The short answer
Incoming material inspection checks each received lot against specification before it can be used. Each lot should end with one recorded outcome — passed, failed, on hold or partially accepted — plus separate accepted and rejected quantities. Only the accepted quantity should become usable stock, and the result should stay linked to the GRN, purchase order and supplier.
Why inspect at receipt
A defect found at the gate costs a phone call to the supplier. The same defect found after the material has been cut, machined or mixed costs scrap, rework and sometimes a customer complaint. Incoming inspection is the cheapest point to catch a problem.
What gets inspected — dimensions, chemistry, appearance, certificates, sample tests — depends on the material and the customer’s requirements. This guide is about the record-keeping around inspection, which is similar across industries.
The four outcomes
| Outcome | Meaning | What should happen to stock |
|---|---|---|
| Passed | The whole lot meets specification | Full quantity becomes usable stock |
| Partially accepted | Part of the lot meets specification | Accepted part becomes stock; rejected part is segregated |
| Hold | A decision is pending (test report, supplier clarification) | Nothing is usable until the hold is resolved |
| Failed | The lot does not meet specification | Nothing becomes usable stock; return or dispose |
Partial acceptance is common in practice — a few damaged coils in a delivery, or some bags outside moisture limits. Recording it as a pass or a fail distorts both stock and supplier performance.
Record quantities, not just a verdict
A register entry that says "OK" or "rejected" is not enough. Record the received quantity, the accepted quantity and the rejected quantity for each lot. From those three numbers you can answer the questions that come later:
- How much usable material do we actually have?
- How much should the supplier replace or credit?
- What is this supplier’s rejection rate over the last six months?
Link inspection to the receipt, order and supplier
An inspection result on a separate paper report is hard to find when a supplier disputes a rejection. Attach each result to the GRN line it inspected. The GRN is already linked to the purchase order and supplier, so the chain from rejection back to the order is complete.
How mosaicOne handles incoming inspection
In mosaicOne, users with write access to quality inspect GRN lines once they clear receiving. Each lot is recorded as passed, failed, hold or partially accepted, with accepted and rejected quantities. The accepted quantity is posted to inventory automatically, rejected lots appear on the plant snapshot, and every QA result is linked to its GRN, delivery batch, purchase order and supplier. In-process and final inspection, NCRs and CAPA are on the roadmap.
Key takeaways
- Give every lot exactly one outcome: passed, partially accepted, hold or failed.
- Record received, accepted and rejected quantities separately.
- Only accepted quantity should become usable stock.
- Attach each result to its GRN so it traces back to the PO and supplier.