What is Delivery Note?

**A delivery note is a document that accompanies goods or completed work when it is transferred from a seller to a buyer, confirming what was delivered, in what quantity, and in what condition.** It serves as a physical or digital receipt of delivery that both parties can reference to verify that the agreed items or services were actually provided before payment is processed. For freelancers and small business owners in the United States, delivery notes are most commonly used in product-based businesses, but they are also relevant for service-based work -- particularly when deliverables are tangible (design files, printed materials, physical prototypes) or when the scope of delivery needs to be formally confirmed before an invoice is raised. A delivery note typically includes: the seller's name and address, the buyer's name and address, the delivery date, a description of the items or deliverables, the quantity of each item, any reference numbers (purchase order number, project number), and a signature field for the recipient to confirm receipt. Delivery notes are distinct from invoices. An invoice is a demand for payment; a delivery note is a confirmation of receipt. In many B2B transactions, the delivery note is created first -- when the goods or work is handed over -- and the invoice follows once receipt is confirmed. This sequence protects both parties: the seller has proof of delivery, and the buyer can verify what was received before authorizing payment. In an increasingly digital work environment, freelancers who deliver work electronically -- design files via cloud link, written content via email, code via a repository -- can create digital equivalents of delivery notes to formalize the handover and establish a clear record of what was delivered and when.

Delivery notes work by creating a documented handover point between the completion of work and the initiation of the payment process. In a traditional product-based transaction, the seller prepares the delivery note before shipping, includes it with the shipment, and the buyer signs and returns a copy upon receipt. The signed delivery note is then matched against the purchase order and the invoice in the buyer's accounts payable process. For service-based freelancers, the process is analogous but adapted for digital delivery. When a project milestone is reached -- a website design is complete, a content batch is submitted, a software feature is deployed -- the freelancer sends the deliverable along with a digital delivery note (sometimes called a project completion notice or delivery confirmation) that itemizes exactly what was delivered. The buyer's (client's) response -- typically an email confirmation or a signed document -- serves as the equivalent of a physical signature on the delivery note. This acknowledgment is the green light for invoicing: the deliverable has been accepted, and the payment obligation is triggered. In more formal business contexts, delivery notes are part of a three-way matching process: the purchase order (what was ordered), the delivery note (what was received), and the invoice (what is being charged) must all align before payment is authorized. Freelancers working with large corporate clients may encounter this process and should be aware that their invoice may not be processed until the delivery note and PO are matched in the client's AP system. Delivery notes also serve as evidence in dispute resolution. If a client claims a deliverable was not received or was incomplete, the signed delivery note is the definitive record of what was handed over. This documentation can be the difference between collecting payment and entering a prolonged dispute.

For freelancers, the concept of a delivery note is often less formal than in product-based businesses, but the underlying practice -- documenting that specific deliverables were handed over at a specific time -- is equally important for protecting your right to payment. In creative and knowledge-work industries, delivery confirmation often takes the form of an email: 'Please find attached the final logo files (5 formats as specified in the brief), the brand guidelines PDF, and the font license. Please confirm receipt and approval to proceed to final invoicing.' This email, with the client's reply, functions as a delivery note even without a formal document template. For freelancers who work on milestone-based projects, delivery documentation is particularly critical. If your contract pays 50% on first draft delivery and 50% on final delivery, you need clear documentation of each delivery event. A delivery note -- or its digital equivalent -- creates the paper trail that supports each milestone payment. For product-based small businesses, delivery notes are more formalized. A custom furniture maker delivering a commissioned piece, a print shop delivering a batch of marketing materials, or a merchandise supplier delivering branded products all benefit from a formal delivery note that the customer signs at handover. One practical tip for US freelancers: if you deliver work electronically, save a timestamped record of the delivery -- the email with the attachment, the cloud link share log, the project management system submission record. Courts and dispute resolution processes accept digital delivery records as equivalent to physical signatures when they include timestamps and can be verified.

Delivery notes and invoices are two of the most commonly confused billing-adjacent documents, yet they serve completely different purposes in the payment cycle. A delivery note confirms that goods or work have been physically transferred from seller to buyer. It is a receipt of delivery. It does not request payment -- it documents a physical or digital handover event. The delivery note is typically created when the work is completed and handed over. An invoice requests payment for goods or services delivered. It states the amount owed, the due date, and the payment terms. The invoice is typically created after delivery is confirmed -- in many professional workflows, the delivery note triggers the invoice. The sequence in a well-managed billing cycle is: (1) deliver the work, (2) issue or receive a signed delivery note confirming receipt, (3) issue the invoice referencing the delivery note. This sequence protects the seller (documented proof of delivery supports the invoice claim) and the buyer (confirmation that what they are being billed for was actually received). Confusing the two documents causes problems in both directions. If you use an invoice as a delivery confirmation, you are demanding payment before the client has had the chance to inspect and accept the deliverable -- which can create disputes. If you use a delivery note as your primary billing document, you may not have a legally clear statement of the amount owed and the payment terms. For most freelancers, the distinction simplifies to this: send the work (delivery), confirm the client received it (delivery note equivalent), then send the invoice. This sequence, even when informal, is cleaner and more defensible than combining delivery confirmation and payment demand in a single document.

