Packing slip vs delivery note
Compare two common shipment documents and understand the information each one records.
Packing slips and delivery notes both help identify goods moving from a sender to a recipient. In everyday use, the terms can overlap, but businesses may design them for different operational purposes.
Packing slip
A packing slip focuses on what is inside a package. Warehouse staff use it to assemble the shipment, and recipients use it to verify that the expected items and quantities arrived.
Prices are often omitted because the recipient opening the package may not be the person responsible for purchasing.
- Sender and recipient
- Order and shipment number
- Item descriptions and quantities
- Package or handling notes
Delivery note
A delivery note records what was delivered at a particular time and location. It may provide space for the recipient to confirm receipt, note shortages, or record the condition of the goods.
Businesses can connect the signed or acknowledged delivery note to the order and later invoice, creating evidence for resolving quantity or delivery questions.
Choose the document your process needs
For parcel fulfillment, a packing slip may be the clearest name. For local transport or business-to-business handover, a delivery note may better reflect the workflow.
Use terminology understood by your customers and carriers, and verify any sector-specific documentation requirements.
This guide provides general educational information and is not legal, accounting, or tax advice. Requirements vary by country, industry, and transaction.