What should a delivery note include?
Delivery note, docket or invoice?
| Document | What it does | Prices? |
|---|---|---|
| Delivery note | Lists what was sent and confirms receipt | Usually not |
| Delivery docket | The Irish everyday name for the same thing, often with a signature section | Sometimes |
| Invoice | Asks for payment; a VAT invoice must show set details | Yes |
Many suppliers leave prices off delivery notes, so the person signing on site does not see the customer's pricing, and raise the invoice from the returned copy.
What to include on a delivery note
Printed on every note
- your business name, address, phone and email
- the title "Delivery Note"
- a sequential number
- column headings for item or code, description and quantity
- signature, printed name and time boxes
Written for each delivery
- date
- customer name and account number
- delivery address, and site contact if different
- customer's order or purchase order number
- items and quantities, with a column for quantity delivered if part-deliveries happen
- number of packages or pallets
- notes on damage, shortages or where goods were left
The customer's order number is the detail most often left off, and it is the one their accounts department uses to match your invoice. If it is missing, payment usually waits.
Does it need to be signed?
There is no single legal format, but an unsigned delivery note only shows what you say you sent. A signature, a printed name and a time make it proof of delivery. If you deliver to sites or customers who dispute deliveries, What is proof of delivery, and what should a delivery docket show? covers how to get a signature that stands up.
How many copies?
- Two parts: customer copy left with the goods, signed copy returned to you. Enough for most businesses.
- Three parts: add a copy for the driver or a separate office. Useful where the driver keeps a daily record and the office invoices.
Pad or book?
A pad suits a counter, warehouse or dispatch desk: the whole set tears off, one copy goes with the goods and the signed copy is filed by customer. A book suits drivers on the road, because the signed copy stays bound and cannot be lost in the cab. What are NCR pads, and how are they different from NCR books? sets out the difference. Drivers who carry delivery pads often complete a vehicle check sheet as well, covered in What should a vehicle walk-around check sheet include?
Design tips
- Make the signature area large and put it at the bottom right, where people expect it.
- Leave enough lines for your typical load, not your smallest.
- On a glued pad, keep text out of the top 15mm, where the glue sits.
- Label each part, such as "Customer copy" and "Return signed copy", so drivers hand over the right sheet.
Delivery note pads printed with your layout
Discoverprint prints delivery notes as NCR pads, glued along the top to a strawboard back so the whole set tears off at the door. A delivery note layout includes a signature and "received by" line as standard. Choose A4, A5 or A6, duplicate with 100 sets or triplicate with 50, numbered on every part and printed in black on 82gsm GiroForm carbonless paper. Design is free and delivery is free anywhere in Ireland. See the full NCR pads range.
Read next
Frequently asked questions
- Is a delivery note the same as an invoice?
- No. A delivery note confirms what was delivered and does not ask for payment. The invoice follows, often raised from the office copy of the delivery note.
- Does a delivery note need to be signed?
- There is no single legal rule, but a signature with a printed name and time is what makes a delivery note proof of delivery. Without it, the note shows only what you say you sent.
- How many copies of a delivery note do I need?
- Two is usually enough: one left with the goods and one signed copy returned to you. Use three if a driver and an office both need a copy.
- Should delivery notes be in a pad or a book?
- A pad suits counters and warehouses where signed copies are filed by customer. A book suits drivers, because the signed copy stays bound and cannot blow away.
Sources
- Revenue: What sales records do you keep? (delivery notes)
- Discoverprint: NCR pads (delivery notes, order forms, job sheets)
