What it means
A delivery note tells the receiver what the sender says has arrived, commonly listing a reference number, date, recipient, item descriptions, quantities and sometimes batch numbers. The receiver checks it against the goods and purchase order, which creates a practical handover record even when the sale contract does not prescribe a particular form.
It should be readable at the point of delivery, whether the driver carries paper or shows a digital version that the warehouse scans. A document left in a sealed pallet is less useful if the receiver cannot inspect the shipment, so decide who is authorised to accept goods.
A signature can mean different things, because it may acknowledge receipt of packages rather than acceptance of their internal condition. If boxes are damaged or the count is short, write the exception before signing and take photos where appropriate, since contract terms and transport law decide the effect of the record in a dispute.
AntsRoute's delivery-note guide describes common fields and workflow, while the IRU's CMR model shows how an international road consignment note records carriage particulars and reservations. A domestic delivery note is not automatically a CMR consignment note, so use the correct form for the actual shipment and jurisdiction.
The UNIDROIT-hosted CMR convention sets rules for qualifying international road carriage, including evidentiary effects of a consignment note, but it is not a universal rule for every local delivery. Quantities matter: if the note says 40 units and only 38 arrive, record 38 received and two missing, because a blanket signature for "40 received in good order" makes reconciliation harder.
A receiver can count boxes at the gate but only discover a hidden defect when unpacking, so it may mark "packages received, contents unchecked" where the arrangements allow and then inspect within any contractual notice period. Do not assume a note can extend a legal deadline.
The note is not the invoice, since an invoice asks for payment under the sale terms while a delivery note records goods sent or received. Matching the purchase order, receipt and invoice helps accounts payable avoid paying for missing units, though the three can differ legitimately with split deliveries or approved substitutions.
Batch and serial numbers add traceability and help identify recipients in a recall, provided the codes reflect the goods actually dispatched rather than a template from an earlier order. Partial deliveries need a clear balance: if 60 of 100 ordered units arrive, the note should not imply the whole order is closed, and the remaining 40 and the follow-up date are recorded separately.
Digital proof of delivery can add time, location and recipient name, but a geotag does not prove that all cartons were inside the vehicle or that an authorised person accepted them. Protect personal data, keep access limited, and connect the note to inventory and invoicing so that buyer and seller have a fair basis to investigate an exception.
In practice
Real-world examples.
Example
A driver hands over a delivery note listing 40 cartons of printer paper to an office supplies store. The receiver counts the cartons on the pallet, confirms the quantity matches the purchase order and signs the note, which is filed with the order record.
Example
A furniture retailer's warehouse team notices two crushed cartons as a trailer is unloaded. The receiver writes "2 cartons damaged" on the delivery note before signing, takes photos, and tells procurement the same day so the seller can be notified within the contractual period.
Example
An accounts payable clerk at a food manufacturer matches the delivery note to the purchase order and the supplier's invoice before approving payment. The note shows 38 units received against 40 invoiced, so payment is held for the two missing units.
Formula
Calculation
Receiving discrepancy rate = Deliveries with discrepancies / Total deliveries x 100
Worked example. A fictional warehouse receives 300 deliveries in a month and 15 have a discrepancy recorded on the delivery note, such as a short count or damaged carton.
- Rate = 15 / 300 x 100 = 5%.
For one delivery, the quantity check is Ordered - Received = Outstanding. If 100 units were ordered and 60 arrived, the outstanding balance is 100 - 60 = 40 units, which is tracked against a second delivery note.Case study
Seen in the real world.
This illustrative and entirely fictional case follows Dune Office Supply, an invented distributor delivering 40 chairs to a customer. The receiver counts 38, writes the shortfall on the delivery note and signs for the quantity actually received. The supplier checks warehouse records and sends the missing two later. The example does not establish liability under any particular sale or carriage contract.
Dune Office Supply had previously accepted blanket signatures, and its accounts team often learned about shortages only when invoices were disputed weeks later. After it trained drivers to ask receivers to count before signing, and began scanning every signed note into its order system, the average time to resolve a shortage fell from 18 days to 4 days. The second delivery of two chairs was given its own note reference, so stock and billing were reconciled without double counting.
Watch out
Common mistakes.
- Signing for a full quantity without counting or recording visible damage.
- Treating a delivery note as a substitute for the commercial invoice or transport contract.
- Failing to link delivery evidence to the order, stock movement and any return or shortfall.
Questions
People also ask.
What is a delivery note?
A document listing goods sent with a delivery.
Who signs it?
The receiver, after checking the goods.
Why does it matter?
It supports evidence of receipt and invoice matching, subject to recorded exceptions and contract terms.
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