Field Notes
Three-way match gaps that still pass a rushed close
Purchase order, receipt, and invoice can look aligned at a glance while amounts or partial deliveries quietly disagree.
A three-way match can “pass” when clerks compare totals but ignore partial receipts. We often see an invoice for a full purchase order while only half the goods sit on the receipt note. The difference waits in a clearing account that nobody ages during close week.
When we sample, we ask for the receipt line detail, not only the cover page. If your warehouse issues cumulative receipts, print the version that shows quantities to date. Otherwise the match looks clean and the inventory or expense application is still wrong.
For service invoices without a classic GRN, replace the receipt with an approved timesheet, milestone certificate, or email acceptance from the budget owner — and keep that artifact with the invoice application.