Three-way match
A three-way match is a control that compares the purchase order, the goods received note and the supplier invoice before payment is approved, so you only pay for what you ordered and actually received.
Also searched as: 3 way matching, purchase order invoice matching
Updated July 2026
It exists because the three documents disagree more often than people expect. You order 100, the supplier ships 92, and the invoice arrives for 100. Without the match, the difference is either caught by someone paying attention or paid quietly.
In a system where purchasing, receiving and accounts payable share one database, the match happens automatically and only the exceptions reach a person. In separate systems it becomes a manual comparison, which is why it is often skipped in small finance teams and why overpayment tends to be invisible.
The control also protects margin in a less obvious way. Price differences between the order and the invoice are exactly where supplier increases slip through unnoticed.
A mismatch worth catching
PO says 100 units at $8.40. Goods received note says 92 units. Invoice says 100 units at $8.95. Two exceptions: 8 units never arrived, and the unit price rose 6.5% without anyone agreeing to it.
Where this lives in Wizard
ProcurementRaise purchase orders, see what you last paid, and route approvals without an email chain.
AccountingPost entries automatically, reconcile the bank, and close the month without rebuilding it in Excel.
InventoryOne stock position across every warehouse and branch, updated as goods actually move.