Proof of Delivery
Definition
Proof of delivery (POD) is the documentation confirming a shipment was received at destination, traditionally a signed delivery receipt and increasingly an electronic signature, photo, or GPS-stamped scan. It establishes when, where, and in what condition goods were delivered.
In Practice
The POD closes the transportation transaction. It records the delivery date and time, who received the freight, and any exceptions noted at the dock, such as shortages or visible damage. Electronic POD from driver devices adds photos and geolocation, and flows back to shippers within minutes rather than days.
For planners and their finance partners, PODs do quiet but important work. They are the evidence in freight claims and customer shortage disputes, the trigger for invoicing in many businesses, and the timestamp that feeds on-time delivery scorecards. A clean POD signed without exceptions largely ends the ability to claim transit damage later, which is why receiving teams are trained to inspect before signing.
For example, when a retail customer deducts payment claiming a short shipment, the supplier pulls the POD showing all 26 cartons signed for, converting a write-off into a recovered deduction.
Related Terms
A bill of lading is the legal document issued by a carrier that serves as a receipt for goods, evidence of the transport contract, and in ocean shipping, a document of title to the cargo. It travels with, and controls, the shipment.
ConsigneeThe consignee is the party to whom a shipment is addressed and delivered, named on the bill of lading as the receiver of the goods. The consignee is usually, but not always, the buyer.
On-Time In-Full (OTIF)OTIF measures the percentage of orders delivered both on the promised date and with the complete ordered quantity. An order must pass both tests to count, making OTIF a strict combined measure of delivery service.
Last Mile DeliveryLast mile delivery is the final leg of a shipment's journey, from a local depot or distribution center to the end customer's door. It is typically the most expensive and operationally complex portion of the delivery chain.