How it works
The purchase order states what was ordered and at what price. The goods receipt records what actually arrived. The supplier invoice states what the supplier wants paid. Three-way match compares quantities and prices across all three, within agreed tolerances. Mismatches, such as a short delivery or a price change, are held for review instead of being paid automatically.
Example
A distributor orders 500 units at $4.00. The warehouse receives 480. The invoice bills 500 at $4.10. The match flags both the quantity and the price difference, and the AP clerk pays only for what arrived at the agreed price.
In integrations
Three-way match needs data from several places: purchase orders and receipts in the ERP, the bill in AP. The Unify ERP API is designed to read purchase orders and vendor bills with their line items, so an AP product can run the match in one data model. Matching rules stay in your product. AP products that sell into mid-market and enterprise finance teams are often asked for it, because it is a standard control against overpayment and fraud. Two-way match, which skips the receipt, is common for services.