Free Delivery Note and Dispatch Note Generator
Create a printable delivery note or dispatch note for items, delivered quantities, partial shipments, back-orders and receiver acknowledgement.
Use the live form below to make a quantity-first document without invoice totals or payment fields.
Your shipment details stay in your browser. Fill the fields, review the preview, then print or save the finished note as a PDF.
Create a delivery note or dispatch note in your browser
Enter sender, receiver, order, carrier, item quantity and acknowledgement details. The preview updates live and prints cleanly for dispatch or receiving checks.
No delivery note data leaves your browser. The draft is stored locally on your device when browser storage is available.
Use this for goods dispatched and checked at receiving
A delivery note travels with goods so the receiver can compare the document with the physical shipment. A dispatch note is the same operational idea in many teams: it records what left the seller, warehouse or fulfilment location.
What a Delivery Note Does
Travels with goods
The document follows the shipment from dispatch to delivery. It gives the receiver a clear list to check before signing.
Lists quantities
The item table shows what was ordered and what was actually delivered. That split matters when one line is short or back-ordered.
Records acknowledgement
The receiver can add a name, signature line and date. The signed copy helps both sides keep a practical receipt trail.
Delivery Note, Dispatch Note, Packing Slip and Goods Received Note
These documents sit close together in an order workflow, but they are not interchangeable. Use the table to pick the right one before sending paperwork to a customer, retailer, warehouse or carrier.
| Document | Who usually prepares it | Main purpose | Locad page stance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Delivery note | Seller, dispatcher or fulfilment team. | Lists goods delivered so the receiver can check quantities and note exceptions. | This page owns it. |
| Dispatch note | Seller, warehouse or dispatch team. | Records goods sent out from the dispatch location before or during delivery. | This page owns it as a synonym. |
| Packing slip | Seller, warehouse or ecommerce fulfilment team. | Lists package contents, often inside a carton or parcel for the buyer to unpack. | Mentioned here, with a separate template opportunity. |
| Goods received note | Often the buyer or receiving team after arrival. | Records what the receiver found during receiving and stock intake. | Mentioned only as a related receiving record. |
What to Include in a Delivery Note
Partial Delivery Example with a Back-Ordered Line
A US homeware brand dispatches goods from an Illinois fulfilment location to a marketplace receiving dock in California. Two lines are complete, but one towel line is short.
References
Delivery note DN-2026-0184 connects to sales order SO-10482 and PO-MKT-77821. The receiver can match the document against purchase records.
Dispatch route
The goods leave a Locad partner warehouse in Joliet and arrive at a marketplace fulfilment dock in California.
Carrier detail
The dispatch uses Ninja Van with a line-haul partner. The tracking reference is NV-MYSG-884102.
Exception note
The towel line has 120 ordered, 96 delivered and 24 back-ordered. The note makes that shortage visible before signature.
| SKU | Description | Qty ordered | Qty delivered | Unit | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SORA-MUG-WHT | Ceramic mug, white | 80 | 80 | pcs | Complete |
| SORA-TOWEL-GRY | Cotton hand towel, grey | 120 | 96 | pcs | 24 pcs back-ordered |
| SORA-CANDLE-100 | Soy candle, 100g | 48 | 48 | pcs | Fragile cartons checked |
Receiver acknowledgement
Received the goods listed above, except where noted.
How to Use This Delivery Note Generator
- Add document references.Enter the delivery note number, dispatch date, expected delivery date, sales order and PO reference.
- Fill sender and receiver details.Add warehouse, seller, receiving contact and delivery address details so the note matches the shipment.
- List items and quantities.Use separate ordered and delivered columns so partial delivery, shortage or substitution notes stay visible.
- Add carrier and acknowledgement fields.Include tracking, delivery instructions, exception notes and editable receiver signature fields before printing.
When to Use a Delivery Note
Use a delivery note when the important question is simple: what goods were delivered, and did the receiver accept them with or without exceptions?
B2B order delivery
Send it with goods going to a retailer, distributor, office, store room or marketplace receiving dock.
Warehouse transfer
Use it when stock moves between fulfilment locations and the destination team must check received quantities.
Customer replacement
Use it when a replacement shipment needs a receipt trail but does not need a fresh payment document.
| Use case | Why the note helps | Field to watch |
|---|---|---|
| Retailer dock delivery | The receiver checks cartons, SKUs and shortage notes before signing. | Receiver name and exception note. |
| Marketplace inbound handoff | The marketplace can match the delivery to an order or inbound appointment. | PO reference and package count. |
| Partial dispatch | Open quantities remain visible instead of disappearing from the paperwork. | Quantity ordered and quantity delivered. |
| Replacement shipment | The document records goods sent without turning the shipment into a new invoice. | Delivery note number and order reference. |
Online Generator, PDF, Word or Excel?
