You’d like to cut out deductions on your invoices, but there are so many moving parts in the path from your company to Walmart stores that you’re overwhelmed. Sound familiar?

Here’s something that can be done quickly, with lasting results.

In Retail Link, find your Supplier Scorecard. Many people find it easiest to use the Site Map to pull it up. Run the Invoice Match Rate report and pull up the deductions.

You will see the numbers of deductions taken and the reasons. Common reasons include price differences, damaged items, items billed but not shipped, and packing issues such as incomplete cartons.

Now it’s time to take action. Pull the purchase order, the invoice, the Proof of Delivery, the remittance, and the claim for each deduction. Most of these documents are available through Retail Link.

Identify any errors, such as a mismatch between the PO and the invoice, and resubmit invoices as necessary.

If there are no errors in the paperwork, identify the most common problems. Are items getting damaged in shipping? Time to talk with your logistics company or to recheck your packaging. Are incomplete cartons turning up at the distribution center? Walk through the supply chain to determine the point of failure.

It can seem overwhelming to think about the deductions your company faces, but zeroing in on the issues that lead to the most deductions gives you specific issues to work on. Put in the time not to strive for abstract perfection but to fix specific problems that are costing your company money.

Check back in a month to make sure that your changes are working, and at that point you may see additional issues to work on.