Delivery note template
A delivery note is a checking document. Its whole purpose is to let the person receiving the goods verify that what arrived matches what was ordered, before they sign for it.
That means it needs to be readable by a storeman, not an accountant — and it should not show prices.
What to include
- Delivery note number and date.
- Your business details as the sender.
- Recipient name and delivery address.
- Customer order or purchase order number — this is what the recipient checks against.
- Items with description and quantity, in the unit being handled.
- Any items ordered but not included, marked as to follow.
- Signature block with printed name, date and time.
- Space for the recipient to note discrepancies.
Why no prices
Delivery notes are handled by warehouse and receiving staff, carriers, and sometimes your customer's own customers. None of them need your pricing, and some should not see it.
Keeping prices off the delivery note is standard practice for exactly that reason. The invoice carries the commercial detail and goes to the person paying.
Back orders and part deliveries
Where you cannot fulfil the whole order, list the outstanding items explicitly as to follow rather than omitting them.
The reason is practical: a recipient checking against their purchase order will notice the gap anyway, and an unexplained gap gets logged as a shortage. Naming it as a back order pre-empts a query and tells the recipient the order is still open.
Recording discrepancies before signing
Leave space and brief the recipient to use it. Shortages, damage or wrong items should be written on the note before signature, with the driver present.
A clean signature followed by a phone call the next day is the worst outcome for everyone — you cannot verify the claim, and the customer cannot substantiate it. The space on the form is what prevents that.
Matching to the invoice
Reference the delivery note number on the invoice, and bill only what the delivery note shows as delivered.
Where a back order follows later, that goes on a second delivery note and either a second invoice or a consolidated one — but the quantities across the two must reconcile. This is where most receivables disputes with trade customers originate.
How to use this template
- Open the free waybill generator.
- Add your business and customer details.
- Enter your items, prices, tax and branding.
- Preview, then download the PDF or share it directly.
Frequently asked questions
What is a delivery note?
A document listing the contents of a consignment so the recipient can check what arrived against what was ordered, before signing for it.
Should a delivery note show prices?
No. It is handled by warehouse staff, carriers and sometimes your customer's customers, none of whom need your pricing. The invoice carries the commercial detail.
How do I handle items that are out of stock?
List them explicitly as to follow rather than omitting them. A recipient checking against their purchase order will notice the gap anyway, and an unexplained gap gets logged as a shortage.
What should the recipient do if something is missing?
Write it on the delivery note before signing, with the driver present. A clean signature followed by a phone call the next day leaves the claim unverifiable.
Should the invoice reference the delivery note?
Yes, and you should bill only what the delivery note shows as delivered. Mismatches between the two are the most common source of receivables disputes with trade customers.