Delivery Note Software — Free Delivery Note Generator Online
Create delivery note online free — itemize the shipment, add courier and tracking details, capture the recipient's signature on arrival, and download a branded PDF in about two minutes.
Document Every Shipment Without the Paperwork
A delivery note — also called a dispatch note or shipping note — is the document that travels with a shipment, listing exactly what is inside so the recipient can check the goods against their order. Delivery note software is an online documentation tool that creates, numbers, and stores those dispatch documents for product businesses — replacing the duplicate pad, the Word file, and the spreadsheet that never quite adds up. The invoice is the financial document that requests payment; the delivery note records the physical transfer and proves what actually arrived.
The workflow runs from order to signed proof of delivery. An order or purchase order comes in, the warehouse picks the goods, and you create a delivery note listing each item with its quantity and unit — boxes, kg, pieces, pallets. Add the courier name, tracking number, expected delivery date, and any special handling instructions, then print the PDF to travel with the shipment or email it ahead so the recipient knows what to check at goods-in.
On arrival, the recipient counts the items against the note, checks their condition, and marks any shortage or damage before signing in the signature space. That signed copy is your proof of delivery — the record that closes the loop when a customer claims a box never turned up. Back at your desk, match the signed note to the invoice it ships against and file it with your business records.
ProeInvoice's free delivery note generator handles that whole chain. Start in the guest builder with no sign-up and no watermark, or open a free account for saved clients, automatic numbering, and searchable history. Because free online delivery notes sit beside invoices, purchase orders, and quotations on one platform, it doubles as a sale and delivery note generator: one client record, one business profile, one branding setup.
One habit worth breaking: putting prices on the note. A price column confuses the document's job — the driver does not need values and the warehouse does not want them. Leave pricing on the invoice — unless a cash-on-delivery job genuinely needs it — reference the invoice number on the note, and issue linked notes for partial shipments and back-orders so every batch gets its own signed record.
What ProeInvoice Delivery Notes Include
Itemized shipment list
Line items with quantities and units of measure — boxes, kg, units, pallets — so the recipient can verify every item against the order before signing.
Delivery method & tracking
Capture courier name, tracking number, and expected delivery date on the PDF itself — transparency the customer notices before they even open the box.
Recipient signature space
A built-in signature area turns each note into signed proof of delivery on arrival — the record that ends most quantity and non-delivery disputes.
Automatic numbering
The built-in delivery note number generator gives every dispatch a unique identifier in sequence, so your paper trail stays continuous and audit-ready.
Link to invoices
Reference the related invoice or order number to keep paperwork synchronized across partial shipments, back-orders, and staged deliveries.
Branded A4 PDFs
Your logo, business details, and accent color on every note — a print-ready A4 delivery note PDF format for the goods-in office.
Saved clients & reuse
Save a recipient once and reuse their delivery address on every future note — less re-typing and fewer address errors on the label and the note.
Works on any device
Runs in the browser on desktop, tablet, or phone — office staff and drivers can raise or check notes wherever the goods are. Nothing to install.
Free to use
The guest delivery note builder is free with no sign-up and no document caps; a free account adds saving, history, and your client library.
How to Create a Delivery Note
1. Add recipient details
Enter the recipient's name and delivery address, or pick a saved client. Add the order, PO, or invoice reference the shipment fulfils.
2. List items shipped
Add each line with a description, quantity, and unit — boxes, kg, pieces, pallets. Record the transport details: courier, tracking number, and expected delivery date.
3. Export, send, get it signed
Download the branded PDF, print it to travel with the goods, or email it ahead. The recipient checks the items and signs on arrival — that signed copy is your proof of delivery.
From Order to Signed Proof of Delivery — and What UK Rules Say
Not every note documents a sale. Standard notes list a full shipment; partial notes record staged deliveries against one order; return notes act as a receipt for goods coming back; internal notes track stock movement between your own locations; replacement notes cover goods resolving a complaint; job-work notes cover materials sent out for processing. The same generator handles all of them — change the reference and the line items, not the tool.
