The phrase signifies an incomplete fulfillment of an order, agreement, or commitment. It indicates that a portion of what was expected has been provided, but the remaining part is still outstanding. For instance, if a company agrees to ship 100 units of a product and only ships 60, the order is considered to be in this state.
This status is important because it necessitates further action to achieve completion. Effective management of these situations is crucial for maintaining customer satisfaction, upholding contractual obligations, and ensuring accurate inventory tracking. Historically, such situations were often handled manually, leading to inefficiencies. Modern systems increasingly rely on automated processes to manage and resolve such cases.
