What Is a Delivery Note? Complete Guide + Free Template

Delivery Note Guide

A delivery note is a document that accompanies a shipment of goods to confirm what has been delivered. It is one of the most important documents in the physical goods supply chain, providing the recipient with a checklist for verifying their delivery, creating a signed record of receipt, and serving as a reference document for matching against the corresponding purchase order and invoice. This guide explains what goes in a delivery note, how it differs from an invoice, and how to create one.

What Is a Delivery Note?

A delivery note (also called a delivery slip, dispatch note, or goods received note) is a paper or electronic document that travels with a physical shipment. It lists the items being delivered, their quantities, and other relevant information needed to verify the delivery against what was ordered.

The delivery note is signed by the recipient upon acceptance of the goods, creating a documented record that the delivery occurred and was complete (or noting any discrepancies). It is not a request for payment -- that is the invoice. The delivery note is purely a confirmation of what was physically delivered.

When Is a Delivery Note Used?

Delivery notes are used whenever physical goods are shipped or delivered:

• Manufacturers shipping to distributors or retailers
• Wholesalers delivering to businesses
• Suppliers delivering raw materials to manufacturers
• Retailers making direct-to-customer deliveries
• Contractors delivering materials to a job site

Service businesses and digital product sellers generally do not use delivery notes -- they are specific to physical goods transactions.

What to Include in a Delivery Note

Sender information:

• Company name, address, and contact details
• Dispatch date

Recipient information:

• Client or receiving company name
• Delivery address

Document identifiers:

• Delivery note number (unique, for your records and the recipient's)
• Purchase order number (the PO the delivery fulfills)
• Invoice number (if the invoice has been raised -- sometimes delivery precedes invoicing)

Items delivered:

• Description of each item
• Quantity delivered
• Unit of measure (each, kg, box, pallet)
• Optional: SKU or product code

Total number of packages (boxes, pallets, etc.)

Special handling instructions (fragile, keep refrigerated, etc.)

Condition on delivery (pre-printed space for recipient to note any damages or discrepancies)

Signature block:

• Delivered by (driver or representative name and signature)
• Received by (recipient name, signature, and date)

Delivery Note vs Invoice: Key Difference

A delivery note and an invoice are related but serve different purposes:

Delivery note -- Confirms what was physically delivered. Travels with the goods. Signed at the point of delivery. Contains no pricing information.

Invoice -- Requests payment for goods or services. May be sent separately from the goods (often by email). Contains pricing, total, payment terms, and due date.

Some businesses combine them into a "delivery invoice" for simple transactions, but for formal supply chain processes, keeping them separate provides cleaner audit trails. See the purchase order vs invoice guide for how all three documents -- PO, delivery note, and invoice -- work together in the payment process.

The 3-Way Match: PO, Delivery Note, and Invoice

In accounts payable, the 3-way match is the verification process of comparing:

1. The original purchase order (what was ordered)
2. The delivery note (what was received)
3. The invoice (what is being billed)

All three should agree on item descriptions, quantities, and unit prices. Discrepancies between the delivery note and invoice (e.g., invoice charges for 100 units but delivery note shows 90 received) must be resolved before payment is approved.

For businesses that receive frequent deliveries, proper delivery note management is essential for accounts payable accuracy and audit compliance.

Creating Delivery Notes for Your Business

For small businesses and contractors who deliver goods to clients, create professional delivery notes alongside your invoices using Eonebill. Maintain sequentially numbered delivery notes for clean audit trails.

See also the expense report template guide for documentation best practices, and how to create an invoice for the companion billing document that typically follows a delivery.

Digital Delivery Notes: The Modern Approach

Physical delivery notes traveling with paper shipments are being replaced by electronic equivalents in many supply chains. Understanding the digital options helps you choose the right approach for your business.

Electronic delivery notes (EDNs): Many modern logistics and ERP systems generate electronic delivery notes that are emailed to the recipient simultaneously with the physical delivery. The recipient can confirm receipt electronically, creating a time-stamped digital signature that is often more defensible than a wet signature on paper that might be illegible or disputed.

