Plan a multi-site delivery as a set of controlled handovers. Allocate quantities to each destination, confirm access and receiving arrangements, and define the evidence required for each consignment. A single truck departure is not proof that all sites received the right goods in usable condition.

Create a destination-level requirement

Break the order into a site schedule with location, item reference, quantity, required date, receiving person and contact details. Record whether each site can unload, store and protect the goods. Confirm site names and coordinates where appropriate rather than relying on an informal place description.

Keep the allocation schedule tied to the approved BOQ or purchase order. If the programme changes quantities between locations, issue a controlled revision. Unrecorded reallocations create discrepancies between warehouse packing lists, transport instructions and the documents the finance team expects to reconcile.

Sequence around programme milestones

Work backwards from the date the goods must be usable. Include procurement, supplier preparation, inspection, consolidation, transport and handover. Ask which sites depend on training, installation or another contractor before they can receive or use the supply.

For example, sending equipment to a site with unfinished storage may create damage or security exposure. A phased release can be more appropriate than shipping the entire order at once. Agree who authorises each release and how changes affect transport and storage costs.

Verify routes close to dispatch

Assess road access, vehicle suitability, unloading constraints and any locally relevant movement requirements with the transport provider and receiving team. Conditions can change; an earlier delivery is evidence of past access, not confirmation of access today.

Build a communications plan that works where data connectivity is unreliable. Identify a primary and alternate receiving contact and an escalation route for a missed connection. Do not publish fixed journey times as guaranteed service levels unless the operating team can support that commitment for the specific route and season.

Pack and document by site

Label packages with destination, item reference, package count and any handling instructions. Use a site-specific packing list so the receiver can reconcile the goods without opening unrelated consignments. Keep serial numbers or batch details where they are relevant to traceability and warranty.

A simple example is a delivery with three destinations and two equipment types: create three receiving packs, each with its allocated quantities, packing references and acceptance fields. A master summary then reconciles those packs to the overall order. This is easier to audit than one undifferentiated list signed at the final stop.

Define acceptance and exception handling

Agree the receiving checks before shipment: quantity, visible condition, specification or model, accessories, documents and any functional checks assigned to qualified personnel. Record discrepancies and identify who may accept a partial delivery. A signature should not conceal goods that were missing or damaged.

Use an exception register with date, site, issue, photographs where appropriate, immediate action, owner and resolution. Notify the relevant buyer promptly when a delay affects programme activity. Keep internal transport updates separate from a formal confirmation that the buyer has accepted the goods.

Close the delivery record

Reconcile delivered, outstanding, damaged, replaced and returned quantities against the approved allocation. Collect the agreed proof of delivery and any commissioning or training records. Give the client a summary that makes unfinished actions visible.

Review the causes of repeated exceptions before the next procurement cycle. Better packaging, earlier site checks or a clearer allocation schedule may be more useful than simply choosing a faster vehicle. Primegate can coordinate sourcing and delivery around this site-level plan, with the documentation requirements identified at the start.

Phased delivery release checklist

• Each site has an approved item and quantity allocation.
• The receiving contact, access details and unloading plan are confirmed.
• Stock and programme milestones support the proposed sequence.
• Packages carry destination and order identifiers.
• A dispatch release identifies the current packing and document versions.
• Receiving teams know how to record shortages and damage.
• Exceptions remain open until an owner confirms resolution.

A three-site allocation example

A programme needs 120 kits across three locations: 50 at site A, 40 at site B and 30 at site C. Site A can receive immediately, site B has limited storage and site C is waiting for its receiving officer to return. Ordering and dispatching all 120 kits to the central office may create avoidable handling and custody gaps.

Use the allocation table to confirm whether staged supplier dispatch, consolidation or onward distribution best fits the programme. Record the quantity released on each dispatch, what remains in storage and who authorises the next release. If site B changes its quantity, update the master allocation before labels and packing lists are issued so total stock still reconciles to the approved requirement.

Keep the decision record usable

Use one controlled record for this requirement. Give it an owner, a revision date and a clear approval status. Link the evidence used in the decision rather than relying on an email subject line or an undocumented conversation. When an assumption changes, record what changed and which related cost, schedule or product decision needs review.

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