How Do I Get My Proof of Delivery for a Deduction Dispute?

Where do I find the proof of delivery?

Your third-party logistics provider or warehouse has it. It lives in their portal or shared drive — sometimes it comes via email. The proof of delivery is the signed document from the receiving dock that confirms what was actually delivered, with piece counts.

Set up a dedicated deductions email address and have your warehouse or third-party logistics provider CC it on all shipment confirmations and appointment changes. That way the documents come to you automatically instead of you logging into portals to hunt for them.

What makes a proof of delivery usable for a dispute?

Three things:

1. A signature from the receiving dock. An unsigned proof of delivery is not proof of anything.
2. Piece counts. The document must show exactly how many units were delivered. Without piece counts, the distributor can claim they received fewer than you shipped.
3. A matching purchase order number. The proof of delivery must tie back to the purchase order the deduction is against. If your third-party logistics provider uses a different purchase order number than the retailer, map the reference field so they match.

What other documents support the proof of delivery?

The proof of delivery is the strongest document, but it works best with supporting evidence:

• Bill of lading — shows what left your warehouse. Compare it to what the distributor says they received.
• Advance shipping notice — electronic confirmation of what was shipped. Strengthens the claim.
• Carton-level label images — physical evidence that bolsters the case.
• Receiving purchase order emails — when the distributor's bill of lading marks items as short but the product was actually found later, the warehouse can send a receiving purchase order by email confirming receipt. This is valid dispute documentation.

How do I match the proof of delivery to the deduction?

Match on purchase order number first — that is the primary connector. Then confirm the distribution center location, the date, and the line items. Invoice number is secondary.

If your third-party logistics provider's purchase order number differs from the retailer's purchase order number, you need a reference mapping between the two. Without that mapping, you cannot connect the proof of delivery to the deduction, and the dispute goes nowhere.

What if the distributor provides freight?

If the distributor manages freight and logistics (not FOB), you may not have a proof of delivery from the receiving dock. In that case, a signed bill of lading from your own warehouse showing what you handed off to the distributor's carrier works as proof for disputes.

Why is getting the proof of delivery so hard?

The bottleneck is the manual work: physically logging into third-party logistics portals, finding the proof of delivery, finding the signed bill of lading, cross-checking against what was shipped, then comparing all of that to the deduction claim. Most teams run out of bandwidth and the dispute either expires or gets written off.

For a deeper look at the full documentation package for shortage disputes, see What Documentation Wins a Distributor Shortage Dispute

Is it normal for a third-party logistics provider to not store proof of delivery?

Not really. Any good, reputable third-party logistics provider will store proof of delivery documents for at least 6 months and send them to you on request — or ideally, automatically. If your third-party logistics provider is not retaining these documents or making them accessible, that is a red flag worth addressing.

How Revya handles proof of delivery

Revya works with your third-party logistics provider to pull your proof of delivery documents automatically, matches them to incoming deductions by purchase order number, and flags shortages where the delivery counts do not match the distributor's claim. See how Revya automates deduction recovery