Delivery Slip

There is a word very common in a business transaction – receipt. A receipt is basically a printed acknowledgement that someone hast bought something – a confirmation that someone has paid someone something. But a receipt can have many forms, as well. There is a receipt, official receipt, delivery slip, credit slip, sales invoice, a merchandise return, and many others. Delivery receipt comes second in terms of popularity to receipt. Exactly, what is a delivery slip?

• Receipt Examples
• Invoice Examples

Free Shipment Delivery Receipt Example

Delivery Note Receipt Example

A delivery slip is a slip used when the item has already been delivered to the buyer regardless whether he has paid it or not, hence, making it distinct from the usual receipt in which a purchase has been made through payment and receiving of the item.

Daily Delivery Slip

But what is the purpose of a delivery slip?

Regardless whether the item being sent and received is paid or not, delivery slip is important to both parties, the sender and the receiver. When a delivery receipt has been signed by the recipient, there is a confirmation that the item has been received, as compared to just being sent. It is the same dynamics in Facebook Messenger, where a remark says, seen, after the receiver read your message. If the notice seen does not appear, you would not be able to tell if he has read your FB message or not. Same thing goes to a delivery slip. The process helps both parties transact much faster, especially for international orders. Unlike a receipt, a delivery slip puts emphasis on the actual receiving of the item, and not much in the payment.

Delivery Confirmation Slip

Other uses of a delivery slip

Order online

In this case, a delivery slip can be in a digital form. When you order online, you pay for that item. After you made the payment, you get an official receipt, that is, that you made a payment of that item. The seller, then ships to you the item that you ordered. Once the item is received, you can confirm it online. In a case where the delivery slip is not in digital format, then it can be in a form of a paper slip that goes together with the item being purchased. The cons is, after signing it, you have to ship and return the slip to the seller, or the one sending you the item. All the same, it is a confirmation that an item has been received.

Package forwarder

These days, the package delivery agents are the ones to let you complete or fill in the delivery receipt. So when you order an item, and after you received it, the courier will be the one to let you sign the delivery slip. Remember, it can also be in a form of digital format. And sometimes, it is in form of a logbook.

Some unconventional ways of confirming that a package has been received is by way of saying thank you. That may sound unformal, but that can be very powerful. When you say thank you after you receive a gift from someone, you are not only being grateful, but you are actually making a confirmation. And it does not have to be in the form of delivery slip. If a friend from the next block sends you a chocolate cake, you would not want both receiver and sender to use a delivery slip.

So whose responsibility is it to provide a delivery slip

Usually, delivery slips come from the seller or the sender. These days, couriers are the one taking care of this job. In cases where the receiver gets hold of an item without a delivery slip or confirmation, it is not a bad idea to confirm that an item has been received.

There is a third player when speaking about receipt and delivery slip. And it is as important as the other two. And it is called, invoice. An invoice slip may look just like the other two. Its content details the item being (to be) sold, the names of the seller, as well as, the buyer, and some registration numbers. While the delivery slip is more about the buyer receiving the goods; and the receipt more, about the payment; the invoice on the other hand, is more about the listing or the inventory of the items undergoing a transaction, regardless it it was bought, returned, being delivered. If both parties, seller and buyer discuss something about a purchase of an item, the invoice should come first in the place.

Delivery Order Slip

It can be tricky for an ordinary person not studying accountancy, because any of the three can be interchanged. The trouble happens when you need your purchase to be refunded, meaning to be shouldered by someone else, and the only document you have is the sales invoice. In a case like this, chances are, you will not be given a refund simply because you only have an invoice. But agencies will honor only official receipts, not an invoice or a delivery slip. This is not a common mistake. It could be the fault of the buyer for not being too observant. But that fault should not be left solely to the buyer. These days, it is not uncommon for sellers not giving official receipt in every transaction. Instead, they give the invoice. If you notice that a seller is not giving clients their official receipts, he is only giving an invoice, you can tell that something is fishy. You should report them immediately to higher authority.

Delivery Note Sample

Other names of delivery slip are the following, delivery note, delivery docket, delivery order, delivery receipt. In generic term, a delivery slip is called a proof of delivery, or POD. These days, it can be called, EPOD, or Electronic Proof of Delivery, the digital version of POD. An EPOD can be done by way of electronic device where in the receiver makes his signature on the device’s sensor or pad. In the absence of such digital device, a picture of the signature and maybe, a picture of the receiver holding the item may do just fine. All the same, the purpose of confirming that an item has been received was served.

It has to be accentuated that a delivery slip, is different from a billing invoice and an official receipt. It has a very important role, especially when a transaction is done in a distance, and the sender or seller needs to know that the product he sent, has been received by the other party, the buyer-receiver. Otherwise, he will be left thinking that his package got lost along the way. Remember, some online purchase may take 3 to 5 months before it will arrive to its destination. And they may not come with a tracking number.

Supplier Delivery Slip Example

So, those are some of the uses of a delivery slip. Always take time to distinguish between the three on your next purchase, be it online or upfront the seller.

Sample Delivery Packing Slip

Is it possible to transact business without a delivery slip? Sure. In a business transaction, usually, the most important things are the only ones being considered such as the delivery or handing over the item and the receiving of the payment. But the documentation is as important as well. One can send and deliver an item without really having to use a delivery slip. But it makes it less professional. You are making the buyer left hanging. The buyer would keep on wondering whether the the items he shipped was received or not. And the only way to solve such worry is to use a delivery slip. If you are the seller, this is very critical having to keep on waiting for something that is not there can freeze your business. You do not want that to happen.

The good thing with a delivery slip is that it does not have to be very formal looking than the receipt. It can be just an ordinary slip, enough for the receiver to confirm, make a signature.

Goods Delivery Slip Example