In brief
Incoming inspection checks delivered goods for quantity, identity, external damage, documents and agreed quality characteristics.
Contents
What is Incoming inspection?
Inspection at goods receipt usually consists of two stages. First, the delivery is checked against the delivery note and purchase order: do the number of packages, items, quantities and labelling match, and is the packaging undamaged? Where required, a qualitative inspection follows, such as a visual check, dimensional check, functional test or comparison with inspection certificates and drawings. Scope and sampling are often specified in inspection plans.
Legally, incoming inspection is significant in commercial sales between merchants. Under Section 377 of the German Commercial Code (HGB), the buyer must examine the goods without undue delay after delivery and notify recognisable defects without undue delay; if it fails to do so, the goods are deemed approved with regard to those defects. Different arrangements in quality assurance agreements are possible.
For spare parts, there is also the identity check: does the delivered part correspond exactly to the version ordered, including manufacturer part number, revision level and marking? The inspection results should ideally feed into supplier evaluation.
In practice: maintenance and procurement
For critical spare parts, a documented inspection with photos of the nameplate and packaging is worthwhile. This allows discrepancies to be clarified quickly before the part is installed or put into stock.
Synonyms and abbreviations: goods receipt inspection · incoming goods inspection · receiving inspection · incoming quality control (IQC)
Frequently asked questions
How quickly must defects be notified after goods receipt?
In commercial sales between merchants, the German Commercial Code (HGB) requires inspection and notification of defects without undue delay; the law does not specify a fixed period in days. What counts as without undue delay in an individual case depends on the goods and the circumstances, and quality assurance agreements may contain different rules. This note does not constitute legal advice; in case of doubt, the legal department should be consulted.
What is the difference between incoming inspection and quality inspection?
Incoming inspection is a specific point in the process, namely the check carried out directly after delivery to the customer. Quality inspection is the umbrella term for all checks against a specification, regardless of where they take place. An incoming inspection can therefore include a quality inspection, but in many cases it is limited to quantity, identity, condition and documents.
How should an incoming inspection be documented?
An inspection record should contain at least the date, inspector, purchase order and delivery note numbers, characteristics checked, findings and decision. Photos of the packaging, nameplate and any anomalies make later complaints easier. Goods with deviations are labelled and quarantined until a decision has been made on acceptance, rework or return.