How should a wholesaler match supplier invoices to payments monthly?

Match three records for every purchase: the purchase order, the receiving record, and the supplier invoice. Pay only when they agree, then tie each payment back to its invoice. Do it monthly against your bank and card statements so differences get caught while they're small.

What the 3-way match is

For each purchase, compare:

1. Purchase order (PO). What you ordered: items, quantity, price, terms.
2. Receiving record. What actually arrived, counted and checked.
3. Supplier invoice. What the supplier is billing you for.

If quantity, price and terms agree across all three, the invoice is approved for payment. If they don't, hold it and ask the supplier.

Monthly routine

Week 1: collect.

• Gather every supplier invoice, freight bill and customs charge for the month.
• Pull the bank, card and any stablecoin transaction records.

Week 2: match.

• For each invoice, find the PO and the receiving record.
• Check quantity, unit price, currency, freight and taxes or duties.
• Mark each invoice as matched, short, over or missing.

Week 3: tie to payments.

• For each payment, find the invoice it covers. Write the invoice number in the payment memo where you can.
• Flag payments with no invoice, and invoices with no payment.

Week 4: resolve and close.

• Request credit notes for shortages or damage.
• Record the open items and who owns each one.
• Reconcile the month's total to your accounting ledger.

Where the mismatches come from

• Short shipments. The invoice says 100, you received 92.
• Price changes. The invoice price differs from the PO.
• Currency. An invoice in another currency doesn't match the dollars you sent.
• Fees deducted along the way. Intermediary banks can deduct charges on an international wire, so the supplier receives less than you sent.
• Landed costs. Freight, duty and brokerage show up late. See our guide on landed cost.
• Duplicate invoices. The same invoice sent twice with a new date.

What to keep

Save each match as one set: the PO, the receiving record, the invoice, and the payment confirmation. This is also what you'd hand to a lender or an accountant. Our guide on records for taxes and audits covers retention.

Small-business shortcuts

• Use one folder or one spreadsheet row per purchase, with the PO number as the key.
• Put the PO number on every invoice and every payment.
• Pay from a small number of accounts so there are fewer places to check.

Where Shield fits

Matching is easier when payments sit in one place. Shield gives wholesalers US business accounts, a business credit card with monthly statements and overseas supplier payments in dollars or stablecoins, with saved counterparties. Owners can live outside the US, with a US company.

FAQ

Is a 3-way match overkill for a small wholesaler? Not for larger or repeat purchases. For small orders, a 2-way match of the PO and invoice may be enough.

What if the supplier ships and bills before I can check the goods? Pay what you agreed in writing, and record the discrepancy as soon as you count the shipment.

How long should I keep these records? Ask your accountant. Our guide on records for taxes and audits covers general practice.

Next step

To see how Shield helps wholesalers keep payments organized, visit Shield business credit cards.