Not an Invoice, But the Goods' Travel Document
What is an E-Waybill and How to Issue It?
An e-waybill documents the shipment of goods; it does not replace the invoice. We explained when it is issued, its relationship with the invoice, how it affects inventory, and the issuing steps.
It is common to confuse a delivery note (waybill) with an invoice. The distinction is actually clear: the delivery note tracks the goods, while the invoice tracks the money.
When goods are loaded onto a truck, a delivery note accompanies them. When payment is discussed, an invoice is issued. The two may or may not happen on the same day.
What is an e-Delivery Note used for?
An e-delivery note (e-irsaliye) is the electronic version of a paper dispatch note. It records who the goods are sent from and to, when, and by what vehicle, and is transmitted via the Revenue Administration (GİB) system.
Compared to paper delivery notes, its practical benefits are: it doesn't get lost on the road, creates its own archive automatically, and allows the recipient to respond via the system upon receiving the goods. For businesses with heavy shipping traffic, it completely eliminates the hassle of folders and carbon copies.
When a delivery note, when an invoice?
| Situation | What is issued? |
|---|---|
| Goods are being dispatched, invoice will be issued later | Delivery note first, then invoice |
| Goods and invoice are going out at the same time | An invoice combined with a delivery note (irsaliyeli fatura) may suffice |
| Service sale | No delivery note, invoice only |
| Inter-warehouse goods transfer | Delivery note exists, no invoice |
Consult your financial advisor regarding your specific tax liability status and which document you need to issue; the scope varies by sector and turnover.
How to issue one?
- Preparation. e-Delivery note liability, financial seal, and integrator connection — the same infrastructure as e-invoices. Additionally, series definition is set up for e-delivery notes.
- Stock & Warehouse → Dispatch Note → New record.
- Select the recipient. Retrieved from the contact card.
- Enter goods and quantities. Don't forget to select which warehouse they are leaving from; if you operate with multiple warehouses, the wrong warehouse will cause inventory discrepancies.
- Enter shipping details. Dispatch date and time, vehicle license plate, carrier information.
- Save and send. The document reaches the recipient via the integrator.
Don't deduct stock twice
This is the most common issue faced by businesses using delivery notes. Goods leave once, but if both the delivery note and the invoice deduct from stock, the record is reduced twice.
The solution is to generate the invoice from the delivery note: when you convert the delivery note into an invoice, the stock moves only once. It is essential that the team uses the same workflow; if one person generates an invoice from the delivery note while another issues an invoice from scratch, inventory counts won't match. We detailed this topic in our stock tracking errors article.
Incoming e-delivery notes
If your suppliers send you e-delivery notes, these also land in your system. When you receive the goods, you process the document and a stock entry is created.
In Qolay.App, incoming delivery notes reside in a separate list with "incoming" and "processed" tabs. In case of a "delivery note arrived but hasn't entered stock" situation, this is the first tab to check: the document has likely not been processed yet.
Frequently asked questions
Does an e-delivery note replace an invoice?
No. A delivery note documents the shipment, while an invoice documents the sale. They are separate documents.
Can I use it together with paper delivery notes?
If you are an e-delivery note taxpayer, you must issue electronic documents for shipments within the scope. Have your advisor confirm the hybrid usage conditions.
Is the vehicle license plate mandatory?
Shipping details are essential elements of the document; leaving them out can lead to rejection of the document.
Can I add a fixed note to the bottom of the delivery note?
Yes. Description templates work for e-delivery notes just like they do for e-invoices and e-archive invoices.
The secret to using e-delivery notes correctly is not just issuing the document, but establishing a clear relationship with the invoice. Once you set this up, your inventory will naturally reconcile itself.
By opening a free account on Qolay.App, you can manage your delivery note and invoice workflow from a single place.
This article is for general informational purposes. Consult your financial advisor for your document layout obligations.
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