In the UK, a delivery note is not a legal requirement — no statute forces you to issue one. It is standard practice in wholesale and B2B trade, often a contractual requirement, and useful evidence in dispute resolution when a customs query or insurance claim turns on what was delivered and when. VAT is a separate matter: the invoice, not the delivery note, carries the tax detail — one more reason to keep prices off the note.
Digital signatures hold up, and electronic delivery notes (eDNs) are increasingly the norm. Under section 7 of the Electronic Communications Act 2000, an electronic signature is admissible in evidence, and UK eIDAS adds that a signature cannot be denied legal effect solely because it is electronic. The Law Commission's 2019 review confirmed the position: what matters is the intent to authenticate, not the pen. A recipient signing a delivery PDF, with a timestamp recorded, demonstrates exactly that.
Keep signed notes for six years — the record-keeping window HMRC applies to company records — because delivery notes form part of the audit trail behind your invoices. If a delivery arrives short or damaged, the recipient should mark the discrepancy on the note before signing and photograph the problem; a corrected note or replacement shipment follows, and the annotated original supports any insurance or supplier claim.
Searching for a delivery note software free download, a delivery note generator app, or a delivery note template in Excel? You do not need any of them. Word templates buckle past a few line items; Excel handles the arithmetic but demands constant reformatting; a static PDF cannot be changed. A free delivery note generator online gives you the strengths of all three — editable fields, automatic calculations, consistent formatting, polished output — with nothing to install.
For barcode and warehouse workflows, put the references scanners key on — SKU codes, order numbers, tracking IDs — on each line; ProeInvoice documents dispatch and signed receipt alongside your stock or WMS tools, and in freight contexts the note travels with the bill of lading. This page is informational only, not legal advice; sources checked against gov.uk and legislation.gov.uk, last verified July 2026.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is delivery note software?
Delivery note software is an online tool that creates, numbers, and stores the dispatch documents that travel with goods. Instead of filling in a paper pad or editing a spreadsheet, you enter the recipient, items, quantities, and courier details, and the software produces a branded, sequentially numbered PDF with a signature space — then keeps a searchable copy linked to the related invoice or order.
Is the delivery note generator really free?
Yes. The guest delivery note generator is free with no sign-up, no watermark, and no card details. A free account adds saved clients, automatic numbering, and delivery note history. Paid tools in this category typically charge £4–£15 per month for the same basics — hard to justify for a document that does not even carry prices.
Can I convert a delivery note to an invoice?
The two stay linked rather than converted. Because ProeInvoice is delivery note and invoice software in one platform, each note can reference the invoice it ships against, and both documents draw on the same client record and business profile, so details carry across without re-typing. For partial shipments, issue one invoice and several linked delivery notes, then reconcile the signed copies as each batch lands.
Can I use delivery note software with barcodes or a warehouse system?
Yes — include the references scanning workflows key on: SKU codes, order and PO numbers, and courier tracking IDs on each line item. ProeInvoice documents dispatch and signed receipt; it is deliberately lighter than a full warehouse management system, so it sits alongside your stock control or WMS tools rather than replacing them.
Are digitally signed delivery notes legally valid in the UK?
Yes. Under section 7 of the Electronic Communications Act 2000, electronic signatures are admissible in evidence, and UK eIDAS provides that a signature cannot be denied legal effect solely because it is electronic. Courts look for intent to authenticate, and a recipient signing a delivery PDF with the date and time recorded shows exactly that. Keep signed copies with your records — HMRC expects six years.
What information goes on a delivery note?
A complete delivery note carries your business details, the recipient's name and delivery address, a unique delivery note number, issue and delivery dates, the related order, PO, or invoice reference, an itemized list with quantities and units, courier and tracking details, and a signature line. Prices are usually left off — the invoice handles the money; the delivery note proves what physically arrived.
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