Small builders & GCs hub · By James Grokman, CEO, TapeAndFloat · Published · Updated

Material order and delivery tracking for small builders

Material order tracking means keeping one row per order with what was ordered, the promised delivery date, what actually arrived, any backorder, and every return with the credit you are owed, so nothing for a job is paid twice or never credited back.

Free download: Material orders, deliveries & returns tracker (Excel). An Orders sheet with one row per order line and a Returns sheet with one row per return. It flags late and short deliveries, backorders past their new date, tickets not checked, invoices not matched to a delivery, and returns with no credit or a short credit. No email required.

Also free: Job budget vs actual tracker (Excel). Material bills and supplier credits go on the job's cost lines, so you can see when a return was never credited against the budget. No email required.

1. One row per order, not per job

Keep a simple log (a spreadsheet is fine) with one row per material order: job, supplier, order or quote number, date ordered, who ordered it, what was ordered, the total, and the delivery date the supplier promised. When the order confirmation comes in by email, put its number on the row. That number is what you will need for every later question about the order.

2. Check the delivery against the order

When material lands on site, someone checks the delivery ticket against the order before signing: counts, sizes, colors, and anything damaged. Write what was short or damaged on the ticket, take a photo, and send the ticket to the office the same day. In the log, mark the order delivered in full, delivered short, or damaged.

3. Track backorders with a new date and a decision

A substitution the client has to approve, or a price change, is a change order. See tracking change orders.

4. Log every return the day it leaves

Returns are where money quietly gets lost. Each return gets its own line: job, supplier, items, the return or RMA number, the date it went back, who took it, and the credit amount you expect. Keep the return slip with the row. Ask the supplier about any restocking fee or return window before you send it, because those terms are set by each supplier and your account.

5. Match the credit to the return

A return is not finished until the credit shows up on a supplier statement or credit memo. Each week, look at returns with no credit yet. Compare the credit amount to what you expected, and check that it was applied to the right job. If it is missing or short, send the supplier a short, polite note with the return number, date, items and amount.

6. Match supplier invoices to what arrived

Before an invoice is paid, check it against the order and the delivery ticket: billed for what was delivered, not for backordered items, at the quoted price. Put the cost on the right job so your job cost tracking stays honest. If a supplier is new, have their paperwork on file first; see sub and vendor paperwork.

7. A weekly ten-minute review

Once a week, filter the log for four things: orders past their promised date, backorders with no new date, returns with no credit, and invoices that do not match a delivery. Each open row gets a next step and a name.

Where an assistant helps

Order confirmations, delivery tickets, return slips and credit memos arrive in different inboxes and pockets. During the pilot, TapeAndFloat sets up this log in your own Google Sheet from what you forward, and flags open returns with no credit yet, backorders past their new date and invoices that do not match a delivery. For a missing credit, we draft a polite follow-up to the supplier for your office to approve; nothing goes out until you approve it, and a real person reviews everything during the pilot.

Free 60-day pilot: keep working in your own email and Google Sheet. Request a pilot spot.

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Frequently asked questions

How do small builders keep track of material orders?

With one row per order in a simple log: job, supplier, order number, what was ordered, the promised delivery date, what actually arrived, and any backorder or return. A spreadsheet is enough if someone updates it when tickets and confirmations come in.

What should I do when material is backordered?

Write down the items and the new date, note which task waits on them, and set a day to check again. If the date slips, decide in writing whether to wait, substitute with the client's OK, or order elsewhere.

How do I make sure I get credit for returned material?

Log each return the day it goes back with the return number, items, date and expected credit, keep the return slip, and check each week for returns with no credit on a supplier statement or credit memo. Follow up politely in writing with the return details.

Do restocking fees and return windows depend on the supplier?

Yes. They are set by each supplier and your account terms, so ask before you send material back and note the terms on the return row.

Want this tracked for you? Join the free pilot.