What a delivery note proves
A delivery note travels with the goods. When the customer signs it, they confirm that the items listed arrived, in the quantities shown, in good condition. If a customer later says something was missing or damaged, the signed delivery note is your evidence. It is also called a delivery challan, dispatch note, waybill, goods received note or proof of delivery.
What to include
- A delivery note number and the date.
- The customer’s name and the delivery address (leave the address empty if the goods were collected).
- Each item with quantity and unit: pieces, boxes, kilograms, metres.
- The order or invoice it relates to.
- Who delivered it and the vehicle registration, for larger deliveries.
- “Received in good condition by”: name, signature and date, plus a stamp box for companies that use rubber stamps.
No prices by default
The people receiving goods are often not the people paying for them, so delivery notes usually show quantities only. If you need prices, turn them on under Document options.
Two copies in one PDF
The PDF contains an Original and a Duplicate by default (or Customer copy and Our copy). The driver leaves one copy and brings the signed one back. You can also print two per sheet and cut in half.
Making delivery notes from orders
If you made a sales order or invoice with SmallKits, open it from Documents and choose “Make delivery note”. The items and delivery address come across and prices are hidden. A purchase order can become a goods-received note in the same way.
Partial deliveries
If only part of an order is going out, reduce the quantities before downloading and mention the remaining items in the notes. Make another delivery note for the rest.
Country notes
In India, a delivery challan is used when goods move without a tax invoice, for example for job work or on approval, and GST rules list what it must contain. In East Africa, delivery notes are commonly required alongside LPOs and invoices before payment is released. Add your tax ID in the From section where required.
Common mistakes
- Letting the driver leave without a signature.
- Unclear units: “10” means nothing; “10 boxes of 12” is clear.
- No reference to the order, which slows down payment.
A worked example
A wholesaler delivers 120 towels, 120 hand towels and 4 boxes of bathrobes to a hotel. The delivery note DEL-0045 lists the items and units, the order reference SO-0012, the driver’s name and the vehicle registration. The hotel’s storekeeper counts the boxes, signs “Received in good condition by” with her name and the date, and stamps the box. The driver leaves the duplicate and brings the signed original back. A month later, when the hotel’s accounts team asks whether everything arrived, the signed note answers the question.
Delivery note terms explained
- Proof of delivery
- A delivery note signed and dated by the receiver.
- Delivery challan
- The Indian term, also used for goods moved without an invoice.
- Goods received note
- The buyer’s own record that goods arrived, often made from their purchase order.
- Partial delivery
- Some of the order delivered now, the rest later on another note.
- Waybill
- A transport document that travels with goods, used by couriers and hauliers.
- Stamp box
- Space for a company’s rubber stamp, which many businesses require.
Good practice
- Count items with the receiver before they sign, not after the driver leaves.
- Note any damage on the delivery note itself, with photos if possible.
- Keep the signed copy until the invoice has been paid.
- Number delivery notes in sequence so none go missing.
Who uses delivery notes
Wholesalers and distributors delivering to shops, hotels and restaurants; manufacturers sending goods to customers; contractors delivering materials to site; and any business whose customers pay on account after delivery. Many larger customers will not pay an invoice until they have a signed delivery note for it, so a clear note with the order reference speeds up payment as well as preventing disputes.
Related free tools
- Free sales order generator: to confirm the order before delivery.
- Free invoice generator: to bill for the goods delivered.
- Free packing slip generator: for parcels sent to online customers.
Updated 2026-10-29