How to Capture Proof of Delivery: Signature, Photo and Note
Proof of delivery (POD) is a record showing that a delivery was completed. Depending on the workflow, it can include a customer's signature, a photo of the parcel or delivery location, a delivery note, the delivery status and the time it was recorded. MiliRoute, a multi-stop delivery app and route planner, lets drivers capture these details when they mark a stop Delivered, on the phone or on the web.
It is the fastest answer when a customer says "I never got it".
Quick answer
MiliRoute's Proof of Delivery feature lets drivers capture an optional customer signature, photo and note when marking a stop Delivered. Failed deliveries can be recorded using one of 12 reasons, with an optional photo. Captured proof appears in the route's Analytics view and can be exported as a PDF from the phone app.
What is proof of delivery?
Proof of delivery (POD) is a record that documents that a delivery was completed. On paper it is a signed delivery slip. Electronic proof of delivery (ePOD), also called digital proof of delivery, does the same job on a phone or computer, so the delivery confirmation is captured at the door and stored with the route. A proof of delivery app is simply the software that does this.
Couriers, delivery drivers and small delivery businesses use it to keep a record of what happened at each stop.
What can count as proof of delivery?
A proof-of-delivery record can include a signature, delivery photo, note, delivery status and recorded time.
- Signature: the customer signs to confirm they received the delivery.
- Photo: the parcel at the door, in a parcel locker, or beside the house number.
- Delivery note: a short line about how or where it was left.
- Status and time: whether the stop was delivered or failed, and when that was recorded.
The exact requirements depend on your business, contract and industry. MiliRoute makes these capture options available so you can record what your deliveries need.
How MiliRoute captures proof of delivery
MiliRoute's Proof of Delivery feature allows drivers to capture a customer signature, delivery photo and note when marking a stop Delivered. It is built into the same delivery driver app used to plan and run the route, works on the phone app and on the web, and every item is optional.
How to turn on proof of delivery
The setting is shared between the phone and the web, so you only set it once.
On the phone
Go to Profile, then Route Settings, then turn on Proof of delivery.
On the web
Open your account Settings and tick Proof of delivery.
If it is off, marking a stop Delivered or Failed works as it always did, with no extra step.
How to capture proof when a delivery is completed
- Find the stop in your route.
- Tap the green tick (Delivered) next to the stop. On the web, use the Complete button on the route page.
- In the Capture Proof of Delivery sheet, tap Capture customer signature if you want the customer to sign on your screen.
- Tap Capture Photograph to take a photo, such as the parcel at the door.
- Tap Delivery note to add a short note.
- Tap Done.
Signature, photo and note are all optional. As the sheet says, you can mark the stop delivered without capturing anything. If you close the sheet without confirming, the stop stays as it was.
How to record a failed delivery
Tap the cross (Failed) next to the stop. The Failed Stop sheet asks you to select the reason the stop or parcel wasn't delivered. Choose one of 12 reasons:
- Shop closed
- No cash
- Order Not Given
- Location Issue
- Customer was not available
- Damaged label
- Reached late to deliver
- Transportation problems
- Damage during transit
- Incorrect address
- Customer refuses to receive the parcel
- Other
You can also tap Attach Photo, for example to show a locked gate or a wrong address, then tap Mark Failed. On the web, the Failed button opens the same kind of form.
Where to find proof of delivery later
Captured proof appears with the relevant stop in the route's Analytics view. For each stop it shows:
- the status and the time it was recorded
- signature and photo thumbnails
- your note, or the failure reason
The phone app can export that Analytics screen as a PDF, so you can share it in a fixed format. Use the PDF icon at the top right of the screen.
A few details about how photos are handled:
- Photos are resized on your phone before uploading, so they upload quickly on mobile data.
- Photos are not public web addresses. They open through links that expire after an hour.
What happens to proof after you re-optimize a route?
Proof you have already captured is kept when you re-optimize the route. Stops you have already delivered keep their status and proof, so changing the rest of the route does not erase the record. If you are still building a route, see the route planner for Australia.
Proof exists only for stops where it was captured. Stops marked before you turned Proof of Delivery on do not have proof created for them afterwards.
Tips for better proof of delivery
- Photograph the parcel and something that identifies the address, such as the house number or unit sign.
- Use the note for anything unusual, like "left in the parcel locker" or "safe place as requested".
- Pick the most specific failure reason. "Customer was not available" is more useful later than "Other".
Proof of delivery is the last step of a delivery workflow. For the planning side, see how route optimization software works for delivery fleets.
Proof of delivery FAQ
What is proof of delivery?
Proof of delivery (POD) is a record that documents that a delivery was completed. It can include a signature, photo, note, status and the time it was recorded.
What information can proof of delivery include?
A proof-of-delivery record can include a signature, delivery photo, note, delivery status and recorded time. In MiliRoute, the signature, photo and note are optional.
Is proof of delivery required?
Not in MiliRoute. The feature is off until you turn it on, and each item is optional. Whether your business needs proof depends on your own contracts and requirements.
Can MiliRoute capture a customer signature?
Yes. The customer signs on the driver's phone screen when the stop is marked Delivered.
Can MiliRoute capture a delivery photo?
Yes. Drivers can attach a photo when recording a delivered stop, and can also attach one to a failed stop.
Can I add a delivery note?
Yes. Drivers can add a short delivery note when recording a stop as Delivered.
Can I record a failed delivery?
Yes. Mark the stop Failed and choose one of 12 failure reasons, with an optional photo.
Where can I view proof of delivery?
Captured proof appears with the relevant stop in the route's Analytics view.
Can I export proof of delivery?
Yes. The phone app can export the relevant Analytics screen as a PDF.
Does proof of delivery work on both phone and web?
Yes. You can turn it on and capture proof on the phone app and on the web, and the setting is shared between them.
Next step
Plan your next run with MiliRoute's multi-stop delivery app for NSW or the route planner for Australia. Small teams can also look at the fleet route planner for small business. To get the addresses in faster, read how to scan delivery addresses with your phone camera, and to hand a run to another driver, see how to share a delivery route.
Written by Mike Gale, AI Engineer at MiliRoute, describing the MiliRoute workflow.