Supplier invoice 3-way match.
Ordered, received, invoiced — all three, every line.
Catch supplier invoice mistakes before the money leaves. Cobalt ERP lines up the purchase order, the goods receipt and the supplier invoice so quantity and price differences are obvious — not discovered at year end.
Three documents, one source of truth.
3-way matching compares what you ordered, what arrived and what you're being billed — and flags anywhere they disagree.
What a three-way match actually checks
Seven checks against the purchase order, the goods receipt and the agreed price list. Six agreed; one did not, and that is the one holding £74.40 of a £297.60 invoice.
Check
Purchase order line
PO-22841 · 24 @ £12.40
120ms
Goods receipt line
GRN-3310 · 18 received
150ms
Agreed price list
TERMS-114 · £12.40
90ms
Quantity variance
−6 units · held
180ms
Price variance
0.0% · in tolerance
110ms
Tax treatment
standard rate · 20%
130ms
Duplicate check
no vendor+amount match
210ms
- PO vs receipt vs invoice — the three records are matched side by side so differences stand out.
- Quantity variance — flags when the invoiced quantity doesn't match what was received.
- Price variance — flags when the invoiced price differs from the agreed purchase order price.
- Partial deliveries — handles part-shipped orders so you only match against what actually arrived.
- Overbilling prevention — stops you paying for goods that were never delivered or were billed twice.
- Audit trail — every match, exception and resolution is recorded, so you can show your working.
Small mismatches add up fast.
A few units short here, a price creep there — over a year, unmatched supplier invoices quietly erode margin and trust.
Catch invoices that bill above the agreed price before they're paid, not after.
Match against goods receipts, including partial deliveries, so you never overpay for short shipments.
A full audit trail of matches and exceptions makes supplier disputes and reviews simple.
Part of clean purchasing.
3-way matching is the checkpoint at the end of the buy side.
It sits inside procure to pay, right after purchase orders and goods receipts. The matched, checked invoices then export cleanly for accountant handoff, so your accountant gets payables data they can trust.
Frequently asked questions.
What is supplier invoice 3-way matching?
It's the process of comparing three documents — the purchase order, the goods receipt and the supplier invoice — to confirm you're only paying for what you ordered and actually received, at the agreed price.
What variances does Cobalt ERP flag?
Cobalt ERP flags quantity variances (invoiced quantity does not match received quantity) and price variances (invoiced above the agreed PO price), and handles partial deliveries so you match against what arrived.
How does it prevent overbilling?
By matching the invoice to the receipt and the PO, Cobalt ERP highlights goods that were never delivered or billed twice, so they can be queried before payment.
Does it handle partial deliveries?
Yes. You can receive goods in part against a purchase order, and matching works against what was actually received rather than the full ordered quantity.
Is there an audit trail?
Yes. Every match, exception and resolution is recorded, giving you a clear history for supplier disputes, reviews and your accountant.
Does Cobalt ERP replace my accounts payable software?
Cobalt ERP provides operational matching and supplier invoice status, then exports clean data to your accountant. It is not a full statutory accounts payable or payments system.
Related pages.
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