An Australian Delivery Note (also called a packing slip or dispatch note) is a commercial document that accompanies a physical shipment of goods from a supplier to a recipient. It records the essential facts of the delivery: who sent the goods, who is receiving them, what has been delivered (with descriptions and quantities), the condition of the goods at dispatch, any reference to the Purchase Order or invoice this delivery relates to, and the date of delivery.

The Delivery Note is a foundational document in the Australian procurement and logistics cycle. It serves as the physical record that travels with the goods and is signed by the receiving party as evidence that the goods arrived. In the accounts payable process, most Australian businesses use a three-way match — comparing the original Purchase Order, the Delivery Note, and the supplier's tax invoice — to verify that the goods received correspond to what was ordered and invoiced before authorising payment. This internal control prevents overpayment, duplicate payments, and payment for goods never received.

From a legal perspective, a signed Delivery Note provides documentary evidence of the date and fact of delivery, triggers the recipient's inspection period under the supply contract, and records any discrepancy or visible damage noted at the time of delivery. Where goods arrive damaged or short-delivered, a contemporaneous note on the Delivery Note signed by both the recipient and the driver is particularly valuable evidence in any subsequent dispute.

The Delivery Note operates within the framework of the Australian Consumer Law (Schedule 2 to the Competition and Consumer Act 2010 (Cth)), which provides statutory guarantees of acceptable quality, fitness for purpose, and correspondence with description. These guarantees apply regardless of what the Delivery Note says and cannot be excluded by the supplier.

A Delivery Note should accompany every physical shipment of goods from a supplier to a customer in Australian commerce. The specific situations in which a Delivery Note is essential include the following.

Routine commercial deliveries. Any business that regularly supplies goods — whether a retailer delivering stock to branches, a wholesaler delivering to retail customers, or a manufacturer delivering components to other manufacturers — should use Delivery Notes as a standard part of every dispatch. Without a Delivery Note, there is no contemporaneous written record of what was sent, when, and in what condition.

Partial deliveries. Where a Purchase Order is fulfilled in multiple deliveries (for example, because some items are out of stock), each delivery should be accompanied by its own Delivery Note clearly showing which items from the original PO are included in that particular delivery and which remain outstanding. This prevents confusion and billing disputes.

High-value or fragile goods. For deliveries of high-value equipment, fragile goods, or goods with critical specifications, a Delivery Note with a detailed condition assessment and a discrepancy reporting obligation is important for managing risk. Any damage or non-conformance identified at the time of delivery should be documented on the Delivery Note before the driver leaves.

Goods subject to warranty or quality inspection. Where the recipient is required to inspect goods and notify the supplier of any defects within a specified period, the Delivery Note establishes the delivery date from which that inspection period runs. A clear delivery date is essential for calculating and enforcing inspection deadlines.

Interstate or international deliveries using freight carriers. Where goods are transported by a freight carrier (rather than delivered directly by the supplier), the Delivery Note accompanies the goods and is signed by the recipient on delivery. The carrier may also issue a consignment note under the relevant state or territory transport legislation.

An effective Australian Delivery Note should contain the following key elements to fulfil its evidentiary, commercial, and compliance functions.

Delivery Note number. A unique reference number links the Delivery Note to the Purchase Order and invoice and is essential for the three-way matching process used in accounts payable. The Delivery Note number should appear on all related correspondence.

Date of delivery. The date on which the goods are actually delivered (not the date of dispatch) should be clearly stated in DD/MM/YYYY format. This date triggers the recipient's inspection and discrepancy notification period.

Purchase Order and invoice references. Cross-referencing the Delivery Note to the relevant Purchase Order number and invoice number (where already issued) enables efficient matching. Some businesses issue the Delivery Note before the invoice, so the invoice reference may be left blank for completion later.

Supplier details. The supplier's full legal name, ABN, and address should be stated. The ABN is particularly relevant where the Delivery Note accompanies a tax invoice, as the ACL requires the supplier's identity to be clear.

Recipient details. The recipient's full legal name, the delivery address, and the name of the contact person receiving the goods should be stated. For commercial deliveries, the recipient's ABN may also be included.

Detailed goods description. Each item delivered should be listed with its description, product code or SKU, quantity, and unit of measure. The level of detail should match the Purchase Order to facilitate effective matching. The condition of the goods at dispatch should be noted.

Total packages. The total number of cartons, pallets, or packages in the delivery should be stated so the recipient can verify completeness on delivery.

Discrepancy notification period. The Delivery Note should state the number of business days after delivery within which the recipient must notify the supplier of any discrepancy, shortage, or visible damage. Standard Australian practice is two to five business days.

Special handling instructions. Any requirements for how the goods should be handled or stored after delivery (such as temperature, orientation, or stacking limits) should be stated on the Delivery Note.

Recipient acknowledgment. The Delivery Note should include a section for the recipient's representative to sign and date on delivery, recording whether the goods were received in good order and condition and noting any discrepancy or damage. The delivery driver should also sign as evidence of the delivery.