How to process handwritten delivery dockets
Plenty of trade paperwork is still written out on a duplicate pad at the back of a van. It's the hardest input there is — and also the paperwork most likely to be lost entirely if it isn't captured quickly.
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Three kinds of handwriting on a docket
Most dockets are printed with handwriting added: an amended quantity, an extra item squeezed in at the bottom, a note about damaged goods. A smaller number are handwritten from top to bottom on a duplicate pad. And nearly all of them carry a signature, which is not data and shouldn't end up in your spreadsheet.
- Printed docket with biro amendments — read reliably
- Fully handwritten pad docket — read, but worth reviewing
- Margin notes about shortages or damage — captured as notes
- Signatures and initials — excluded from the data rows
Why handwritten amendments matter most
A crossed-out quantity is usually the single most important mark on the page: it is the difference between what the supplier intended to send and what actually came off the lorry. It is also the detail most often missed when a docket is typed up quickly, which is how a shortage ends up being paid for.
Getting a clean read
Capture quality does more for handwritten pages than anything else. Flatten the sheet, get the whole page in frame, shoot straight down and avoid casting a shadow across the writing. Faint carbon copies scan far better than they photograph.
- One docket per image, page flat and fully in frame
- Natural light where possible, no shadow across the table
- Scan faint carbon copies at higher contrast
- Capture the same day, before the page gets creased or lost
Review what matters, not everything
Handwriting is the one case where a quick check is genuinely worth it — but only on the fields that affect money. Glance at quantities and prices against the stored image, which stays attached to your conversion, and leave the descriptions alone. That's a few seconds per docket instead of a few minutes typing one.
Frequently asked questions
- Can handwriting really be read?
- Legible handwriting on an otherwise printed docket — amended quantities, added items, margin notes — is read reliably. A page written entirely by hand in rushed handwriting is less certain and should be reviewed before you rely on it.
- What about handwritten numbers specifically?
- Digits read better than words, but ambiguous pairs like 1 and 7, or 0 and 6, are exactly where a spot-check pays for itself on anything that affects payment.
- Do carbon copies work?
- Usually. Faint second copies are common in the trade and are handled, though very washed-out print may come back with gaps.
- How should I capture a handwritten docket?
- Lay it flat, fill the frame, shoot straight down and keep your shadow off the writing. For faint carbon copies, a scan at higher contrast beats a phone photo.
- What if a page can't be read?
- It is flagged as failed rather than returned with invented values, and a failed document doesn't count against your monthly allowance.
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