Control sheet for receiving goods in the restaurant trade

Just like internal and downstream traceability, it helps to track the journey of a food product from its production ? all the way to the consumer’s plate. ?

However, as the starting point of the traceability procedure, the recording of information on the goods receipt control form must be rigorous and compliant with the HACCP procedure to ensure the consistency of the information chain, hygiene, and food safety. ✅ This article reviews the regulatory procedure and the benefits of using a restaurant software to simplify and secure these tasks.

What is the goods receipt form? ?

The goods receipt control form is a formal document ? where all useful information certifying the compliance ✅ of perishable or non-perishable food products and any other items used in the kitchen are recorded upon receipt. ?

The goods receipt control form is one of the documents to be presented during an audit or health inspection.

If you want to learn more about your regulatory obligations in the food service sector, visit our dedicated page on the GBPH restaurateur, and download your free GBPH restaurateur PDF.

The different steps of the goods receipt procedure ?

The goods receipt must follow a strict formal procedure to ensure that stock entries comply with health standards. The goods receipt control ? in catering must be carried out as soon as the delivery truck doors are opened. ?

The first check is to ensure that the transport conditions are appropriate for the delivered goods ?, then to verify that they match the purchase order (food products, quantity, packaging, etc.). Indeed, if you receive ground beef instead of steak, the use-by dates are not the same!

The goods inspection is done visually ? to check the integrity of the packaging and food, then by a temperature reading ? to ensure the cold chain is maintained for fresh, refrigerated, frozen, and ambient temperature foods. ?

These readings must be taken with a probe thermometer, whose accuracy is regularly checked. ✅
It should be noted that only a measurement taken with this instrument can be used in case of dispute.

The check also covers product labeling, which must include:

• The product name ? ;
• The manufacturer’s identification ? (name, address, etc.) and the identification mark for animal products or those containing animal ingredients;
• The use-by date (UBD), or the minimum durability date (MDD);
• The batch number ;
• The quantity per packaging.

Note that use-by dates that are too close may be grounds for product refusal. ❌ Indeed, if you receive 20 kg of beef to be used by tomorrow, you’ll have to make a lot of shepherd’s pie! ?

What information is recorded on the goods receipt control form? ✅

Within your team, the person trained to receive deliveries must note on the goods receipt form all the information necessary for proper upstream traceability of the goods.

The information recorded includes:

• The delivery date ? and time ;
• The name of the supplier or carrier ;
• The truck temperature ? ;
• The delivered products ? ;
• The UBD/MDD for each delivered product ;
• The temperature of the products ;
• Observations.

This document also includes a section where the operator must record any corrective actions taken if anomalies are found ?. These actions must comply with the procedures described in the HACCP method you follow.

It is recommended to keep the annotated delivery note and associate it with the goods receipt control form ?.
You can take photos of them using the Octopus HACCP app, making it even easier.

How long should goods receipt control forms be kept? ?

The goods receipt control form contains the food information chain. ?

As such, it must be archived for as long as the traceability labels (6 months for perishable products, 5 years for others) to ensure upstream, internal, and downstream traceability of the product in case of audit or health inspection. ? To make your life easier, the HACCP software Octopus HACCP stores traceability documents for 5 years. ?

Want to learn more about the topic? Check out our article to better understand the HACCP method.

Simplify the Entry of Your Goods Receipt Control Form ?

All self-checks required to comply with the HACCP method involve following a strict procedure that can be time-consuming and prone to errors when it involves filling out paper documents ?, manually cutting labels, and physically organizing all the paperwork.

You have the option to digitize the HACCP process with Octopus HACCP, a software solution compatible with Android and iOS (Apple) tablets and mobiles. ?

Thanks to its user-friendly interface, you can record all the information of your digital goods receipt control form ✅ in just a few clicks. To do this, simply:

• Select the supplier delivering to you from a pre-established list ?;
• Enter the delivery time, and the current date ?;
• Indicate the delivery note number—and that’s it! ?

Then, for each type of check (truck temperature ?, fresh products, frozen products), you access a specific section where you specify if the delivery is compliant or not (with automatic generation of non-compliance reports intended for your distributors and suppliers), along with product information, temperatures, and expiry dates.

Using the camera ?, you directly take photos of all documents for traceability: delivery notes, labels, etc.

With Octopus HACCP software, you simplify the data entry process; in case of inspection, all documents are immediately accessible, and you avoid data entry errors. ✅

FAQ ?