Write down who may request, approve, place, receive, and return a stock purchase. Set an approval limit by amount or product risk that suits the shop, and name who can approve an exception when the usual approver is unavailable.
Link the purchase request and approval to the supplier quote, then compare received goods and the invoice with what was authorised. Where practical, have a different person check high-value or unusual deliveries. Record any short shipment, substitution, or price change before updating stock.
Review the limits when the range or workload changes, and make it easy for staff to raise a quality or safety concern without waiting for routine approval. Keep the process proportionate: it should prevent accidental commitments while leaving a clear route for urgent issues.
Tell suppliers who is authorised to place orders and how approvals are confirmed. This helps prevent a message from an unauthorised staff member being mistaken for a firm purchase commitment.
