# Goods Delivery Note (GDN)

A Goods Delivery Note records goods physically sent out of inventory. Approving a delivery note reduces stock at the dispatching center and posts the matching inventory journal entry. Delivery notes are created against a Sale Order, a Purchase Return Order, a Receipt Note return, or as a direct delivery.

On this page

Getting started
Overview & List View Quick Start
Form reference
On Transaction Types Header Fields Delivery Items
More
Actions & Status Stock & Accounts Master Update View Tabs & Widgets Best Practices FAQ Related & Videos

Overview & List View

The Goods Delivery Notes list shows every delivery with its number, customer or supplier, center, source order, employee, date, and status. Use the quick filter tabs to switch between views and the Advanced Filters for a precise search. From the list you can create a new delivery note, open one for viewing, edit a draft, or delete a draft. List View Goods Delivery Notes list List columns | **Column** | **What it shows** | |------------|-------------------| | Number # | Delivery note number. | | Customer | Customer receiving the goods. | | Supplier | Supplier, when returning goods to a supplier. | | Center | Center the goods are dispatched from. | | Sale Order | Linked sale order, when delivering against an order. | | P. Return Order | Linked purchase return order, when returning to a supplier. | | Employee | Employee who handled the delivery. | | Date | Delivery date and time. | | Status | Current status tag. | Quick filter tabs | **Tab** | **Shows** | |---------|-----------| | Default | All delivery notes except cancelled. | | Approved | Approved delivery notes only. | | Pre Approved | Delivery notes awaiting approval. | | Draft | Unapproved drafts. | | Cancelled | Cancelled delivery notes. | | Pre Approved Cancelled | Pre-approved delivery notes that were cancelled. | | Returned | Deliveries fully returned. | | Partially Returned | Deliveries with part of the goods returned. | | Closed | Closed delivery notes. | Advanced Filters Id, Bill No, Customer, Supplier, Center, Employee, Item, Return reason, Project, Notes, Status, Secondary Status, QC Status, date, and Created date. List row actions | **Action** | **Available when status is** | |------------|------------------------------| | edit | Draft, Pre-Approved | | delete | Draft, Pre-Approved | | view | All statuses |

Quick Start — Create a Goods Delivery Note

1. Navigate

Go to Inventory → Goods Delivery Note from the left menu.

2. Create new delivery note

Click New to open the delivery note form. You can also create a delivery note from an approved Sale Order, a Purchase Return Order, or a Receipt Note. New Goods Delivery Note

3. Fill in details

4. Save

On Transaction Types

The On Transaction field sets the source the delivery is created against. It controls which reference document and party fields appear, and what the delivery is matched to. All types reduce stock on approval.

Direct

Delivers goods directly to a customer without a source order. Select the Customer and Center, then add items. When Prevent direct creation of delivery note is enabled in Sale Settings, the Direct option is hidden and new direct delivery notes are blocked. Available follow-ups (after approval): Create Invoice, Create Return, Create Delivery Challan, Create Packing Slip, Create Shipment, Update Secondary Status.

Sale Order

Delivers goods against an approved sale order. Select the Sale Order Id to pull in the customer and item lines. When Prevent over delivery from sale order is enabled in Sale Settings, delivered quantity cannot exceed the remaining order quantity (checked on update and approve). Delivery Note from Sale Order Available follow-ups (after approval): Create Invoice, Create Proforma Invoice, Create Return, Create Delivery Challan, Create Packing Slip, Create Shipment, Update Secondary Status.

Purchase Return Order

Returns previously purchased goods back to a supplier against a purchase return order. Select the Purchase Return Order to pull in the supplier, items, and Return Reason. Delivery Note from Purchase Return Order Available follow-ups (after approval): Create Debit Note, Create Return, Create Delivery Challan, Create Packing Slip, Create Shipment, Update Secondary Status.

Receipt Note

Sends back goods that were received earlier on a Goods Receipt Note. Select the Receipt Note to pull in the items. Delivery Note from Receipt Note Available follow-ups (after approval): Create Delivery Challan, Create Packing Slip, Create Shipment, Update Secondary Status.