Downloadable files are familiar, but operational delivery notes are easy to break when cells move or copied templates keep old rows. A browser generator keeps the structure intact while still giving you a PDF through print.
Online generator
Use the form when teams need a fast note without editing spreadsheet formulas, page breaks or merged cells.
PDF handoff
Print or save as PDF when the receiver, driver or warehouse needs a stable copy with the final quantities.
Word templates
Word works for branded documents, but table spacing can drift once descriptions or delivery notes get long.
Excel templates
Excel can support internal logs, but it can also invite invoice-style totals that do not belong on this document.
Delivery Note Review Checklist
Review the note before it leaves the warehouse. A small mismatch can turn into a receiving dispute, inventory adjustment or avoidable support thread.
| Review area | Question to ask | What to fix before dispatch |
|---|---|---|
| Order match | Can the receiver tie this note to their order? | Add the PO, sales order, appointment or inbound reference. |
| Quantity match | Can the receiver see what is missing? | Use the line note for back-orders and shortages. |
| Physical match | Do labels, cartons and item rows agree? | Correct package count and item descriptions before handoff. |
| Receipt match | Can the receiver sign with exceptions visible? | Move exception notes above the signature area. |
Delivery Note, Invoice and Bill of Lading Boundaries
Keep the delivery note narrow. It is useful because it focuses on goods, quantities and receipt checks, not payment, customs valuation or carrier contract terms.
| Document | Primary role | Boundary to remember |
|---|---|---|
| Delivery note | Seller-to-receiver paperwork for checking dispatched and delivered quantities. | Use it for item receipt, not for payment or customs value. |
| Invoice | Payment request with prices, taxes, totals and payment terms. | Do not add invoice totals to this delivery note generator. |
| Commercial invoice | Cross-border invoice document with value, origin and product details for customs workflows. | Use a commercial invoice template when a shipment needs customs-value paperwork. |
| Bill of lading | Carrier transport contract and receipt. Some BOL workflows can be title-adjacent. | A delivery note is not the carrier contract and does not replace a BOL. |
Where the Delivery Note Fits in Dispatch
A delivery note is strongest when it follows a simple operational sequence. The document does not fix bad inventory data, but it gives dispatch and receiving teams a common checklist.
Order released
The sales order or purchase order tells the warehouse what the buyer expected. The delivery note should carry that reference forward.
Goods picked
Pickers confirm SKUs and quantities before packing. If stock is short, the delivery note should show the delivered quantity, not hide the gap.
Dispatch handed off
The packed goods move to a courier, driver or receiving route. Carrier and tracking fields help both sides trace the movement.
Receiver checks
The receiver compares the goods against the note and signs with any exception visible. That is why short lines need clear notes.
| Stage | Record to check | Delivery note field that helps | Common exception |
|---|---|---|---|
| Order confirmation | Sales order or PO. | Order reference and PO reference. | Buyer quotes one reference while the warehouse uses another. |
| Pick and pack | Warehouse pick list. | SKU, description, ordered quantity and delivered quantity. | One SKU is partially available or substituted. |
| Carrier handoff | Courier label or consignment note. | Carrier name, tracking reference and package count. | Carton count differs from the handoff scan. |
| Receiving | Signed delivery note or receiving log. | Receiver name, acknowledgement, date and exception notes. | Goods arrive short, damaged or outside the expected window. |
How to Handle Short Shipments and Back-Orders
Partial delivery is the moment when a generic template usually fails. The receiver needs to know what arrived today, what remains open and whether the shortage was expected.
Keep ordered quantity visible
Do not replace the original order quantity with the shipped quantity. Showing both numbers prevents the receiver from guessing what is missing.
Name the back-order
Write the missing quantity in the line note. For example, “24 pcs back-ordered” is clearer than “partial”.
Avoid payment language
Short delivery can affect billing later, but this document should only record the goods and quantities delivered now.
Get exceptions signed
If the receiver signs, make sure shortage, damage or substitution notes are already visible on the delivery note.
Common Delivery Note Mistakes
Connect Delivery Notes to the Rest of the Shipment File
Before dispatch
A purchase order records what the buyer requested. The delivery note records what actually leaves the warehouse.
During dispatch
The delivery note travels with the goods and helps receiving teams compare quantities at handoff.
For cross-border value
A commercial invoice carries value, origin and product details when border paperwork requires them.
For carrier freight
A bill of lading belongs to freight handoff and carrier receipt workflows, not seller quantity checks.
Delivery notes work better when fulfilment data is clean
For ecommerce brands, receiving accuracy depends on SKU data, inventory counts, packed quantities, carrier references and warehouse handoff discipline. Locad helps connect those operations before the note reaches the receiver.
Delivery Note and Dispatch Note Questions
Need Fulfilment and Shipping Support Beyond the Form?
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