Outbound Deliveries

Outbound Deliveries represent the physical fulfillment of customer orders and services in Numera.

An Outbound Delivery records the movement of inventory out of the business and serves as the operational document used to confirm that products have been delivered to a customer. Outbound Deliveries sit between the sales order process and customer invoicing.

Overview

Outbound Deliveries can be created:

• From an Outbound Order
• From an Outbound Invoice
• Manually

They are used to:

• Record product shipments
• Record service deliveries
• Consume inventory
• Calculate Cost of Goods (COGS)
• Generate invoices
• Track delivery status
• Support future delivery planning

Where Outbound Deliveries Fit in the Sales Process

Outbound Deliveries are the fulfillment step between the order and the invoice in the standard sales flow.

Numera also supports alternative paths depending on when invoicing and fulfillment occur.

Delivery List and Navigation

The Outbound Deliveries list allows users to:

• View deliveries
• Search deliveries
• Filter deliveries
• Sort deliveries
• Open existing deliveries
• Create new deliveries
• Export deliveries

Creating an Outbound Delivery

From an Outbound Order

Recommended method when fulfilling customer orders. Benefits:

• Copies customer information
• Copies order lines
• Preserves sales process traceability

From an Outbound Invoice

Useful when invoicing occurs before physical delivery.

Manual Creation

Allows users to create deliveries without a source document. Typical scenarios:

• Direct shipments
• Service deliveries
• Legacy processes
• Operational adjustments

Delivery Header

The delivery header contains operational and fulfillment information. Typical fields include:

Automatic Invoice Creation

The Create/Edit Outbound Delivery screen contains an Automatic Invoice toggle.

When Enabled

• The system automatically creates the associated customer invoice when the delivery is confirmed.
• Users do not need to manually create the invoice afterwards.

When Disabled

• The delivery is confirmed normally.
• The invoice can be created later using the Create Invoice action.

Delivery Lines

Delivery lines contain the products or services being fulfilled. Each line may contain:

• Item
• Quantity
• Batch or lot information
• Unit
• Unit price
• Tax data

Inventory validation occurs according to system configuration and stock availability.

Draft Deliveries

Draft deliveries allow users to prepare shipments before committing inventory transactions. Draft deliveries:

• Can be edited freely
• Do not affect inventory
• Do not consume stock
• Can be deleted (if permissions allow)

Future Deliveries

Numera supports deliveries with future delivery dates. This allows businesses to:

• Reserve stock
• Plan future shipments
• Prepare customer deliveries in advance

Example

Today: Create delivery for next month.

Result:

• Stock may be allocated.
• Inventory remains physically available until confirmation.
• Consumption occurs only after delivery confirmation.

Confirming Deliveries

When an Outbound Delivery is confirmed:

• Inventory transactions are created
• Stock quantities are reduced
• Warehouse balances are updated
• Delivery status changes to Delivered or Pending Delivery depending on delivery date

Editing Confirmed Deliveries

After confirmation, editing is restricted.

Allowed Changes

Users can modify selected header information. Examples:

• Notes
• References
• Non-transactional fields

Restricted Changes

Users cannot modify:

• Delivery lines
• Quantities
• Inventory-impacting information

To change delivery contents:

1. Cancel the delivery.
2. Create a new delivery.
3. Confirm the new delivery.

Delivery Actions

The delivery header provides the following actions.

Delete is available only when:

• Delivery is Draft or Cancelled
• Company settings permit deletion
• User has sufficient permissions

Delivery Status Lifecycle

Status Definitions

• Draft - Delivery is being prepared. No inventory impact.
• Pending Delivery - Delivery is planned for a future date. Inventory may be allocated. Stock has not yet been consumed.
• Delivered - Delivery has been confirmed. Inventory transactions have been recorded. Stock has been consumed.
• Cancelled - Delivery has been cancelled. Inventory transactions have been reversed. The document remains available for audit purposes.

Inventory Impact

The following diagram illustrates how inventory changes across the delivery lifecycle.

Delivery Documents

Numera allows users to generate PDF documents directly from Outbound Deliveries. The available document types depend on whether Automatic Invoice is enabled.

Standard Delivery Document

When Automatic Invoice is disabled, users can download the Outbound Delivery PDF. This document serves as the delivery note and proof of shipment. Typical uses:

• Warehouse dispatch
• Customer delivery confirmation
• Internal logistics records
• Driver documentation

Combined Invoice / Delivery Note

When the Automatic Invoice toggle is enabled, Numera automatically generates the associated customer invoice during delivery confirmation. In this scenario, users can download the Invoice / Delivery Note — a combined PDF document. This document reduces paperwork by combining operational and financial information into a single customer-facing document.

Best Practices

Key Concepts

Outbound Deliveries are the operational fulfillment document in Numera.

• Draft deliveries do not affect inventory.
• Confirmed deliveries consume stock.
• Cancelled deliveries reverse inventory transactions.
• Future deliveries support shipment planning.
• Automatic Invoice can create invoices automatically upon confirmation.
• Deliveries can originate from orders, invoices, or manual entry.
• Outbound Deliveries can be generated as PDF delivery documents.

Related Documentation