Header Fields Reference

| **Field** | **Description** | |-----------|-----------------| | Date * | Date the goods were delivered. | | Number | Delivery note number. Auto-generated when numbering is configured; otherwise entered manually. | | On Transaction * | Source the delivery is created against — Sale Order, Purchase Return Order, Receipt Note, or Direct. | | Sale Order Id | Source sale order. Shown for the Sale Order type. | | Purchase Return Order | Source purchase return order. Shown for the Purchase Return Order type. | | Receipt Note | Source receipt note. Shown for the Receipt Note type. | | Customer | Customer receiving the goods. Shown and required for Sale Order and Direct deliveries. | | Supplier | Supplier the goods go back to. Shown and required for Purchase Return Order and Receipt Note returns. | | Employee | Employee handling the delivery. | | Prepared By | Employee who prepared the delivery. Shown when enabled in settings. | | Center * | Center the goods are dispatched from and where stock is reduced. | | Project | Optional project link. | | Project Task | Task within the selected project. Enabled after a project is selected. | | Return Reason | Reason for the return. Shown for Purchase Return Order and Receipt Note returns. | | Notes | Remarks for the delivery note. |

Shipment Details

Shown when Shipment details in delivery / receipt notes is enabled in Inventory Settings. | **Field** | **Description** | |-----------|-----------------| | Carrier Name/Agent | Transporter or agent handling the delivery. | | Bill Of Lading/LR-RR No. | Waybill, LR, or RR reference number. | | Motor Vehicle No. | Vehicle number used for delivery. |

Delivery Items

| **Column** | **Description** | |------------|-----------------| | Sl Num | Line serial number. Auto-numbered. | | Item | Item being delivered. | | Variant | Item variant. Shown when the item has variants. | | Description | Optional line description. | | Quantity | Quantity delivered. | | Unit | Unit of measure. Defaults from the item. | | Serial Number | Serial numbers delivered. Shown when the item is serial-tracked; picked from available stock. | | Batch | Batch delivered, picked from available stock at the center. Shown when the item is batch-tracked. | | Inv Bin | Storage bin the goods are picked from. Shown when bins are enabled. | | QC | Quality inspection status for the line. Shown when quality inspection is enabled. | > Scanned serial numbers auto-expand, items can be sorted by sale order, and lines can be uploaded from a file template for faster entry.

Actions & Status

View toolbar actions

| **Action** | **Description** | **Available when status is** | |------------|-----------------|------------------------------| | Approve | Approves the delivery and reduces stock. Hidden while quality inspection is pending. | Draft, Pre Approved (and during multi-level approval) | | Start Quality Inspection | Opens quality inspection for the delivery. Shown when QC is enabled. | Draft | | Edit | Opens the delivery for editing. | Draft, Pre-Approved | | Delete | Permanently removes the delivery. | Draft, Pre-Approved | | Clone | Creates a copy of the delivery. | All (if permitted) | | Print | Prints the delivery note. | All |

More menu (⋮) actions

| **Action** | **Description** | **Available when status is** | |------------|-----------------|------------------------------| | Pre Approve | Marks the delivery as Pre Approved before final approval. | Draft | | Create Invoice | Opens a new Sale Invoice from this delivery. Hidden for supplier returns. | Approved, Pre Approved, Partially Returned | | Create Proforma Invoice | Opens a Proforma Invoice from this delivery. Shown for sale order deliveries. | Approved, Partially Returned | | Create Debit Note | Opens a Debit Note from this delivery. Shown for purchase return deliveries. | Approved, Partially Returned | | Create Return | Opens a Goods Receipt Note to take the goods back. Increases stock. | Approved, Partially Returned | | Cancel | Cancels the delivery and reverses its stock and journal entries. Pre-approved deliveries are cancelled separately. | Pre Approved; Approved, Closed | | Create Delivery Challan | Opens a Delivery Challan from this delivery. | Approved, Closed, Partially Returned | | Create Packing Slip | Opens a Packing Slip from this delivery. Hidden once a packing slip exists. | Approved, Closed, Partially Returned | | WorkFlow Request | Starts a company process linked to this delivery. Does not approve the delivery note. See WorkFlow Request. | Approved, Closed | | Create Shipment | Creates a shipment linked to this delivery. | Approved, Closed, Partially Returned | | Add/Update Note | Adds or edits a note on the delivery. | All | | Master Update | Updates selected header fields without reopening the full form. See Master Update. | Approved, Closed, Returned, Partially Returned | | Update Secondary Status | Updates a custom secondary status, such as In-Transit or Shipment Initiated. | Approved, Closed, Returned, Partially Returned |

Statuses

| **Status** | **Description** | |------------|-----------------| | Draft | Saved but not yet approved. Can be edited or deleted. No stock impact. | | Pre Approved | Marked as pre-approved, awaiting final approval. Can still be edited, deleted, or cancelled. | | Approved | Finalized. Stock has been reduced and the journal posted. | | Partially Returned | Part of the delivered goods has been returned. | | Returned | All delivered goods have been returned. | | Closed | Delivery is closed — typically after invoicing. | | Cancelled | Delivery has been cancelled and its stock and journal entries reversed. | | Pre Approved Cancelled | A pre-approved delivery that was cancelled. |

Stock & Accounts

Posting note: A delivery note in Draft or Pre Approved status has no effect on stock or accounts. Posting happens only on approval.

