Receiving Log: Free Template for Checking In Deliveries

By Nicole Hullihen, former SaaS Chief Operating Officer and Microsoft MVP · Updated October 25, 2026

A delivery shows up during the lunch rush. Someone signs for it without counting, and three weeks later you pay an invoice for 20 cases when only 18 arrived. Receiving mistakes are some of the easiest money to lose in a small business, and some of the easiest to prevent.

This guide includes a free receiving log, a step-by-step check-in process and tips for handling shortages, damage, wrong items, refrigerated deliveries and paperwork.

What Is a Receiving Log?

A receiving log is a record of every delivery your business accepts. It connects what you ordered, what the vendor says they sent and what actually arrived. Together with purchase orders and invoices, it lets you confirm that you're paying only for what you received.

Matching all of these before paying is often called a three-way match: purchase order, receiving record and invoice. See purchase order vs invoice.

Free Receiving Log Template

Line-Item Receiving Sheet

For larger deliveries, check each item:

Step-by-Step Receiving Process

1. Know what's coming. Keep open purchase orders where the receiver can find them.
2. Check the delivery against the purchase order before the driver leaves, if possible.
3. Count every item or case and compare to the packing slip.
4. Inspect condition: crushed boxes, leaks, broken seals, wrong sizes.
5. Note problems on the driver's delivery receipt before signing.
6. Sign and record the delivery in the receiving log.
7. Put items away promptly, with new stock behind old.
8. Send paperwork to whoever pays the bills.
9. Report problems to the vendor the same day.

Handling Delivery Problems

Take photos of damage, packaging and labels before moving anything. Many carriers and vendors have short deadlines for damage claims, so report problems right away and check each vendor's terms.

Receiving Food and Refrigerated Deliveries

Restaurants and food businesses have extra checks for food deliveries:

• Check temperatures of refrigerated and frozen items with a probe thermometer.
• Look for signs of thawing and refreezing, such as ice crystals or stained boxes.
• Check dates and labels.
• Inspect packaging for damage or pests.
• Put cold and frozen items away first.
• Reject items that don't meet your food safety plan.

Record delivery temperatures in a receiving temperature log. See the restaurant temperature log. Your health department sets the acceptable temperatures for deliveries.

Scheduling Deliveries

Deliveries during your busiest hours are where most receiving mistakes happen. Where you can:

• Ask vendors for delivery windows outside peak hours.
• Schedule a trained receiver during delivery windows.
• Keep the receiving area clear so items can be checked before they're put away.
• Post a delivery calendar showing which vendors come on which days.

Add receiving to your shift plans so someone is always assigned. See scheduling.

Who Should Receive Deliveries?

Not everyone should be able to sign for deliveries. Train a small group of receivers and make sure at least one is scheduled during delivery windows. A good receiver:

• Knows how to find open purchase orders.
• Counts and inspects before signing.
• Knows what to do when something is wrong.
• Records every delivery the same way.

Separating duties helps prevent fraud: the person who orders shouldn't be the only person who receives and approves payment.

Receiving Paperwork

1. Attach the packing slip and delivery receipt to the receiving log entry.
2. Write the PO number on the paperwork.
3. Send it to whoever matches invoices, the same day.
4. Keep a copy or scan in a receiving folder by date or vendor.

When the invoice arrives, it can be matched to the receiving record. If quantities or prices don't match, hold payment until the vendor fixes it.

Updating Inventory

Received items should be added to your inventory records right away. Delays create counts that don't match the shelf. For physical counts, see the inventory count sheet.

Receiving Packages and Small Parcels

Offices and retail stores receive packages from carriers all day. A simple package log prevents lost packages and arguments about who signed for what.

Example: A Small Restaurant

A restaurant's food costs were higher than expected. The owner compared three months of invoices to what the kitchen actually used and found repeated shortages on produce and protein deliveries that had been signed for without checking. She trained two receivers, started a receiving log and required counts before signing. Within a month, the vendor issued credits for several shortages, and invoices started matching deliveries.

