What is three-way matching?

PO, receipt and invoice must agree before anyone pays.

Three-way matching compares the purchase order (what was ordered), the goods receipt (what arrived) and the invoice (what's being charged). All three must agree before payment is released.

It's the control that stops paying for parts never delivered or at the wrong price. When receipts post against the PO digitally, matching is automatic and only genuine exceptions land on someone's desk.

• How it's used