The Materials Purchase Register is a practical worksheet designed to help you record, verify and track building materials from the point of order through delivery, use and storage. It is Tool 11 in the From Land to Home companion toolkit and supports Chapter 16 of From Land to Home. The worksheet promotes a simple control process: order in writing, count materials when they arrive, sign the delivery note, keep a running record and retain delivery notes and receipts in your own project file.
Building projects can lose money through missing materials, delivery shortages, poor record keeping and uncertainty about what has already been used. The Materials Purchase Register gives you one structured place to record each delivery and compare what was ordered with what actually arrived on site.
Record Every Material Purchase
The register provides a dedicated line for each material delivery so you can maintain a clear record throughout construction.
For every item, you can record:
- Date ordered
- Quantity requested
- Supplier
- Delivery date
- Delivery note number
- Quantity stated on the delivery note
- Quantity physically counted by the owner or representative
- Any shortfall
- Quantity used
- Quantity remaining in store
- Notes and initials
This creates a continuous record of materials entering and leaving the site.
Compare What Was Ordered With What Arrived
One of the main purposes of the register is to help you compare quantities.
A supplier may indicate one quantity on a delivery note while a different quantity physically arrives at the site. The worksheet gives you separate columns for the quantity on the delivery note and the quantity actually counted.
This makes discrepancies easier to identify immediately.
Identify Delivery Shortfalls Early
The worksheet defines a shortfall as the difference between the quantity requested and the quantity physically counted.
If the shortfall is not zero, the toolkit advises you to ask why and inform the supplier on the same day.
Recording shortages immediately can make it easier to resolve disputes while the delivery is still recent and the supporting documents are available.
Keep Better Control of Materials on Site
The Materials Purchase Register also helps you track what happens after materials arrive.
By recording quantities used and quantities remaining in store, you gain a clearer picture of material movement during construction.
This can support discussions with your contractor, supervisor or project manager when you need to understand:
- How much material has arrived
- How much has been used
- What should still be in storage
- Which deliveries had shortages
- Which supplier delivered each item
Keep Delivery Notes and Receipts Together
The toolkit recommends keeping delivery notes and receipts in one folder controlled by you.
The register then acts as an index to those supporting records.
If a question arises later about a delivery, you can refer to the delivery date, supplier and delivery note number and locate the corresponding paperwork.
Assign Responsibility for Receiving Materials
At the top of the worksheet, you can record:
- Project or house name
- Person keeping the register
- Person responsible for receiving and counting deliveries
- Date the register was opened
This helps clarify who is responsible for maintaining the material records and confirming quantities when deliveries arrive.
What This Toolkit Helps You Do
The Materials Purchase Register helps you:
- Record every material order and delivery
- Compare quantities ordered with quantities received
- Identify shortages quickly
- Keep supplier and delivery information together
- Record delivery note numbers
- Track materials used on the project
- Monitor materials remaining in storage
- Maintain notes and initials for accountability
- Link material records with receipts and delivery notes
- Keep a clearer history of material movement throughout construction
Who Is This For?
This worksheet is suitable for:
- First-time home builders
- Families managing residential construction
- Ghanaians living abroad who want clearer material records
- Owners buying their own construction materials
- Clients using labour-only contractors
- Project managers and site supervisors
- Property owners completing unfinished buildings
- Anyone who wants stronger control over construction-material deliveries
How to Use It
Use one line for every delivery.
Record the material when it is ordered, then update the same entry when the delivery reaches the site. Count the materials physically rather than relying only on the delivery note.
Record any shortage immediately and raise it with the supplier the same day. Continue updating the register as materials are used or remain in storage.
Keep the completed register alongside your delivery notes and receipts so your material records remain organised throughout the project.
Product Details
Product: Materials Purchase Register
Series: From Land to Home Companion Toolkit
Tool Number: Tool 11
Related Chapter: Chapter 16
Format: Digital PDF worksheet
Length: 2 pages
Author: Adams Bediako Asare
Website: asarebediakoadams.com
The toolkit is provided for personal use and should not be sold or redistributed without permission.
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