Free template
Receiving log
A receiving log is the record of everything that arrives at the dock: who brought it, which purchase order it is for, how much came and in what condition, and where it was put away. It is the first place to look when a part is missing, a supplier invoice does not match, or a carrier claim has to be made. A good log also shows how long material sits at the dock before it is available to use, often called dock-to-stock time. Page 1 of this template has a line per PO line received: date and time, carrier, BOL or tracking number, PO, supplier, part, quantity expected and received, damage, hold for QC, putaway location and time, and who received it. Page 2 is a discrepancy and damage report for shortages, overages, damage and wrong parts, with whether it was noted on the bill of lading and how it was resolved, and a week summary. The Excel version works out the difference, flags short, over and damaged lines, gives each line a status (on hold for QC, waiting for putaway, put away) and the dock-to-stock hours, with a summary by carrier and by day.
Free to use: print it, copy it and edit it for your team. Enter your name and work email once to download.

When to use it
When to use a receiving log
- At any dock where deliveries are not received straight into a system at the door.
- When shortages or damage are found too late to claim from the carrier or supplier.
- To measure how long received material waits before it can be used.
- When parts that were delivered cannot be found in stock.
How to fill it in
- 1
Log the arrival
Date, time, carrier and BOL or tracking number before the truck is unloaded.
- 2
Count against the PO
Quantity expected from the PO or ASN and quantity counted. Count before signing for the delivery.
- 3
Note damage and shortages on the BOL
Write them on the carrier's paperwork before the driver leaves, take photos, and log them on page 2.
- 4
Hold what needs inspection
Mark lines that need incoming inspection and keep them apart until quality releases them.
- 5
Put away and record it
The location and the time the parts were put away, so they can be found and the dock-to-stock time worked out.
- 6
Close discrepancies
Tell the supplier, agree a credit, replacement or return, and close the row when it is settled.
A filled-in example
Illustrative, not a benchmarkAn example: two deliveries on one Monday (illustrative numbers).
- 8:00, 100 brackets expected and received, put away at 14:30 the same day: 6.5 hours dock to stock.
- 9:00, 50 covers expected, 45 received and one carton crushed: logged as short and damaged, noted on the BOL with photos.
- The covers were put away at 9:00 the next morning: 24 hours dock to stock.
- Average dock to stock for the day: (6.5 + 24) ÷ 2 = 15.25 hours.
The supplier credited the 5 missing covers and the carrier accepted the damage claim because it was on the BOL. The team looked at why putaway had waited overnight.
Common mistakes
Signing before counting
A clean signature on the BOL makes a later shortage or damage claim hard to win.
No putaway location
Received but not located is as good as lost. Record where every line went.
Inspected stock mixed with released stock
Lines on hold for QC must be kept apart and marked until they are released.
Discrepancies left open
A shortage nobody follows up becomes a stock record error and, later, a line shortage.
Download the template
Free to use: print it, copy it and edit it for your team. Enter your name and work email once to download.
Run this template in LeanSuite
In LeanSuite every form and checklist your team submits shows up on the dashboards right away, each KPI has a target and Red-Amber-Green ranges and is flagged when new data crosses a limit, and values can be pulled on a schedule from Excel on SharePoint or OneDrive or from Google Sheets.
In the lean glossary
FAQ
Receiving log: common questions
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