Our 206 kit order contains 197 locating blocks

Sent that comparison. Seller has acknowledged the count but says some kits were intended to share blocks. That arrangement appears nowhere in the accepted contents.

Ask them to point to the accepted shared-block entry, then; otherwise they're describing a different order after yours arrived short.

They cannot identify one and have accepted nine missing blocks. Now offering nine loose replacements with a slightly different reference. I've asked tooling to compare it before agreeing.

Don't let getting the quantity right close the suitability question. The replacements still need to make nine usable kits, not just fill nine spaces on the count sheet.

Our last shortage parcel contained the right number of the wrong locating pieces. We caught it at receiving, which was cheaper than finding it at changeover. Can the supplier identify the exact replacement geometry and contents before dispatch?

Nina's point is why I'd keep the original kit reference beside the substitute offer, rather than revise the expected list to match whatever they now have available

Yes. A proposed substitute belongs in its own comparison until tooling accepts it. The receiving list shouldn't make that decision by renaming the missing item.

Tooling found the offered block has a different locating height. We declined it. Seller says the original reference can be supplied separately and has sent its drawing for confirmation.

Much better to find that on the drawing than under a fixture full of parts. Has the original-reference parcel actually been collected?

Collected, with nine original-reference blocks on the contents list. Our receiving team has the confirmed drawing and the shortage line. Still 197 complete kits until they check it.

Nine blocks received and checked by stores with tooling. Correct reference and locating geometry. All 206 kits are now complete. The shared-block explanation and declined substitute remain in the correspondence, not in our kit definition.

Thanks for the final count. Keeping the original expectation intact gave receiving a chance to catch the wrong alternative instead of being told to expect it.