Estimated arrival date and goods on the way

When you purchase inventory, goods take time to arrive at your warehouse. Usystems lets you record when goods are expected and track them as "on the way" until you receive them. This keeps your team informed and prevents orders from being forgotten.

Before you start

• You must have permission to create and edit bills.
• At least one supplier (vendor) must be set up.
• You must be using an inventory-enabled product (e.g., Commercial, Pharmacy).

Steps

1. Create a new bill — Go to Bills, then select the option to create a new bill or select Purchases → Bills. Open in Usystems

2. Enter the vendor and items — Fill in the supplier name, add the items being purchased, and enter quantities and prices as normal.

3. Set the estimated arrival date — Look for the "Estimated arrival date" or "Expected arrival" field on the bill form. Enter the date you expect the goods to arrive.

4. Save the bill — Click Save. The bill now appears in your records with a status showing it is "on the way" or "pending receipt."

5. Track the status — In your bills list, you can see at a glance which bills are waiting for goods and when they are due to arrive. If goods arrive earlier or later than expected, you can update this date by editing the bill.

6. Mark as received when goods arrive — Once the shipment arrives at your warehouse, open the bill and mark it as received (see "Marking a bill as received" for detailed steps).

Accounting impact

No accounting entries are posted until the bill is marked as received. The estimated arrival date is a planning tool; it does not affect your ledger or financial reports.

Tips & common mistakes

• Update the arrival date if delays occur — If a supplier calls to say goods will be late, edit the bill to update the estimated arrival date so your team has accurate information.
• The arrival date is not a due date for payment — Payment is due based on the bill's invoice date and payment terms, not the arrival date. Separate these in your mind to avoid confusion.
• Use the arrival date to plan warehouse space — If you expect a large shipment on a specific date, you can use this information to prepare your warehouse or schedule receiving staff.