In short: A purchase invoice is the bill you receive from a supplier when you buy stock, listing items, quantities, prices, tax and total.
The full guide: Shop inventory management
Use the tool: Invoice generator
A purchase invoice is the document that proves you bought goods from a supplier. It shows the supplier's name and tax number, the items, quantities, unit prices, sales tax and total. To the supplier it is a sales invoice, to you it is a purchase invoice. Formula: invoice total = sum of (quantity × unit price) - discount + tax. Every line should match what actually came through the door.
Recording a purchase invoice changes three things at once: stock quantities go up, cost prices update, and the supplier's balance grows if you did not pay cash. In Ghalleh you receive stock against the supplier by scanning items and typing the quantity and cost, or photograph the supplier's invoice and Ghalleh reads its lines and shows them to you to check before saving. Then you type how much you paid now, and the rest goes on the supplier's account.
Before you record a purchase invoice
- Check the invoice against what actually arrived: quantities, items and expiry dates.
- Never record stock that did not turn up; ask the supplier for a corrected invoice.
- Keep a copy of the invoice, because you need it for sales tax and for any dispute.
- If an item's price has changed since the last invoice, review its selling price so your margin does not shrink.
A shop example
A hardware shop in Amman receives a purchase invoice: 10 boxes of screws at JOD 3.500 each = JOD 35, and 20 tubes of silicone at JOD 1.750 each = JOD 35. The subtotal is JOD 70, sales tax at 16% is JOD 11.200, and the total is JOD 81.200.
Common questions
Does a purchase invoice need to be a tax invoice?
If the supplier is registered for sales tax, their invoice must be a tax invoice showing their tax number. You need it if you are registered and want to deduct the tax on your purchases.
What if the delivery arrives short?
Record only what you actually received, and ask the supplier for a credit note or a corrected invoice for the difference. Do not pay for goods that never arrived.
Can I record a purchase invoice from a photo?
In some systems, yes. In Ghalleh you photograph the supplier's invoice, it reads the lines and shows them to you to check before saving. This needs an internet connection.