A delivery note travels with a shipment of goods, listing what was delivered so the recipient can confirm the delivery matches what was ordered. It carries quantities and descriptions, not prices.
What it means
The recipient, or their goods-received process, signs or checks off the delivery note against the purchase order, flagging shortages or damage before the invoice is paid.
Where it fits in
It's the middle document in the three-way match businesses use to authorise payment: the purchase order says what was ordered, the delivery note confirms what arrived, and the invoice states what's owed.
Key rules
- Confirms goods delivered, without pricing information.
- Checked against the purchase order on receipt.
- Signed to acknowledge receipt, or to flag a discrepancy.
- One leg of the PO / delivery note / invoice three-way match.
