Document every inbound shipment, reject non-conforming goods, and handle returns with the right form every time.
A Receiving Order is issued before delivery and instructs warehouse staff to expect and accept a specific shipment. A Goods Received Note is completed after delivery to confirm exactly what arrived, in what quantity, and in what condition. Both are needed: the Receiving Order authorizes the intake; the Goods Received Note is the evidence that it happened.
A Delivery Rejection Notice is used at the point of delivery when goods are refused at the dock — typically because they are visibly damaged, wrong, or unauthorized. A Rejection of Non-Conforming Goods is used after inspection reveals that goods do not meet the contracted specification. Use the Delivery Rejection Notice for on-the-spot refusals; use the Rejection of Non-Conforming Goods once you have documented the defect.
A Claim for Damage on Shipped Goods targets the carrier or freight company when physical damage occurred in transit. A Notice of Defective Goods targets the supplier when the goods themselves are faulty — regardless of how they arrived. Both can be used simultaneously if goods were both damaged in transit and inherently defective.
A Cancellation of Purchase Order is used before or immediately after delivery fails — for late delivery or an unfulfilled order. A Notice of Rescission goes further: it voids the entire contract from inception, typically because of a material misrepresentation or fundamental breach. Use cancellation for operational failures; use rescission for serious contractual breaches where you want to unwind the deal entirely.
Whether you are accepting, rejecting, or returning goods, the documents in this category share a common set of elements that determine their legal and operational effectiveness.
Effective receiving and returns documentation follows a consistent structure regardless of whether you are recording a clean delivery or pursuing a damage claim.
Decide whether you are recording receipt, rejecting goods, claiming damages, requesting a return, or cancelling an order — each situation calls for a different document.
Every document should cite the PO number, date, and contracted terms so the supplier and any third party can locate the underlying transaction.
Include item names, quantities, part or SKU numbers, and lot or batch identifiers to leave no ambiguity about which goods are affected.
Record exactly what is wrong — visible damage, missing items, wrong specification, or late arrival — with dates, photos where available, and inspection notes.
Make clear whether you are refusing the goods, accepting them conditionally, or paying under protest, and explicitly reserve your right to pursue further remedies.
Tell the supplier what you expect — replacement, repair, refund, or collection of rejected goods — and give a firm deadline to avoid open-ended obligations.
Have the document signed by an authorized representative, send it promptly to the supplier, and file a copy against the purchase order record.
The right template depends on where you are in the receiving or returns process and what has gone wrong. Match your situation below to find the correct document.
Goods arrived and you need to record that they were received
Creates a timestamped record of what was delivered, in what quantity and condition.Shipment arrived damaged and you need to file a carrier or supplier claim
Formally documents damage for insurance or supplier liability purposes.Goods do not match the purchase order and you are refusing them
Puts the supplier on notice that non-conforming goods have been refused.Shipment only partially arrived and you need to notify the supplier
Records the shortfall and triggers the supplier's obligation to deliver the balance.Supplier delivered late and you want to cancel the purchase order
Formally cancels the order and preserves any chargeback or damages rights.Customer wants to return a product and you need a clear policy document
Sets out the terms under which returns and refunds are accepted, reducing disputes.You received goods under protest and want to pay conditionally while reserving rights
Allows payment without waiving the right to pursue a claim for defects or shortages.Wrong items were shipped and you need return authorization from the supplier
Notifies the supplier of the error and formally requests a return merchandise authorization.A receiving and returns document is any formal record or written notice used to manage the intake of incoming goods and the resolution of delivery problems — including damage, non-conformance, shortage, late delivery, and product returns. These documents create a written trail that protects a buyer's legal rights from the moment goods arrive until any dispute is fully settled.
The category spans a wide range of document types: internal records like goods received notes and receiving orders that confirm what arrived; outward-facing notices like rejection letters and damage claims that put suppliers on notice of a problem; and policy documents like a product returns and refunds policy that govern how customers interact with your returns process. Together they form the operational and legal backbone of any business that buys, stocks, or ships physical goods.
Every business that purchases or sells physical goods will eventually face a delivery that is late, short, damaged, or simply wrong. Having the right document ready at that moment determines whether you can enforce your rights quickly or spend months trying to reconstruct what happened from memory and email chains.
Common triggers:
Without written documentation, proving what was delivered, when, and in what condition becomes a matter of competing recollections — and suppliers and carriers routinely contest undocumented claims. A single well-drafted goods received note or rejection notice, issued promptly, is often enough to resolve a dispute before it escalates. The templates in this folder give you the right document for every stage of that process.
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