Master Update

Master Update lets you change selected header fields on an approved or in-progress delivery without editing the full document or its item lines. Open the three-dot menu and select Master Update. | **Field** | **Can be updated?** | **Notes** | |-----------|---------------------|-----------| | Date * | Yes | Cannot be set before the accounts closing date. | | Employee In charge | Yes | | | Project | Yes | | | On Transaction, Center, Customer / Supplier, item lines | No | Edit the full delivery while it is a draft, or cancel and recreate. | Click Confirm to save changes or Cancel to close without saving.

View Tabs & Side Panels

When you open a delivery note in full view, the header shows linked documents — Sale Order, Purchase Return Order, Sale Invoice, Debit Note, Receipt Note, Packing Slip, and WorkFlow Request — and the right side shows tabbed panels. Goods Delivery Note view | **Tab** | **What it shows** | |---------|-------------------| | Summary | Overall delivery note details and linked documents created from it. | | Journal Info | The inventory journal entry posted on approval. | | History | Activity log — who created, approved, edited, or cancelled the delivery and when. | | Attachments | Files uploaded to this delivery. | | Secondary Status | Custom secondary status history and updates, such as delivery progress. |

Best Practices

FAQ

Does approving a Goods Delivery Note reduce stock?
Yes. Approval reduces stock at the selected center and posts the inventory journal entry. Drafts and pre-approved deliveries have no stock impact. What sources can I deliver against?
A Sale Order, a Purchase Return Order, a Receipt Note return, or a Direct delivery with no source order. Choose the source in the On Transaction field. Direct may be blocked by Prevent direct creation of delivery note in Sale Settings. Why was Direct blocked or missing?
When Prevent direct creation of delivery note is on in Sale Settings, the Direct option is hidden and create is blocked. Create the delivery from a sale order or other allowed source instead. Why was delivery quantity blocked against a sale order?
When Prevent over delivery from sale order is on, total delivered quantity (including other open deliveries) cannot exceed the ordered quantity on each line. How do I bill the customer from a delivery?
Use Create Invoice on a sale delivery to open a Sale Invoice for the delivered quantities. For supplier returns, use Create Debit Note. What is Pre Approve for?
Pre Approve marks a delivery as ready while keeping it editable and reversible. It does not post stock; final Approve does. Orders with a pre-approved delivery note also appear (highlighted in amber) on Delivered And Not Invoiced Orders. How do I take delivered goods back?
Use Create Return to open a Goods Receipt Note that brings the goods back into stock. Can I change the center after approving?
No. The center is fixed once stock is posted. Cancel and recreate the delivery if the wrong center was used. Why won't my delivery note approve?
Insufficient stock or reserved quantity at the center, failed quality inspection, or duplicate serial/batch/bin on a line. Check available stock and line details. Why can't I cancel my delivery note?
Cancel is blocked while a linked Sale Invoice or Debit Note is still approved. Cancel those documents first. Why does approve fail when linked to a receipt note?
The delivery note date must be on or after the linked receipt note date when delivering against a receipt. What is the difference between a Delivery Note and a Delivery Challan?
The Delivery Note reduces stock when approved. A Delivery Challan is a transit document for goods in movement and e-Way Bill — it does not post stock by itself. Do stock reservations affect delivery approval?
Yes. Available stock is reduced by active Stock Reservations. Approval fails if reserved quantity leaves insufficient free stock. Why is Approve hidden on my delivery note?
Quality inspection may still be pending. Run Start Quality Inspection and pass required items before approving. What is the difference between a Delivery Note and a Sale Invoice?
The delivery note records goods leaving stock when approved. The Sale Invoice bills the customer and posts revenue and receivables — often after delivery. Why does approve fail with insufficient stock?
The system checks on-hand quantity minus active reservations. Replenish stock, reduce line qty, or release reservations before approving. Related documentation Video — Goods Delivery Note overview