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A Guide to Construction GRNs

What are GRNs?

A Goods Received Note (GRN) is a two-way document that is a record of goods received from a supplier and shows proof that the ordered goods have been received. They are mainly used by the buyer, to compare the amount of goods ordered with what was received. 
GRNs can help a business get a better overview of their input and output as well as helping them check they’ve received all the products they have ordered. 

If any items are missing, the customer can contact the supplier, using the GRN as proof, allowing the issues to be resolved quickly and efficiently. GRNs are vital for construction company, as they are used for stock updates and o authorise payment of goods received. 

Common issues with paper GRNs

Companies still using physical, paper GRNs, face a number of common issues.

First and foremost, lost paperwork. It’s hard to keep track of paper GRNs on busy construction sites, and losing them causes a delay of payment to the relevant supplier.

Physical GRNs are also processed much slower than digital ones, as they must be physically transported from site to the office. This can slow down communication with suppliers where there are issues with goods received, such as damaged goods or incorrect quantities. These delays can be the difference between a contract finishing on time, or running over and being subject to penalties.

Another common issue with paper GRNs is the fact they can become crumpled, damaged and difficult to read. Being handled on a busy construction site in all weathers often means they are scribbled on in haste, and the team processing them in the office struggle to read them leading to further delays.

Storing physical GRNs for every single delivery received on site requires a large amount of physical storage, not ideal for companies making the shift towards a paperless office.

The advantages of digital GRNs

In order to tackle some of the common issues posed by using paper GRNs we created our popular Mobile Goods Received Notes module as an extension to our Evolution Mx software. Here are some advantages of using digital GRNs:

1.    Accessible on all devices – no more lost paperwork, as GRNs are available from your phone or tablet and can even be used offline without an internet connection

2.    Process invoices more quickly – a digital GRN acts as authorisation that goods have been received, meaning supplier invoices can be processed more quickly without the need to wait for delivery notes to be sent to the office

3.    Attach photographs – you can attach photos of both the paper delivery note and even the goods themselves to your GRN, which allows for easier communications with your supplier

If you would like to find out more about how our Mobile GRN module can benefit your company, request your free demo today.