What should a proof of delivery note include?
A useful note answers the questions someone will ask if the delivery is disputed: what was delivered, where, when, to whom, and in what state. This template covers each of them:
- Reference: your order or job number, so the note can be matched to the booking and invoice.
- Address and time: where the handover happened and the date and time, to the minute.
- Items and condition: how many items and whether they were intact, so damage claims can be checked against the note.
- Recipient: the name of the person who took the items and their relationship to the addressee, such as a neighbour or receptionist.
- Signature: the recipient’s signature, captured on the screen.
- Driver: who made the delivery.
Tips for proof that holds up
- Ask the recipient to print their name as well as sign; signatures alone are often unreadable.
- Fill in the note at the door, not later in the van, and record the actual time.
- Note visible damage before the recipient signs, so the note reflects the condition at handover.
- If you leave an item in a safe place, describe exactly where and take a photo; this note has no photo, so keep the photo with it.
- Keep notes for as long as a customer could reasonably raise a claim, and no longer than you need the personal details in them.
When a paper note is not enough
A filled-in note shows what the driver wrote. It cannot show where the driver was or what the parcel looked like. Proof of delivery software captures those automatically: Track That Ride records photos, the signature, the recipient, the GPS position and time of the handover on the driver’s phone, refuses completion without the proof you require, and produces a PDF for every delivery. See proof of delivery software and our guide what is proof of delivery?