Field notes
What purchasing auditors look for on a warehouse walkthrough
Documents tell one story; the receiving bay tells another. A short walkthrough often explains months of unmatched invoices.
Arrive when a delivery is expected. Watch whether drivers wait for a count, whether partial shipments are noted, and whether damaged cartons are photographed or simply accepted.
Ask to see the last week's receiving notes next to the corresponding POs. Gaps in timestamps, missing line references, or identical signatures across shifts are early signals that the control is ceremonial.
Talk to the person who actually unloads, not only the warehouse supervisor. Clerks often know which suppliers ship short and which buyers ask them to 'just receive it.'
Bring findings back to purchasing the same day while examples are fresh. A walkthrough that ends only in a private auditor notebook rarely changes how the next truck is handled.
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