A sales order creates commitment, allocation reserves physical quantity and delivery removes stock; a derived invoice does not remove it again.

The short answer

This distinction changes the decision you can safely make.

Commitment answers what the business has promised. Allocation answers which usable stock is reserved. Delivery is the physical event. A direct invoice may record an outbound change, but an invoice created from a delivery remains documentary.

Worked example

Use exact units and keep each quantity in the right category.

An order commits 20 pieces. The warehouse allocates 14, then delivers 12. After delivery, the linked commitment falls to 8 and allocation is reduced by the served quantity. A derived invoice for those 12 changes neither physical nor planning stock.

Decision table

Check the facts before choosing an action.

Common mistakes

Avoid shortcuts that create confusion later.

• Removing stock at order confirmation
• Subtracting commitment and allocation twice
• Removing stock again on a derived invoice
• Treating a logistics return as physical stock return

How KnownStock handles it

The product keeps the explanation with the number.

KnownStock keeps order, allocation, delivery and invoice links explicit, so partial fulfilment and the remaining quantity can always be calculated from the confirmed history.