Proof of delivery template
Proof of delivery template for couriers and drivers: list each package handed over, the time, who signed and what was refused, so delivery can be shown later.
Templates by industry
- Cartons of printed brochures
- Poster tubes
- Shrink-wrapped pallet of display stands
- Envelope of signed documents
Preparation guide
Example workflow
Pick and pack
Example: count "Cartons of printed brochures" 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 "Envelope of signed documents" 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 proof of delivery is the page a driver hands over for signature at the door. Later it answers one question: did the goods reach the customer, when, and in what state. Carriers and sellers keep it to settle claims that a parcel never arrived or arrived damaged. This template lists each package on its own line and leaves space for the time, the recipient’s printed name and signature, and a remark about anything refused.
Fields to prepare
- Deliverables and line items
- Cartons of printed brochures, Poster tubes, Shrink-wrapped pallet of display stands, Envelope of signed documents: record the quantity actually shipped for each line; prices stay off the note.
- Cartons of printed brochures
- Count the cartons as they leave the vehicle and write the number the recipient agreed, not the number on the label.
- Poster tubes
- Tubes are easily crushed; if one is dented, write it next to the line before the recipient signs.
- Shrink-wrapped pallet of display stands
- For a pallet, write whether the wrap was intact on handover; a torn wrap noted now protects both sides.
- Envelope of signed documents
- Documents are a line too: the envelope’s handover time is often what the sender needs to prove.
- 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
- Write the time of handover, the name of the person who signed in capitals, and what was refused or left outside, so a later claim of non-delivery can be answered.
Before sending
- Was “Cartons of printed brochures” counted when it was packed, and does the count match the order?
- If “Poster tubes” ships short, does the note say how many follow and when?
- Will the receiver be able to check “Shrink-wrapped pallet of display stands” against this note on arrival?
Show 4 more
- Was “Envelope of signed documents” 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: a delivery with one carton refused
The figures are an example. A driver brings a print order to an office: six cartons of brochures, two poster tubes, a pallet of stands and an envelope. One carton is visibly wet, and the customer refuses it.
| Item | Shipped / ordered | Still to ship |
|---|---|---|
| Cartons of printed brochures | 5 / 6 | 1 |
| Poster tubes | 2 / 2 | 0 |
| Shrink-wrapped pallet of display stands | 1 / 1 | 0 |
| Envelope of signed documents | 1 / 1 | 0 |
| Total | 9 / 10 | 1 |
Of 10 packages on the run sheet, 9 were handed over and signed for; 1 goes back to the depot with the reason written beside it. The printer can then reprint one carton instead of arguing about the whole order.
Common mistakes on a proof of delivery
- Getting a signature on a blank form and filling in the packages afterwards.
- Accepting an illegible scrawl with no printed name beside it.
- Leaving parcels at the door with no note of where they were put.
- Writing the delivery time from memory at the end of the shift.
- Not recording a refused package, so the sender bills the customer for it.
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
What if nobody is there to sign?
Follow the sender’s instructions: a safe place, a neighbour or a return to the depot. Write which one, the time and where the goods were left, and add a photo reference if you took one.
Is a scribbled signature enough?
Ask the recipient to print their name next to it. A name you can read is what lets the sender show who accepted the goods.
How do I record a carton the customer refused?
Count it as not delivered on the line, write the reason the customer gave, and take it back. The remark tells the sender what to credit or resend.
How long should proofs of delivery be kept?
At least as long as a customer can still dispute the delivery or the invoice. Ask the sender how long their contract or their accountant needs them.
How is tax calculated on this template?
This document prints quantities without prices, so no tax appears on it unless you switch its line columns to prices and totals.
Does a delivery note show prices?
Usually not. It lists what was shipped so the recipient can check it; prices go on the invoice. QuoteBill leaves them off unless you switch the line columns to prices.
Read next
Reading for the Proof of delivery 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.