How to check supplier price rises on every invoice

Short answer

1. Keep the agreed unit price for each item, per supplier.
2. Compare the unit price on every invoice line to that list.
3. Query any line that moved and ask for the notice.
4. Replace the list when you accept a rise.

Before you start

You need the supplier’s current price list or your last quote. Prices should be excluding GST so you compare like with like. This guide works best for suppliers with stock items that repeat, such as wholesalers, trade suppliers and packaging firms.

The manual way in Xero

Xero has no price check on a bill. It does let you keep a default purchase price on an item.

1. Go to Business > Products and services and open an item.
2. Under Purchases, set the unit price and the purchase account.
3. When you add that item to a bill, Xero fills in the saved price. You can still change it, and Xero will not tell you if the invoice price differs.
4. To spot rises, run a report of purchases by supplier each month and compare prices in a spreadsheet.

The limit is plain. Xero shows the price you typed on the bill. It does not compare it with the invoice. You see a rise only if you look.

The manual way in MYOB

MYOB items hold a standard buying price in the item’s buying details. It fills in when you add the item to a purchase. Like Xero, MYOB does not flag a difference when the invoice price is higher.

The Pulsify way

1. Open the Database page and choose Price Lists. Pick a supplier and upload a CSV. Download the template if you need the columns: Item code, Description and Unit price excluding tax.
2. Confirm which columns hold the code, description and price. A preview shows the first rows. Save.
3. Forward the supplier’s invoices as normal. Pulsify reads the item code printed on each line and finds the supplier’s list by ABN.
4. Each line is checked. A higher or lower price shows as Price list: $X each under the unit price. A line that is not on the list shows a grey note.
5. Query the lines that moved. Approve the rest.

Pulsify checks unit price only, not quantity. There is no tolerance, so a one cent difference shows. Lists hold up to 10,000 items and the file must be a CSV.

When a rise is accepted, upload the new CSV for that supplier. It replaces the old list and re-checks every bill.

Worked example

Example Trade Supplies sends an invoice with three lines.

Item	Qty	List price	Invoice price	Result
PVC-50	100	$4.20	$4.20	Match
PVC-65	60	$6.80	$7.30	$0.50 higher
CLIP-10	500	$0.35	$0.35	Match

The PVC-65 line is $30.00 over on 60 units. Ask for the price rise notice. If it is genuine, update the list. If not, get a credit.

Common mistakes

• Comparing line totals. A discount on quantity can hide a unit price rise.
• Comparing GST-inclusive prices with a GST-exclusive list.
• Never updating the list, so every real rise is flagged forever.

Next step

Try an invoice at app.pulsify.tech/sign-up. Or book a call to find out how customers have saved hours per week after switching.

Read the price lists guide and the invoice checks guide. The free landed cost calculator helps you see what a rise does to your cost.