A receiving log documents every food delivery your business accepts, including supplier name, arrival temperature, packaging condition, and whether the delivery was accepted or rejected. PassMyKitchen's receiving log records this digitally with timestamps, making it easy to prove to inspectors that you verify every delivery before it enters your kitchen. Here is the complete guide to logging food deliveries.
For the daily workflow that includes receiving logs, see daily food safety routine under 5 minutes. For temperature logging details, see how to log food temperatures digitally. For a comprehensive food safety compliance overview, see our food safety compliance guide.
Why receiving logs are critical
The FDA Food Code requires food businesses to verify that incoming food meets safety standards at the time of receipt. Contaminated or temperature-abused deliveries are a common source of foodborne illness. If a refrigerated delivery arrives at 50°F and you put it directly into your cooler without checking, you have introduced a food safety hazard into your operation.
Receiving logs prove you checked before accepting. When an inspector asks how you verify incoming food, you can show them a digital record of every delivery with supplier names, temperatures, condition checks, and accept or reject decisions. Each entry is timestamped, showing that you perform receiving inspections consistently.
Rejecting a bad delivery and documenting it demonstrates active managerial control. It shows the inspector that your food safety system catches problems at the point of entry, before contaminated food can reach your customers. For food safety record keeping best practices, see our food safety record keeping guide.
How to log a receiving inspection in PassMyKitchen
Step 1: Navigate to the receiving log
From the sidebar, tap "Logs." On the Logs page, tap the "Receiving" card. On the Receiving Logs page, tap "Log delivery" in the top right to open the receiving log form.
You can also access the receiving log form directly from the Today screen by tapping the "Log a delivery" quick action button.
Step 2: Enter supplier information
The form begins with a required "Supplier name" field. Type the supplier name (for example, "Sysco," "US Foods," or your local produce vendor). If you have logged deliveries from this supplier before, their name appears as a quick-select option below the input field, so you can tap it instead of retyping.
Two optional fields appear below: "Invoice number" (enter the invoice or delivery ticket number) and "Total amount ($)" (enter the dollar amount of the delivery). These fields are helpful for record keeping but not required for compliance purposes.
Step 3: Check temperature on arrival
The "Delivery temperature (°F)" field lets you record the temperature of time and temperature controlled for safety (TCS) foods on arrival. Enter the reading from your probe thermometer.
If the temperature is above 41°F, a warning badge appears: "Above safe receiving temp" with a note that cold items should arrive at 41°F or below. This does not prevent you from saving the form, but it flags the reading as potentially unsafe.
For frozen items, the food should be solidly frozen with no signs of thawing and refreezing (large ice crystals, misshapen packaging, discoloration). The temperature field is optional because not every delivery contains TCS foods (dry goods, canned items, and paper products do not require temperature checks).
Step 4: Verify packaging condition
A checkbox labeled "Packaging was intact and undamaged" is checked by default (true). If the packaging is damaged, torn, punctured, or shows signs of tampering, uncheck this box. The receiving log records whether packaging was intact as a separate compliance data point.
Step 5: Accept or reject the delivery
Two large buttons let you make your decision: "Accept delivery" (highlighted in green when selected) or "Reject delivery" (highlighted in red when selected). Accept is selected by default.
If you reject the delivery, a "Reason for rejection" text field appears. This field is required when rejecting. Describe why you are rejecting the delivery (for example, "Temperature above safe limit at 48°F," "Damaged packaging on chicken cases," or "Wrong items delivered"). The rejection reason is stored with the log entry and provides documentation that you had legitimate grounds for the rejection.
Step 6: Add items received (optional)
The "Items received" section lets you itemize what was in the delivery. Tap "Add item" to add a row with fields for item name (required), quantity (optional), unit (dropdown: lbs, oz, cases, bags, each, gallons), and a "Condition acceptable" checkbox for each item. You can add up to 20 items per delivery.
This section is optional. You can skip it for routine deliveries from trusted suppliers. But for large deliveries or deliveries where individual items had different conditions (some acceptable, some not), itemizing provides detailed documentation.
Step 7: Add notes and save
An optional "Notes" field at the bottom lets you add context. Examples: "Driver was 30 minutes late. Checked all cold items immediately." or "Produce looked fresh. No signs of pest activity." Tap "Save receiving log" to save the entry with an automatic timestamp. You are redirected to the Receiving Logs history page.
What to check during a receiving inspection
Temperature
Use a probe thermometer for TCS items. Do not rely on the delivery truck's built-in temperature display. Check representative items from different areas of the delivery (top, middle, bottom of the stack). Per the USDA safe food handling guidelines, refrigerated items should arrive at 41°F or below. Frozen items should be solidly frozen at 0°F or below with no signs of thawing and refreezing (large ice crystals, liquid at the bottom of the package, or misshapen packaging).
Packaging
Check that packaging is intact: no tears, punctures, or openings. Labels should be present and legible. Expiry dates should be in the future. Cans should not be dented, swollen, or rusted. Vacuum-sealed packages should maintain their seal.
