Delivery short. Driver gone. Supplier says you signed for it all.
Without photographic evidence captured at goods-in, supplier disputes drag on for weeks and often end in your favour only partially — or not at all. IBIOS creates a timestamped evidence trail at the moment of delivery, before disputes even start.
How do supplier disputes happen, and why do they take weeks to resolve?
A pallet of tiles arrives. The fitter is waiting on site. The driver is in a hurry. You count roughly, sign the delivery note, the van pulls away. Later that afternoon, the fitter tells you some boxes are missing. You call the supplier. They pull up the delivery record: you signed for the full order. Their driver is gone and they have no photos. You have no photos. The dispute starts at deadlock.
This is not a rare edge case. Short deliveries, damaged goods, and wrong items arriving are a routine feature of trade supply chains. The cost is not just the missing goods — it is the time spent arguing, the delay to the installation, and the goodwill cost with the end customer who is waiting for their bathroom.
The solution is not better arguing. It is better evidence. A photo taken at goods-in, time-stamped to the second, matched against the purchase order, changes the conversation from “he said / she said” to “here is what arrived, here is what was ordered, here is the credit note we require.”
How does photo evidence at goods-in settle supplier disputes?
A quick process at delivery that replaces argument with evidence.
Delivery arrives on site
Before signing anything, open the IBIOS goods-in screen and locate the purchase order for this delivery. The screen shows exactly what should be arriving, line by line.
Count and photograph
Record the actual quantity received for each line item. Photograph the delivery note, the goods themselves, and any damage. Photos are time-stamped on the server at the moment of upload.
Discrepancy auto-flagged
If the received quantity differs from the ordered quantity, IBIOS flags the discrepancy immediately and creates a draft dispute record with the purchase order reference, delivery note, and photos attached.
Dispute raised with evidence
Your team reviews the dispute record, adds any additional notes, and contacts the supplier. The dispute summary can be exported as a PDF for formal correspondence, including all timestamps and photos.
Credit note matched to PO
When the supplier issues a credit note, it is recorded against the original purchase order in IBIOS. Your accounts team can see exactly which PO the credit applies to and verify the amount matches the discrepancy.
The result: disputes backed by evidence
Photos
captured at goods-in and stored against the delivery record
PO matched
received quantities checked against the purchase order line by line
dispute pack exported with all evidence attached
Beyond the individual dispute, the goods-in workflow changes the dynamic with suppliers long-term. When they know every delivery is photographed and matched to a purchase order, discrepancies happen less often. The evidence trail is a deterrent as much as a remedy.
Questions about supplier dispute management
Does it work for partial deliveries?
Yes. The goods-in screen allows you to record the actual quantity received against each line item of the purchase order. If you receive fewer boxes of tiles than were ordered, you record the quantity actually received, and the system flags the discrepancy automatically with the exact quantity variance.
What about damaged goods?
The goods-in workflow includes a condition check alongside the quantity check. You can mark individual items as damaged, take photos at goods-in, and add notes. The dispute record captures damage alongside quantity shortfalls so you have a single evidenced record for the supplier.
Can sub-contractors log goods in on your behalf?
Yes. Any IBIOS user with the goods-in permission can record a delivery, including site-based sub-contractors who have been granted access. The record shows which user completed the goods-in, so you always know who accepted the delivery.
How is the photo evidence stored?
Photos are stored securely within your IBIOS system, linked to the specific purchase order and delivery record. They are time-stamped by the server at the moment of upload, not by the device, which provides tamper-evident evidence in a dispute. Photos are retained for the life of the record.
Can the supplier see the evidence you have captured?
You control what you share. IBIOS generates a dispute summary report that you can export as a PDF, including purchase order reference, delivery note scan, photos, and timestamps. You share this directly with your supplier or account manager when raising the dispute. There is no automatic supplier-facing portal.
Related features
End supplier disputes with evidence, not arguments.
Goods-in photo capture, PO matching, and auto-dispute records. Early access by waiting list.