Guide · Delivery
Delivery note vs packing slip
The two documents are often the same piece of paper. The useful difference is what each one is for: one lists the contents, the other proves the handover.
The short answer
A packing slip tells the warehouse or the customer what should be in the box. A delivery note is the copy the receiver signs to confirm the goods arrived. Many small businesses print one document that does both; that is fine as long as the signature and the quantities are there.
What each one should include
| Field | Packing slip | Delivery note |
|---|---|---|
| Order or delivery number | Yes | Yes |
| Product, quantity and variant | Yes | Yes |
| Prices | Sometimes | Usually no |
| Carrier and tracking | Often | Often |
| Receiver signature and date | Not usually | Yes |
| Damage or shortage notes | No | Yes |
Why the delivery note usually has no prices
The person signing at the loading dock does not need to know what you charged. Prices on a delivery note invite questions about margin and expose your pricing to a third party — a warehouse, a site manager or a subcontractor. Keep the invoice separate and match the two by number.
The signature is the point
Ask the receiver to print their name, sign and date it. Write the number of boxes and any visible damage on the sheet before they sign: “2 boxes received, one corner crushed” is enough. Photograph the signed note if the goods are valuable; paper gets lost.
Matching the note to the invoice
Put the order or invoice number on the delivery note. When the invoice goes out, the signed note is the evidence that the goods were received — exactly what a client asks for when a charge is queried. If the delivery is short, note it on the sheet and invoice only what arrived.
When you need both
Use a separate packing slip when a third-party warehouse packs the order, when the shipment has many SKUs, or when the customer needs an unpacking list that does not go back to you signed. Use a delivery note when you hand goods over in person or need proof of delivery for a carrier claim. For most small businesses, one document with a signature block covers both.
International shipments
For a cross-border delivery, the delivery note may need the importer’s name, the country of origin, the commodity description and the Incoterms. The carrier or customs broker will tell you what the shipment needs. Keep the signed delivery note with the commercial invoice and the export paperwork; a missing signature is much harder to fix once the container has moved.
A simple example
A ceramics studio ships 3 boxes to a hotel. The packing slip lists 24 mugs and 24 custom-glaze pieces. The delivery note repeats the quantities, leaves prices off, and the hotel’s receiving clerk signs for 3 boxes with no damage. The studio scans the signed note and attaches it to the invoice in case the hotel later says a box was missing.
For the handover document, use the delivery note generator or the blank delivery note template. If the job also needs an authorization before work starts, see what goes on a work order.
Related
What goes on a work order
Scope, site, crew, authorized total and the signature that matters.
Invoice numbering
Sequences that hold up when a client or auditor checks.
Payment terms and late payment
Net 30, due dates and a reminder sequence that works.