Creating a professional delivery note -- whether formal or adapted for digital delivery -- involves including the right information in a clear format. Step 1: Include identification fields. Your business name, address, and contact information. The client's name, address, and contact information. A unique delivery note number (DN-2025-001). The delivery date. Step 2: Reference the related documents. Include the invoice number (if already issued) or the project number or purchase order number that the delivery relates to. This linkage is critical for the three-way matching process used by corporate clients. Step 3: List the deliverables clearly. For products: item name, description, quantity, unit, and condition. For services: deliverable name, description, format delivered, and any version or milestone identifier. Be specific -- 'Final website design mockups, 5 pages, Figma format, as per SOW Section 3' is more useful than 'Design files.' Step 4: Include a confirmation field. For physical delivery, include a signature line for the recipient. For digital delivery, include a request for email confirmation or an approval checkbox in a project management tool. Step 5: File the confirmed delivery note. Once the client confirms receipt, save the signed or digitally confirmed delivery note alongside the corresponding invoice in your project records. This file is your proof of delivery if ever needed. Step 6: Issue the invoice promptly. Once delivery is confirmed, issue the invoice immediately. Do not let confirmed delivery sit for days before invoicing -- the delivery confirmation is the trigger for the payment process.

While Eonebill.ai is primarily an invoicing platform, its workflow supports the delivery-to-invoice cycle by making it easy to create and track invoices that are linked to specific deliverables and projects. When you issue an invoice through the platform, you can include detailed line item descriptions that document exactly what was delivered -- serving as the written record of the scope covered by each invoice. For freelancers who want to maintain a tight delivery-to-billing sequence, Eonebill.ai's invoice creation workflow lets you draft an invoice as soon as a deliverable is ready, hold it as a draft until delivery is confirmed by the client, and then send it immediately upon confirmation. This ensures that the invoice closely follows the delivery event and that your billing records align with your delivery documentation. The platform also allows you to attach files to invoices -- you can attach a delivery summary, project completion checklist, or file manifest alongside the invoice itself, creating a single document package that includes both the delivery record and the payment request. Start creating professional, detailed invoices that document your deliverables clearly at /free-tools/invoice-generator. For full invoice management including draft-to-sent workflow, file attachments, and client communication tracking, explore the Pro plan at /pricing.

1. Skipping delivery documentation entirely. Many freelancers deliver work and go straight to invoicing without any delivery confirmation. This leaves you without proof of delivery if a client later disputes receiving the work. 2. Being too vague in deliverable descriptions. 'Website files' or 'Design work' on a delivery note is not useful documentation. Be specific about file names, formats, quantities, and versions to create an unambiguous record. 3. Not saving the client's confirmation. Sending a delivery notice and getting a verbal acknowledgment without saving the written confirmation is incomplete documentation. Save the email reply, the project management approval, or the signed document. 4. Confusing delivery date with invoice date. The delivery date (when work was handed over) and the invoice date (when the invoice was issued) can be different. Keep them clearly separate in your records. 5. Issuing the invoice before delivery is confirmed. Invoicing before the client has received and acknowledged the deliverable can trigger disputes about whether work was actually delivered. Establish delivery confirmation as the trigger for invoicing.

Delivery notes fit into the broader context of project billing and documentation. **Invoice Number** -- Delivery notes should reference the related invoice number to support three-way matching in the client's accounts payable system. Learn more at /glossary/invoice-number. **Invoice Date** -- The invoice date follows the delivery confirmation. The delivery date and invoice date are separate but related records in your project documentation. Learn more at /glossary/invoice-date. **Progress Billing** -- On large projects, delivery notes may be issued at each billing milestone, confirming partial delivery before each progress invoice is raised. Learn more at /glossary/progress-billing. **Milestone Payment** -- Milestone payments are often triggered by delivery confirmation. The delivery note is the formal record that a milestone deliverable has been received. Learn more at /glossary/milestone-payment. **Accounts Receivable** -- Confirmed delivery is the event that creates a legitimate accounts receivable balance. Without proof of delivery, your right to collect payment may be challenged. Learn more at /glossary/accounts-receivable.