Delivery confirmation via invoicing platform: For simpler transactions, some businesses use the "mark as delivered" or "delivery confirmation" feature in their invoicing software as a functional equivalent to a formal delivery note. This is appropriate for service businesses or product businesses with simple delivery workflows.

EDI (Electronic Data Interchange): Large corporations and supply chains use EDI to exchange delivery notes, invoices, purchase orders, and other business documents in standardized electronic formats automatically between systems. EDI implementation requires technical setup but eliminates manual document handling at scale.

Delivery Note Disputes: How to Handle Discrepancies

When the recipient notes discrepancies at delivery -- wrong quantity, damaged goods, or missing items -- the delivery note is the critical document for resolving the dispute:

Short delivery (fewer units than invoiced): The recipient should note the actual quantity received on the delivery note and have both the deliverer and recipient sign it with the discrepancy noted. Your invoice should then be corrected to match actual delivery, or a credit note issued for the shortfall.

Damaged goods: If goods arrive damaged, the recipient should note "received damaged -- [description]" on the delivery note before signing. This notation creates the basis for a damage claim. Without this notation, proving that goods were damaged in transit (versus after delivery) becomes difficult.

Refused delivery: If the recipient refuses delivery entirely (wrong goods, wrong time, goods do not match the PO), the deliverer should note the refusal on the delivery note and both parties should document the reason. The goods return to the seller; no payment obligation arises.

Maintaining organized delivery records alongside your invoices and purchase orders with Eonebill creates the complete paper trail needed to resolve any disputes efficiently. See the purchase order vs invoice guide for how the full set of procurement documents works together.

Delivery Note Disputes: How to Protect Yourself

Delivery notes only work as protection if they are handled correctly at the point of delivery. A delivery note that is signed without inspection, or not signed at all, provides little legal protection.

Require signature before unloading begins: Make it standard practice that the recipient signs the delivery note before your team unloads or installs anything. If a problem is found during unloading, the note can be annotated before the signing is finalized.

Annotate disputes on the note itself: If the recipient points out a discrepancy -- one item missing, one item damaged -- both parties should annotate the delivery note before signing. "Item #3 (copper fittings, 50 units) not received" written on the delivery note and signed by both parties creates a clear record. This prevents later disputes about when the discrepancy was discovered.

Retain signed copies: Keep a copy (photo or scanned PDF) immediately -- do not rely on the recipient to send you their copy later. If there is a future payment dispute about missing or damaged goods, the signed delivery note is your primary evidence.

Follow up with an invoice referencing the delivery note number: Your invoice should reference the delivery note number for the job. This creates a chain of documentation: delivery note invoice payment. Any discrepancy between the delivery note and the invoice is easily audited.

Delivery Notes in Digital Workflows

Modern delivery management increasingly uses electronic delivery notes and e-signatures. Apps like Routific, Circuit, and OptimoRoute allow drivers to capture signatures on a tablet, automatically generating a PDF and emailing it to both parties. This eliminates paper handling and ensures copies are never lost. For businesses that do their own deliveries, a simple e-signature app combined with Eonebill's invoice generator creates a seamless handoff from delivery confirmation to billing.

Delivery Note Retention and Record-Keeping

Signed delivery notes are legal documents and should be retained as part of your business records. For most businesses, the recommended retention period mirrors your contract and invoice records: at minimum three to seven years, depending on your jurisdiction and industry. Organize delivery notes by client and project, linked to the corresponding invoice number. In a dispute, being able to produce a signed delivery note alongside the invoice and the original contract is often all that is needed to resolve the matter in your favor. For businesses doing high volumes of deliveries, consider a dedicated delivery management system that automatically archives signed notes and links them to invoices. For smaller operations, a simple naming convention (ClientName_ProjectID_DeliveryNote_Date.pdf) in a shared drive keeps records organized and accessible. Connect your delivery documentation workflow to Eonebill's invoice system so that every invoice has a corresponding proof-of-delivery record.