Packing slip vs delivery note: separate packing counts from receipt evidence
Compare dispatch and handover records for the same two cartons, distinguishing one damaged mug from one that was never shipped.
The names can overlap between businesses. In this workflow, the packing slip says what was put into a carton; the delivery note records what was acknowledged at handover. The difference becomes useful when a package is incomplete or damaged. The quantities below belong to fictional order PO-208, not a real shipment.
Compare the question each record answers
Before dispatch, a packer can count and describe the contents. They cannot yet certify what the recipient will receive. At handover, a recipient can record quantities and visible condition without confirming payment or accepting every contractual obligation.
| Question | Packing slip | Delivery note |
|---|---|---|
| What is this record about? | Contents packed in this carton | Goods acknowledged at this handover |
| Who supplies the facts? | Person preparing the shipment | Person checking delivery and any recipient acknowledgement |
| Key reference | Order + shipment + carton | Order + shipment + handover date |
| Exception example | One ordered mug not packed | One arriving mug has a cracked handle |
| What is not established? | Arrival or payment | Payment, and any acceptance beyond what was recorded |
Preserve the difference between three quantity states
PO-208 orders six notebooks, four mugs and two desk mats. Carton 1 contains six notebooks. Carton 2 contains three mugs and two mats. The shipment therefore contains eleven units. The fourth mug was never packed and remains outstanding.
At handover, one of the three mugs is damaged. There are now two intact mugs, one damaged mug and one ordered-but-unshipped mug. Calling both exceptions “two mugs missing” would describe the events incorrectly.
| State | Quantity | Record it as |
|---|---|---|
| Ordered | 4 | Original authorization |
| Packed and dispatched | 3 | Contents of carton 2 |
| Received intact | 2 | Handover observation |
| Received damaged | 1 | Separate condition exception |
| Not dispatched | 1 | Outstanding order quantity |
Write handover evidence without rewriting dispatch history
Keep the packing slips as dispatched. Add a delivery record with the date, time, checker and observed exception. If a replacement is later agreed, give its shipment a separate reference rather than editing the first carton to pretend it contained a replacement.
PO-208 / shipment 1 / cartons 1 and 2 checked at [date and local time]. Arrived: 6 notebooks, 3 mugs, 2 desk mats. Visible exception: 1 mug arrived with a cracked handle. The additional ordered mug was not listed as dispatched. Checked by: [name and role]. Recipient acknowledgement: [record only what was actually confirmed]. Follow-up reference: [claim, replacement or clarification reference].
Choose the editor without implying a verification service
Docuivo's packing-slip and delivery-note tools provide descriptions, quantities, addresses and notes. Neither has dedicated damaged/backordered columns, carrier tracking or an acknowledgement audit trail. Put the necessary distinctions in Notes and retain supporting correspondence separately.
The signature-image feature adds an image to the browser's styled print layout; it does not verify the signer. The text PDF omits that image. Inspect the actual output used for the handover and do not claim that a blank signature area establishes acceptance.
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.