What it means
Define proof in the applicable delivery agreement, including what the carrier must produce for an unattended handoff or a reception-desk delivery. FedEx documents signature services and tracking events, but service-specific proof options vary, so read the actual carrier and customer agreement.
Define the eligibility cut-off as delivered consignments in the reporting period, including those later disputed, because an out-for-delivery parcel has not yet generated the proof this control expects. A receipt showing only a surname may need other authorised context to establish who signed, and the reviewer should not infer that a familiar-looking name was the named customer.
Where the proof is a building desk signature, compare the service instructions and the desk's acceptance role, since a receptionist's name cannot by itself settle a named-recipient requirement. A doorstep image supports an authorised unattended placement only if it identifies the right location and service method, and it does not establish that the named buyer later picked up the package.
If a portal promises a signed file but currently shows only a tracking status, classify the link as pending and give retrieval a due date, because a temporary link is not a usable receipt. Test that the linked proof is accessible to the authorised team rather than sitting in a private account nobody else can open.
For a multi-carton order, one signed manifest can sometimes cover the group under the service contract, so read its quantity and identifiers before assigning it across every carton. If an order is marked delivered by mistake, or a delivered scan is reversed, keep both events and apply a stated exclusion rule, because quietly deleting disputed shipments makes completeness look better than it is.
When a substitute carrier completes the final mile, retrieve that carrier's actual handoff event rather than accepting the first network's transfer scan as a delivery receipt. Save original event and upload timestamps and the reporting-zone conversion so a late system update does not change the apparent handoff date.
Retention matters after the immediate query ends, because a receipt can be retrievable today but lost after a portal retention window, so the company should archive an attributable copy for its required period. A delivery photograph may show a neighbour's door or a child's face, so keep only the access needed to verify placement and follow the privacy retention process.
If a carrier changes its proof format, update the checklist by service rather than automatically failing every new file. Report gaps by carrier and evidence type, since a cluster of expired portal links calls for a retention fix while many wrong-order attachments point to mapping trouble.
The checklist should distinguish physical handoff from customer acceptance, as a signed record may show delivery while a shortage, damage or product-quality complaint remains unresolved under separate terms. A proof image taken at the wrong doorway may belong to the correct tracking number yet fail the intended-location check.
In practice
Real-world examples.
Example
A courier shipment tracking ID links to a time-stamped signed receipt for the correct order, and the support team can open it from the customer record. The consignment counts as complete under the metric.
Example
A photo shows a package at a door of a medical supplies customer, but the delivery instructions required a signature, leaving the proof incomplete. The case is flagged for the carrier to explain or supply a signed record.
Example
A two-carton order has a receipt for each carton before its proof file is marked complete. The reviewer checks that the carton count on the manifest matches the order, instead of treating one scan as covering both.
Formula
Calculation
Completeness = Eligible delivered consignments with matching required proof / All eligible delivered consignments x 100. Show disputed receipt cases separately.
Worked example. A fictional retailer has 500 eligible delivered consignments in a month, and 460 have retrievable proof linked to the correct order, recipient and date.
- Completeness = 460 / 500 x 100 = 92%.
- The 40 gaps are split into 25 pending portal retrievals, 10 wrong-order attachments and 5 disputed receipts, so the team knows whether to fix retention, mapping or carrier follow-up.Case study
Seen in the real world.
This entirely fictional case follows Orchard Supplies. Its support team saw a delivered status but the attached signature belonged to another tracking ID. They retrieved the right carrier receipt and corrected the link before answering the customer. The case does not decide that the goods were accepted.
Orchard's review of one month found 31 of 400 delivered orders with a missing or mismatched receipt, so completeness stood at 369 / 400 x 100 = 92.25%, or about 92%. Most gaps came from a mapping error between order numbers and carrier references. After the mapping was fixed and receipts were archived within 48 hours of delivery, completeness rose to 98% the following month.
Watch out
Common mistakes.
- Using proof for the wrong carton or order.
- Treating a doorstep photo as signed receipt when signature was required.
- Calling delivery proof contractual acceptance.
Questions
People also ask.
Must proof always be a signature?
No. It depends on service and delivery instructions.
Does proof resolve a damage claim?
No. Damage and content need separate evidence.
What about split shipments?
Check each required carton or consignment separately.
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