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The tally says one shortage. The receipt says another. You stand next to the half-unloaded pallet of corrugated plastic electrical housings, sweat sticking the edge of your hi-vis vest to your forearm, and the driver is already tapping their phone waiting for you to sign off on the load so they can make their next stop. You grab a ballpoint pen off the rusted ledge of the dock door, squinting at the two printed documents in your other hand to make sure you didn’t misread either line item, because a mismarked shortage can throw off three weeks of production scheduling for the assembly line on the other side of the warehouse.
Cross-Reference Both Discrepancy Lines
Your first step is to pull every line on both documents that references missing units, to confirm you are comparing counts for the exact same SKUs, lot numbers, and pallet IDs, so you don’t accidentally cross-reference a shortage from a separate shipment that was on the same trailer. Check for typos in SKU numbers first, because a single transposed digit can make a matching discrepancy look like a mismatch before you dig into details.
Illustrative example: The dock tally you recorded 10 minutes ago lists a shortage of 3 units of SKU 7829, while the pre-printed carrier delivery receipt the driver handed you only notes a 1 unit shortage for that same SKU, written in by the outbound warehouse loader at the origin 270 miles away.
To keep the comparison clear, fill out the fields below for every mismatched line item, so there is no ambiguity about what was recorded where:
| SKU Number | Dock Tally Counted Shortage | Carrier Delivery Receipt Noted Shortage | Supporting Observation |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7829 | 3 | 1 | Open box on bottom of pallet showed 2 units spilled into trailer floor crack |
| 9144 | 0 | 2 | No missing units observed, origin loader noted possible overcount at pickup |
| 3307 | 1 | 1 | Discrepancy confirmed on both docs, no damage observed |
The supporting observation is critical because it gives context for the mismatch, so anyone reviewing the paperwork later doesn’t have to guess why the two numbers don’t line up. You don’t erase or cross out any existing entries on either document at this stage, because altering pre-printed or already recorded counts can create confusion if the discrepancy is reviewed later. Even if a line looks like an obvious origin error, leave the original entry intact and add your note separately to preserve the full record of what was reported from each location.
Flag the Controlling Document for This Shipment
The count you complete in person as freight is unloaded off the trailer is the controlling record for this delivery, because it reflects the exact state of the shipment when it arrived at your dock, rather than a count made hours earlier at a separate location. You will add a consistent, legible note to both documents that references the mismatch, to make the relationship between the two records clear. Write the note in a contrasting ink color if possible, so it stands out from pre-printed text and earlier entries, and include your full name, the exact time of the count, and a line for the driver to sign confirming they observed the count while the trailer was still at your dock.
You can log the verified count in Dock Tally to tie the on-site observation directly to the shipment record for easy access later. You do not need to argue with the driver about the origin count, you only need them to confirm that the count you recorded is what was present when the trailer was opened at your location. Most drivers are happy to sign the note as long as you are polite and clear that you are not holding them responsible for the origin error, only verifying the state of the load at delivery. Do not sign the delivery receipt until the note is added and the driver has signed next to your entry, to avoid creating a record that only shows the origin shortage count.
Store This Signed Page With Shipment Paperwork
After you have added the note and collected the driver’s signature, you attach this comparison page directly to the full set of shipment documentation, so it is never separated from the records it references. The full packet should include your original handwritten tally sheet, the signed and annotated carrier delivery receipt, any photos you took of damaged packaging, spilled units, or incorrect pallet labels, and the original bill of lading that was issued when the shipment left the origin warehouse. If you took short video clips of the trailer floor where units were spilled, add a note on this page with the file name of the clip and where it is stored on your facility’s shared drive, so anyone reviewing the discrepancy can access that additional context quickly.
If the total units missing across all SKUs meets your operations team’s priority threshold, staple this comparison page to the front of the packet, so the discrepancy is the first thing the inventory reconciliation team sees when they pull the paperwork to update stock levels. You do not need to send a separate copy to the carrier unless your operations team explicitly requests it, as your signed packet is sufficient for your internal records. Store the full packet in the designated filing bin for that week’s incoming shipments, so it can be pulled quickly if the production team follows up about missing parts for an upcoming build.
Next Time You Open This Page For Future Discrepancies
This comparison process works for every mismatched shortage you encounter, no matter the size of the load or the type of freight you are receiving. You do not have to rebuild the cross-reference structure from scratch each time; you can fill in the table fields with the current shipment’s line items, add the required notes and signatures, and file the page as usual. You can adjust the table columns if needed for specialized freight, adding fields for lot numbers, expiration dates, or serial numbers if you receive high-value or regulated goods that require more specific tracking.
Over time, you may notice patterns across shipments, such as a specific origin warehouse consistently under-noting shortages on their pre-printed receipts, or a specific carrier route that has a higher rate of spilled or lost units in transit. You can flag these patterns to your operations lead during your weekly check-in, so they can follow up with the relevant external teams to reduce the frequency of mismatched counts in future shipments. If you encounter a mismatch that involves damaged freight or missing pallets rather than just individual unit shortages, you can add an extra row to the table for those high-level discrepancies, to keep all related information in one place. You will not have to spend time explaining the mismatch to multiple teams later, because all the context is captured on this one page, attached directly to the rest of the shipment’s paperwork. If you are training a new dock team member, you can pull this page out during a slow shift to walk them through the process, using a past discrepancy as a real-world example of how to document mismatched counts correctly.
