Return collection note template
Return collection note template for picking up goods under an RMA: serial numbers taken, accessories and boxes, condition at collection and a signature.
Templates by industry
- Handheld scanners, faulty (RMA 5521)
- Charging cradles
- Spare batteries
Preparation guide
Example workflow
Pick and pack
Example: count "Handheld scanners, faulty (RMA 5521)" 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 "Spare batteries" 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.
When a supplier sends its own driver or a courier to collect faulty or unwanted goods, the customer wants a record of what left the building. A return collection note is that record: it names the return authorization, lists each unit by serial number and notes what came with it. The credit or repair that follows is checked against it, so a missing charger or an unboxed unit shows up on the day of collection, not weeks later.
Fields to prepare
- Deliverables and line items
- Handheld scanners, faulty (RMA 5521), Charging cradles, Spare batteries: record the quantity actually shipped for each line; prices stay off the note.
- Handheld scanners, faulty (RMA 5521)
- List each scanner’s serial number in the notes; the RMA covers named units, and an extra unit in the box is not covered by it.
- Charging cradles
- Customers often keep cradles for the replacement units, so write the count actually taken.
- Spare batteries
- Batteries may have to travel apart from the devices with their terminals taped; write how they were packed.
- 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
- Quote the return authorization number on every line, record the serial numbers you took away, and say whether accessories and original boxes came back with the goods.
Before sending
- Was “Handheld scanners, faulty (RMA 5521)” counted when it was packed, and does the count match the order?
- If “Charging cradles” ships short, does the note say how many follow and when?
- Will the receiver be able to check “Spare batteries” against this note on arrival?
Show 3 more
- 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: 3 lines, counted in units, with no prices.
| Item | Quantity |
|---|---|
| Handheld scanners, faulty (RMA 5521) | 4 |
| Charging cradles | 4 |
| Spare batteries | 6 |
| Total | 14 |
14 units in 3 lines.
- The goods ship against sales order RMA-5521.
- Packages: 2.
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 the customer hands over more units than the RMA lists?
Take only the units on the authorization, or call the supplier before loading the rest. Write any extra unit on the note as taken without RMA, so nobody assumes it is covered.
Should I note the condition of returned goods?
Yes, briefly: cracked screen, missing cover, no box. The supplier decides on the credit, but the note shows what state the goods were in when they left the customer.
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 14 units and nothing else.
Is this template free?
Yes. You can fill in this template and print it or save it as a PDF without an account, and there is no payment step and no watermark on the document. Saving it to your account and downloading Excel or Word files need a free account.
Can I change the layout and colour?
Yes. The editor offers other layouts and a document colour for the printed page. Changing them moves no figure: the lines and totals stay as they are, and the PDF, Word and Excel files follow the layout you pick.
Read next
Reading for the Return collection 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.