What a delivery note is — and why it protects you
A delivery note travels with the goods. It lists exactly what is being delivered and to whom, and carries a line for the person who receives it to sign. It is not a financial document — there are no prices — its whole job is to prove that the right goods reached the right place.
In Kenya, the delivery note is your protection when a customer later claims the order was short or an item never arrived. A signed delivery note is contemporaneous evidence: the receiver confirmed the quantities at the point of delivery. For anyone moving stock — a hardware, a distributor, a wholesaler — it is indispensable.
The delivery note should mirror the order and the invoice: same items, same quantities. Where it differs — a partial delivery, a substitution — note it, so all the paperwork tells one consistent story.
What a proper delivery note includes
- ◆Your business name and contacts
- ◆A delivery note number and the delivery date
- ◆Who the goods are going to, and the delivery address
- ◆Each item and the quantity delivered (no prices needed)
- ◆Space for the receiver’s name, signature and date
- ◆A note of anything short-delivered, back-ordered or substituted
Common mistakes to avoid
- ✕Skipping the signature line — an unsigned delivery note proves nothing in a dispute
- ✕Quantities that don’t match the invoice, creating confusion at payment time
- ✕No delivery note number, so it can’t be tied back to the order
- ✕Not keeping your copy — the signed original is the evidence, hold onto it
Questions
Is a delivery note a legal requirement in Kenya?
There is no blanket law requiring one, but it is standard commercial practice and strong evidence. For goods in transit it also helps show the movement is legitimate. Any business moving stock should use one.
What’s the difference between a delivery note and an invoice?
A delivery note proves goods were delivered (quantities, no money); an invoice demands payment (prices, VAT, total). They should list the same items. Many businesses send the delivery note with the goods and the invoice separately.
Should a delivery note show prices?
No. Keeping prices off is deliberate — the person receiving goods (often a store-keeper) doesn’t need to see your pricing, and it avoids confusion with the invoice. This tool omits prices by design.
Who signs the delivery note?
The person receiving the goods, at the point of delivery. Their signature — ideally with name and date — is what turns the note into proof of receipt.
What is a GRN, and how is it different?
A Goods Received Note is the buyer’s version — the receiver’s own record of what actually arrived, checked against the delivery note and purchase order before paying. The supplier issues the delivery note; the customer issues the GRN.
The delivery note generator is free to build and preview. Downloading a clean PDF without the small watermark is KES 50 in Kenya — a one-off, valid for a few hours so you can make several — and free everywhere else. No account needed; your business details are saved on your own device.