Visual condition
Look for discoloration, off-odors, mold, sliminess, or any other signs that food has deteriorated. Check for evidence of pest activity: droppings, gnaw marks on packaging, or live insects.
Quantity and accuracy
Verify that the delivery matches your order. Missing items, wrong items, or incorrect quantities should be noted. While this is more of a business concern than a food safety issue, documenting discrepancies in your receiving log creates a record for supplier follow-up.
When to reject a delivery
Reject and document the rejection when any of the following conditions exist:
Temperature violations. Refrigerated TCS food arriving above 41°F. The 2-hour/4-hour rule applies: food in the temperature danger zone (41°F to 135°F) should not be accepted if you cannot verify how long it has been in that range.
Frozen food showing signs of thawing and refreezing. Large ice crystals, liquid pooling at the bottom of packages, or misshapen frozen items indicate the cold chain was broken.
Damaged or compromised packaging. Torn bags, punctured vacuum seals, opened containers, or any packaging that has been compromised exposes the food inside to potential contamination.
Food past its expiry or use-by date. Do not accept food that has passed its manufacturer's use-by date, regardless of condition.
Evidence of pest activity. Droppings, gnaw marks, live insects, or webbing on or inside packaging.
Off-odors, discoloration, or visible mold. Trust your senses. If food looks or smells wrong, reject it.
Document every rejection in your receiving log with the reason. This creates a record that protects you if the supplier disputes the rejection and demonstrates to inspectors that your receiving process catches problems.
Viewing your receiving log history
Navigate to Logs in the sidebar, then tap the Receiving card. Your receiving log history displays with summary stats and a filterable list of entries.
Date range filters let you view logs from preset periods: today, last 7 days, last 30 days, or last 90 days. You can also set custom start and end dates. Additional filters include supplier name and rejected status, so you can see, for example, all rejected deliveries from a specific supplier.
Each log entry shows the date and time, supplier name, number of items, delivery temperature (if recorded), status (Accepted or Rejected badge), and total amount. Tap any entry to expand it and see full details including who received the delivery, invoice number, temperature acceptability, packaging condition, individual items, rejection reason (if applicable), and notes.
Rejected deliveries are highlighted with a colored left border. Deliveries with temperatures above safe limits are highlighted with a warning background color.
Receiving log best practices
Inspect deliveries immediately upon arrival. Do not let TCS foods sit on the dock or at the curb while you finish other tasks. The clock starts the moment food leaves the delivery truck's refrigeration. For food trucks, check deliveries at the commissary before loading your truck.
Check temperatures before signing the delivery receipt. Once you sign, you have accepted responsibility for the food. If you discover a temperature problem after signing, you have less leverage with the supplier and the documentation trail is weaker.
Track supplier quality over time. Your receiving log history, filtered by supplier name, shows patterns. If one supplier consistently delivers at borderline temperatures or with packaging issues, you have documentation to support switching suppliers or demanding better quality. For caterers who rely on consistent suppliers for event service, this tracking is particularly valuable.
Keep supplier contact information accessible. When you reject a delivery, you need to contact the supplier for a replacement or credit. Having their information readily available speeds up resolution and minimizes the impact on your operation. Note the contact details in your receiving log notes when useful.
Ready to get started?
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Frequently asked questions
Do I need to log every delivery?
Log every delivery that contains food products, especially TCS (time and temperature controlled for safety) foods. For non-food deliveries (paper supplies, cleaning chemicals, equipment), logging is optional but can be useful for inventory tracking. The FDA Food Code requires verification of incoming food, so food deliveries should always be documented.
What if I forget to check the temperature on a delivery?
If you discover you missed a temperature check after the delivery is already stored, check the food temperature now. If it is within safe limits, the food is likely fine. Log the delivery with the current temperature and note "Temperature checked after storage, not at time of receipt." Going forward, make temperature checking part of your receiving routine before putting food away.
How do I handle a partial rejection?
Accept the delivery overall but document the issue. In the Items received section, mark individual items with unacceptable condition by unchecking the "Condition acceptable" checkbox. In the Notes field, describe which items were rejected and why. If the entire delivery is unacceptable, reject it entirely and document the reason.
How long should I keep receiving logs?
Most health departments require food safety records for the current and previous inspection periods (typically 6 months to 2 years). PassMyKitchen stores your receiving logs for the duration of your subscription. The 90-day filter preset covers the most common inspection review period, but your full history is available for longer lookbacks.
Do inspectors really check receiving logs?
Yes. Inspectors look at receiving procedures as part of their assessment of your food safety system. They want to see that you have a process for verifying incoming food. A digital receiving log with consistent entries, including documented rejections when appropriate, demonstrates that you take receiving seriously. It is one of the clearer indicators of active managerial control, and inspectors specifically look for it when evaluating your food safety knowledge. For broader inspection preparation, see our FDA food code requirements guide.