click Save, then verify the receipt number and its Created From purchase order.
The delivery arrived. Now record what you actually received against the purchase order. You’ll check the items, quantities, and receiving location, then verify the saved receipt. Start with your existing purchase order. The screenshots use sample data and fictional person and operating-company names.
Before you start
Have the purchase order and the delivery details ready. The order must have open, receivable lines, and your role needs permission to receive them. If your account requires PO approval, complete it before receiving.
This walkthrough uses a separate Item Receipt. Receiving and billing behavior depends on your account’s Advanced Receiving setup. Lot, serial, bin, and inventory-status details may also be required for your items.
01. Open the receiving workflow
Use Transactions → Purchases → Receive Orders to find orders ready to receive. You can also open the purchase order directly and choose Receive. Menu labels and available actions vary by role.
Match the vendor and PO number to the delivery paperwork before proceeding. Receiving the right item against the wrong order still leaves you with a record to correct.
02. Check the source purchase order
On the Item Receipt, check Vendor and Created From. Here they read Test Company and Purchase Order #PO52. That link tells you which order this receipt will update.
Review the receipt date and posting period as well. Use the date appropriate to the receipt and your accounting process; don’t copy the demonstration date.
03. Enter what actually arrived
On Items & Expenses → Items, mark the lines you received. Check Quantity against the delivery, then select To Location where required. The example receives 1 Test Widget into Test Location.
For a partial delivery, enter only the quantity received and leave the rest for a later receipt. Complete any required inventory detail before saving. A default quantity is a starting point, not proof that the whole order arrived.
04. Save and verify the receipt
Click Save and wait for the saved Item Receipt. Resolve any validation message before treating the receipt as complete.
The recording finishes on IR27, linked to PO52. Its item line shows Test Widget, Test Location, and a quantity of 1. Your receipt number will differ.
Check the result
- Receipt: a saved receipt number and confirmation are present.
- Source: Created From points to the intended purchase order.
- Received line: item, quantity, and location match the delivery.
You’ve recorded the receipt. If your process uses a separate vendor bill, Accounts Payable can enter it when it arrives.
Common questions
Can I partially receive a purchase order?
Yes. Select the received lines and enter only the quantities that arrived. Unreceived quantities normally remain open for another receipt unless the order lines are closed or your workflow changes them.
Why is the Receive action missing?
Check whether the PO needs approval, whether it still has receivable quantities, and whether your role can create item receipts. Closed lines and account features can also affect the available actions.
Why does NetSuite require a location?
Accounts using inventory locations need to know where the received stock belongs. Select the actual receiving location, then complete any bin, lot, serial, or inventory-status details required for that item.
Does an item receipt create a vendor bill or pay the supplier?
In the separate-receiving workflow shown here, it does neither. Receiving records the arrival; vendor billing and payment are separate steps. Accounts without Advanced Receiving can combine receiving and billing, so check your account’s workflow.