Goods delivered notes
When providing goods to a customer, it is strongly advised that you include a delivery note enclosed with the products. It’s not a compulsory demand but is a service which many customers appreciate. The delivery note assists the recipient check which items have been delivered and allows them to check if anything is missing.
What is the delivery note?
A delivery note is a record that lists all the goods contained in delivery and is sometimes referred to as a dispatch note or goods receipt. The document is included in the shipment and contains the number of products included in the delivery; it doesn’t list any values like the price of goods. A copy of the note is then given back to the seller as proof of delivery.
It’s beneficial because, suppliers can confirm that everything went as planned with the delivery and after it has been signed and returned, it serves as proof that all goods were obtained and the client is contented. Additionally, it also gives customers an overview of the products they have ordered as it allows them to cross-check the products they received with their order.
What is its aim?
When a recipient places an order with you, you should aim to send the goods as soon as you can. If a delivery note is created to be addressed by the shipment, the delivery note can be used as a checklist and, as above mentioned, it can serve as proof of delivery. Also, this is an added service that puts the customer’s mind at ease.
If you choose to create a delivery note manually, you must ensure that the goods contained in the shipment are included on the record – you might also want to send the invoice with it too.
When sending a delivery note, consider about including your logo, and make it appealing. Choose your colours and design elements wisely, as you can strengthen your company’s branding and recognition value.
What a delivery note should include
You can view the delivery note similarly to an invoice for a shipment of goods; you should list the delivered products while using the precise details of a commercial letter; company address, name of both your client and your business, date, etc.
Yet, the delivery note cannot replace the invoice entirely, since it does not contain the prices of the products. You should always produce another invoice document, and if you wish, send it with the goods delivery note.
In recent times, it is becoming evident that organizations are forwarding delivery notes through email as soon as the goods have been dispatched. Since the email reaches the client immediately, it is a useful approach to reminding them that they are expecting a package. The customer also obtains an overview of their future order when receiving it by email, which can be advantageous for large deliveries.
Even though delivery notes are optional, each delivery note sent should still follow a set of requirements for information to ensure clear communication) to both the sender and the customer receiving the goods. This includes:
- Name and address of the company
- Name and address of the recipient
- Date of shipment, order and expected delivery
- Order name / number
- Lists of goods containing in the delivery
- If further deliveries are to be expected, i.e. delivery 1 of 3
It would help if you considered setting up a standard template to make all delivery notes consistent. It is also helpful to be compatible with your company branding across all communication with customers. For instance, you are ensuring that the logo you include on your invoices also appears on your delivery note and follows the same layout/design. This makes a shipment easily identifiable to the recipient, as well as promotes your professional image and your company branding.
Additional details a delivery note can include
While a delivery note usually does not contain product prices, some do choose to include these based on the industry and the products being shipped. Alternatively or additionally, individual products can be listed by their unique product number. A delivery note might also include the address and banking information of the seller, as a confirmation or added reminder for contact and payment purposes.
The considerable number of people have troubles when it comes to distinguishing Good’s Delivery notes with Good Dispatch notes, so here you can see the difference between both of them.
Goods Despatch Note (GDN) or also known as Goods Dispatch Note is a record that is raised by the supplier’s despatch department responsible for sending goods out to customers. The despatch department retains a copy of the GDN, and one copy is sent to the accounts department to process an invoice to the client. Without GDN forwarded to the accounts department, no invoice can be raised. In different words, goods despatch note acts as a source to make an invoice. All of these notes are usually sequentially numbered that helps identify any missing signs from the document.
Goods Delivery Note: As long as the same note, i.e. goods despatch record is delivered with the goods to the recipient a sign the documents as evidence of the receipt by the customer then the same file will be named as Goods Delivery Note. So if we are intended to differentiate between two types of documents, then despatch note only authorizes the despatch. In contrast, delivery note serves an additional purpose and acts as evidence that goods have been delivered to the customer, and the client acknowledges the receipt. Business, however, may raise goods delivery note and goods despatch note separately to maintain the documents for internal and external purposes remain distinct.
Do I need to store it?
Although it’s not compulsory, you should keep a copy of each goods delivery notes. This is, so you have written proof that the customer received the delivery.
You can use online accounting software to automate your delivery notes and invoices; you can store them in the cloud platform, making them immediately available anywhere, anytime. Plus, you can also track payments, sales, expenses and all other accounts in real-time.