Delivery note checklist: record quantities and exceptions clearly
Use a completed delivery example to distinguish received, damaged and missing goods without confusing delivery with payment.
A delivery record should show what the recipient actually acknowledged, including exceptions. “Delivered” is not a useful summary when part of the shipment is missing or damaged. The example below continues fictional order PO-208.
Compare what arrived with what was dispatched
The shipment contains six notebooks, three mugs and two desk mats. At handover, one of the three mugs is found damaged. A fourth ordered mug was never dispatched and remains outstanding. Keep those two issues separate.
| Item | Dispatched | Received intact | Received damaged | Ordered but not dispatched |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Notebook NB-01 | 6 | 6 | 0 | 0 |
| Mug MG-02 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 |
| Desk mat DM-03 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
Describe the exception, not just a tick box
Use Reference to connect the delivery note with PO-208 and the shipment. Enter the quantities being recorded, then write the condition and missing-item details in Notes. Docuivo does not have separate damage and backorder columns, so do not imply those are automatically calculated.
Delivery record for PO-208, shipment 1. Received: 6 notebooks NB-01, 3 mugs MG-02 and 2 desk mats DM-03. Exception observed at handover: 1 of the 3 mugs has a cracked handle. Order status: 1 further mug was not dispatched in this shipment. Recipient: [name / role] Date and time checked: [local date and time] Agreed next step: [describe the follow-up; do not assume acceptance or replacement].
Make acknowledgement specific
Record the name and role of the person acknowledging the delivery and what they checked. A carrier scan, a photo and a signed delivery note can describe different evidence. Do not invent an acknowledgement or upload a signature image on someone else’s behalf.
Docuivo’s signature-image option places an image in the styled print layout; it is not an identity-verification or electronic-signature service. The downloadable text PDF omits that image. Review the chosen output before using it as a delivery record.
Keep payment and delivery in separate records
A delivery note for these eleven units does not show whether the customer paid. The invoice describes the charge, and a receipt records money received. Resolve shortages and damaged goods through the agreed process without silently rewriting the original delivery record.
- Keep the original dispatched quantities available.
- Separate a damaged delivered item from an item never dispatched.
- Record who checked the shipment and when.
- Retain supporting photos or correspondence where appropriate.
- Confirm any replacement, credit or revised charge separately.
This guide provides general educational information and is not legal, accounting, tax or financial advice. Requirements vary by country, industry and transaction. See how Docuivo tests its tools and calculations.