Why the distinction matters
- Job Notes explain what happened and why
- Pickup / Delivery Notes explain how to perform the pickup or delivery
They are not interchangeable.
Job Notes
Purpose
Job notes capture operational context and decision‑making that the system cannot infer. They are the historical record of interactions, changes, issues, and agreements relating to the job.
When to add job notes
Add a job note any time a user interacts with the job in a meaningful way, including:
- A customer calls or emails about the job
- A driver contacts ops (or ops contacts the driver)
- A customer requests a change (date, address, references, quantities, etc.)
- Any manual change is made to a booked job
- A delay, issue, failed delivery, or reattempt occurs
- Any pricing, adjustment, or commercial discussion
Rule of thumb:
If you had to explain, decide, change, or justify something — add a job note.
What to include in job notes
Job notes should be factual and clear enough that another user can understand exactly what happened without follow‑up.
Include:
- Who the interaction was with
- What was discussed or requested
- What action was taken
- Why (where relevant)
More detail is better than less — the system can’t infer intent or context later.
Example job notes
Customer change
Spoke with John (Plascorp). Customer requested job date change from 15/04 to 20/04 due to site not ready. Job updated.
Driver delay
Driver advised delay due to traffic. ETA revised to 14:30. Customer notified.
Ops follow‑up
Called driver to confirm POD — delivery completed, photos to follow.
Pricing context
Customer queried wait time. Agreed to apply non‑GST adjustment of $63.70 as goodwill.
Pickup & Delivery Notes
Purpose
Pickup and Delivery Notes are driver‑facing instructions.
They exist to help a driver successfully access and complete work at a specific location.
They should answer:
“What does the driver need to know before arriving?”
When to use Pickup / Delivery Notes
Use these notes for location‑specific, repeatable instructions, such as:
- Site access instructions (gate, dock, entry point)
- Safety or compliance requirements
(PPE, radios, inductions, site rules) - Contact instructions on arrival
- Time or access constraints
- Known site quirks that affect deliveries
These notes should remain relatively stable and apply to anyone attending the site.
What should not go in Pickup / Delivery Notes
Avoid using Pickup / Delivery Notes for:
- One‑off conversations
- Commercial or pricing discussions
- Internal ops commentary
- Historical explanations of changes
Those belong in job notes.
Incidents at a site – where should they go?
Your instinct is right:
- Incidents, delays, disputes, or exceptions should be recorded at the job level as job notes, because they are time‑specific and contextual.
- Pickup / Delivery Notes should only reference incidents if they create a permanent, ongoing site instruction.
Example:
Job note:Site closed on arrival — customer unavailable. Rebook requested.
- Pickup note (only if ongoing):
Site frequently closes early on Fridays — confirm availability before dispatch.
Example Pickup / Delivery Notes
Access instructions
Enter via Gate 3 on Smith St. Report to warehouse office before unloading.
Safety requirement
Hi‑vis and safety boots required. UHF radio needed — Channel 18.
Site contact
Call site supervisor on arrival — Mark 04xx xxx xxx.
Key takeaway
- Job Notes = history, context, decisions, accountability
- Pickup / Delivery Notes = instructions for drivers at a location
If it explains what happened → Job note
If it helps a driver do the job → Pickup / Delivery note