Secure the delivery of your goods thanks to the delivery note: meaning and model to download
In the world of invoicing, what is a delivery note? If you have reached this article, it is probably because at some point you have asked yourself this question. Don't worry, we have the answer.
Although it is not compulsory, the delivery note is a very useful document both when making a sale and when making a purchase. Among other things, it is key to verify transactions and to be able to claim your rights, if necessary.
Let's take a look at the advantages of a delivery note, its definition, what it should contain and how to prepare it.
Delivery note: meaning
A delivery note is a commercial document used in sales transactions to confirm receipt of a good or service.
☝️ This documentary evidence is drawn up by the sender of the order and must be signed by the receiver when it is delivered.
💡 Did you know that this word, which comes from Arabic, means "the receipt"?
What is a delivery note for?
As we have seen, the delivery note serves as proof of a commercial transaction. However, let's take a closer look at its usefulness according to the parties involved:
- For the seller: it proves receipt of the product or service by the buyer.
- For the buyer: it confirms receipt of the agreed order.
- For the carrier (if any): it proves the delivery of the good or service.
It therefore serves to confirm that an order has been shipped and received by the customer.
☝️ The waybill justifies the delivery of the goods but does not prove payment for the goods.
Generally, there are two copies: the original document and a copy. The first document is kept by the buyer; the second is for the seller or the postman.
Importance
Although it is not a compulsory document, the preparation of the delivery note is of interest for several reasons:
- It testifies to the agreement of both parties to the transaction.
- It contains information on the delivery operation: how was it carried out?
- It allows the seller to claim payment.
☝️ Delivery notes are not recorded in the accounting books.
It is good practice to keep delivery notes together with your invoices for possible claims. Often, and especially in the case of recapitulative invoices, these do not include the description of the goods delivered, but refer directly to the delivery note drawn up.
Delivery note vs. invoice
It is important not to confuse the delivery note with the invoice. Both are two commercial documents that accredit a commercial action, but one justifies the delivery (the delivery note):
- One justifies the delivery (the delivery note);
- the other justifies payment (the invoice) and, therefore, has tax functions.
Likewise, the two main differences are that:
- The invoice has taxation and fiscal validity, whereas the delivery note does not.
- The invoice is mandatory, whereas the delivery note is not.
Sample delivery note
Now that you know all the details of the delivery note, let's see what form it takes.
🔵 Example of a priced delivery note:
Delivery note template
At Appvizer we have one thing in mind: to make life easier for entrepreneurs and freelancers. That's why we've created a free, customisable delivery note template.
If you want to start keeping track of your orders, download it now:
What does a delivery note have to have?
Like any formal document, the delivery note must respect a series of requirements. In other words, it must have some common characteristics and contain certain specific information.
In general, it must contain the following information:
- Delivery note number;
- place and date of issue;
- fiscal data of the seller (name or company name, address and NIF or CIF);
- the purchaser's tax data (name or company name, address and NIF or CIF);
- description of the good or service;
- quantity of goods and services;
- place and date of delivery;
- form of delivery (method used).
You can also include the cost. However, it is not necessary to include the price of the order, as its function is not related to the payment but to the delivery.
Types of delivery notes
In relation to the data included, we can talk about two types of documents:
1. Valued delivery note
This is the delivery note that includes the price with taxes and discounts, if applicable. This is due to the fact that it is not usually accompanied by the invoice.
It also includes all the information relating to the seller, the buyer and the order (products and quantity).
2. Delivery note without valuation
In this case, the delivery note is delivered together with the invoice, so it does not specify the price.
👉 It does include all information related to the order (products and quantity).
💡 Both delivery notes are common and accepted. The use of one or the other depends on the selling company or the requirements of the buyer.
How to make a delivery note?
If you know how to make an invoice, making a delivery note should not pose too many problems. As you can see, although the validity and objectives are not the same, the content and format are very similar.
If, on the other hand, you prefer things to be even easier, there are invoicing programmes that make it easier to manage administrative tasks; making the delivery note may be one of them. Interestingly, these include both web-hosted and on-premise options.
You see, you've run out of excuses for not optimising your business processes 😉.
Article translated from Spanish