Common Receiving Mistakes

• Signing before checking.
• No purchase order to check against.
• Untrained staff receiving deliveries during rush hours.
• Not reporting problems to vendors quickly.
• Lost packing slips and paperwork.
• Paying invoices without matching them to receiving records.
• Leaving deliveries sitting in the receiving area.

Receiving Log Checklist

Receiving Area Setup

Keep the receiving area clean and well lit. Clutter makes it easy to miss a short case or put damaged items away by mistake.

Receiving Without a Purchase Order

Some deliveries arrive without a PO, such as standing orders, vendor drop-offs or items someone ordered directly. Set a rule:

• Check the packing slip against what arrived.
• Record the delivery in the log with "no PO."
• Find out who ordered it before putting it away.
• Flag it for whoever pays the bills.
• If no one ordered it, contact the vendor.

Frequent no-PO deliveries are a sign your purchasing process needs work. See purchasing requisition and approval.

Receiving Script for New Employees

Damage Claim Steps

1. Note the damage on the delivery receipt before signing.
2. Take photos of the item, packaging and shipping label.
3. Keep the damaged item and packaging until the claim is resolved.
4. Contact the vendor or carrier and ask about their claim process and deadline.
5. Record the claim number and follow-up date in the log.
6. Confirm the credit or replacement arrives.

Tracking Vendor Delivery Performance

A receiving log is also a record of how well each vendor delivers. Once a month, look at:

Use the results in vendor reviews. See what is a vendor scorecard.

Returns to Vendors

When you return items, record them just as carefully as deliveries: what went back, why, the return authorization number, who picked it up and when the credit was received. A return log prevents paying for items you sent back.

Receiving for Job Sites

Contractors often receive materials at job sites. Assign a site receiver, check deliveries against the material order and note shortages or damage on the delivery ticket. Record materials received in the daily report so the office can match deliveries to supplier invoices. See the construction daily report.

Spreadsheet Tips for a Receiving Log

• Use one row per delivery and a separate tab for line items.
• Add a drop-down for condition: OK, short, damaged, wrong item.
• Filter by vendor to review delivery performance.
• Link to scanned packing slips.
• Highlight open issues until they're resolved.

Receiving Quick Tips

• Count before you sign.
• Write problems on the receipt.
• Photograph damage.
• Send paperwork the same day.
• Match invoices before paying.

Receiving by Business Type

Blind Receiving

Some businesses use "blind receiving," where the receiver counts items without seeing the quantities on the PO or packing slip. The receiver records what they counted, and someone else compares it to the paperwork. It takes a little longer, but it prevents receivers from simply copying the expected numbers. It's most useful for high-value items or when counts have been unreliable.

Receiving Mistakes That Cost Money

Small receiving errors add up. Two missing cases a week from one vendor can turn into a large amount over a year. Overpaying for items you never received, accepting damaged goods you can't sell and losing paperwork that would support a credit all show up in your margins. A receiving log is one of the cheapest controls a small business can add.

Getting Started This Week

1. Print the receiving log and post it in the receiving area.
2. Pick two or three receivers and train them on the steps.
3. Ask vendors for delivery windows.
4. Start matching invoices to receiving records before paying.
5. Review the log after two weeks and adjust.

Partial Deliveries and Backorders

When only part of an order arrives, record exactly what came in and what's still due. Keep the purchase order open, note the expected date for the rest and check the next delivery against the remaining items. Make sure the invoice bills only for what was shipped, or that it clearly shows the backordered items as not yet charged.

Receiving High-Value Items

Equipment, electronics and other expensive items deserve extra care. Check serial numbers against the packing slip, inspect for damage before signing, photograph the item and label and add it to your asset records right away. See the equipment maintenance log for tracking it after it's in service.

Weekly Receiving Review

A ten-minute weekly review by a manager keeps small problems from turning into unpaid credits or duplicate payments. Note which vendors caused the most issues so you can raise them at your next vendor review.

Receiving Policy Template

Connect Purchasing and Receiving With Updoot

Updoot's purchasing keeps purchase orders, approvals and vendors in one place so receivers know what's coming, and SOP management keeps your receiving steps where every shift can find them. See also the vendor list template.

Frequently Asked Questions