Beverage distribution delivery note template
Beverage delivery note template for drinks distributors: full kegs and crates delivered, empties collected, keg numbers, and the bar’s signature for both.
Templates by industry
- Lager, 50 l kegs
- Mineral water, crates of 24
- Empty kegs collected
- Empty crates collected
Preparation guide
Example workflow
Pick and pack
Example: count "Lager, 50 l kegs" and the other lines against the order, and note anything that ships later.
Ship with the note
Put the note in or on the shipment with the tracking number and package count, and check "Empty crates collected" is listed.
Get it signed
Ask the recipient to sign and date the received-by line, and keep the signed copy as proof of delivery.
A drinks delivery runs in two directions: full kegs and crates go into the cellar, empties come back onto the truck. Containers usually carry a deposit or belong to the brewery, so a bar that signs for six kegs and hands back five has one keg on its account until it is returned. This template keeps deliveries and collections on separate lines, so the driver, the bar manager and the depot all count the same containers.
Fields to prepare
- Deliverables and line items
- Lager, 50 l kegs, Mineral water, crates of 24, Empty kegs collected, Empty crates collected: record the quantity actually shipped for each line; prices stay off the note.
- Lager, 50 l kegs
- Write the keg size and, if the brewery tracks kegs, the keg numbers; a 30 l keg delivered against a 50 l order changes the bar’s stock count.
- Mineral water, crates of 24
- Count crates, not bottles, and note any crate short of bottles before it goes down the cellar steps.
- Empty kegs collected
- Count empty kegs as they come up, and note any that are still partly full, since the brewery may treat those differently.
- Empty crates collected
- Mixed or broken crates should be written as such; they are often not credited as a full crate.
- Order and delivery
- Quote the order or invoice number the delivery belongs to, the delivery date and the address the goods go to.
- Shipment
- Give the number of packages, the carrier or shipping method and the tracking number.
- Scope to agree
- Put full kegs and crates and the empties collected on separate lines, record keg numbers where the brewery tracks them, and get the bar to sign for both directions.
Before sending
- Was “Lager, 50 l kegs” counted when it was packed, and does the count match the order?
- If “Mineral water, crates of 24” ships short, does the note say how many follow and when?
- Will the receiver be able to check “Empty kegs collected” against this note on arrival?
Show 4 more
- Was “Empty crates collected” counted when it was packed, and does the count match the order?
- Check the delivery address, the number of packages and the order or invoice number the delivery belongs to.
- Count each line against the order, and list anything that ships later rather than leaving it off.
- Leave prices off the note unless the customer asks for them; they belong on the invoice.
Worked example with sample figures
The quantities below are invented to show how the template is filled in: 4 lines, counted in units, with no prices.
| Item | Quantity |
|---|---|
| Lager, 50 l kegs | 6 |
| Mineral water, crates of 24 | 10 |
| Empty kegs collected | 5 |
| Empty crates collected | 12 |
| Total | 33 |
33 units in 4 lines.
- The goods ship against sales order SO-BV-0815.
- Packages: 16.
What the document must show
These details make a delivery note easier to approve and to file.
- Your company name and address
- The customer's name and delivery address
- Note number and delivery date
- The order or invoice it belongs to
- Each item with the quantity delivered
- Packages and carrier or tracking number
- A line for the recipient's signature and date
This document prints quantities without prices, so no tax appears on it unless you switch its line columns to prices and totals.
Frequently asked questions
Should deposits appear on the delivery note?
Not as prices, since the note counts containers. Put the deposit on the invoice, and let the delivered and collected lines show how many containers the bar now holds.
What if the bar is closed when the driver arrives?
Deliver only where the customer has agreed a drop point, write the time and place on the note, and leave the empties line blank rather than guessing.
Does this delivery note show prices or tax?
This document prints quantities without prices, so no tax appears on it unless you switch its line columns to prices and totals. The worked example above counts 33 units and nothing else.
Can I download it as Excel, Word or PDF?
Yes. A PDF needs no account: fill in the template and use Print / PDF. The Excel and Word files download from this page with a free account.
Can I add my logo and signature?
Yes. The From section of the editor has a place for your company logo and for a signature or seal image. Uploading a picture needs a free account, and a member can keep both in settings so that every new document starts with them.
Read next
Reading for the Beverage distribution delivery note template: Quote, proforma, invoice, receipt, credit note: which to use and How to write an invoice: a step-by-step example. The order this delivery answers is written on the Purchase order template.