Find out in this article how to generate packing slips and optimize your shipments with efficient solutions. Discover how to take advantage of new methods to facilitate the printing of all your packing slips instantly from a single interface. Reduce time-consuming tasks and save time with innovative tools.
You’re an e-merchant and want to optimize your logistics process by easily generating packing slips. In this article, we’ll explain what a waybill is, its crucial role in shipment management and the different methods for generating waybills efficiently. With this information, you’ll be able to improve your shipping processes and ship orders error-free, with the best possible efficiency.
Definition: what is a waybill?
A packing slip is a single-use document designed to be printed and affixed to a parcel. It contains all the information needed for efficient shipping and accurate tracking. In other words, it’s a transport label that accompanies each parcel throughout its journey.
What are packing slips for?
The waybill plays a crucial role in coordinating the various parties involved in the shipping process, including the carrier, shipper and consignee. It provides each player with the information they need to carry out their tasks seamlessly.
One of the main functions of the waybill is to display key information enabling the carrier to deliver a package to the right person.
This dispatch note also enables the precise location of the parcel, which is essential to ensure efficient delivery and avoid errors or loss.
Information on the packing slip
- Sender’s name and address
- Name and address of recipient
- A large-format bar code
- The routing code
- Zip code of final location
- Traceability number
- Service – (delivery mode: Express, Standard, Pick-up point…)
On the one hand, the information on the waybill is crucial for carriers. It enables them to process parcels correctly and meet delivery deadlines.
Complete sender and receiver addresses ensure that the parcel is sent to the right person at the right address. Tracking numbers are used to track and uniquely identify each shipment. Service levels, such as special instructions or delivery preferences, help the carrier adapt its process accordingly.
For consumers, the waybill provides visibility on the progress of their delivery. By providing information such as shipping date and expected delivery date, consumers can track their package in real time. This enables them to plan their reception, to be informed in the event of any delays, and to ensure that their order has been received correctly.
How to generate freight bills efficiently
Installation of carrier-supplied modules on its CMS
Installing carrier modules on your content management system (CMS) may be an option to consider to simplify packing slip generation. However, it should be noted that this approach may have certain limitations.
First of all, carrier modules are extensions offered to merchants selling on their own websites, whether they’re published with Prestashop, Magento, Woocommerce or Shopify. They enable e-merchants to manage their deliveries, and therefore the generation of packing slips, directly in the back-office of their online store, i.e. in their CMS. These modules offer different functionalities, but their principle remains the same: to make shipping management easier for merchants.
Although carrier modules may be suitable at first – if you use very few carriers – it’s crucial to note that it can be tedious to have to access each module individually to print packing slips. What’s more, CMS are not specifically designed to be an all-purpose tool: centralizing orders, managing inventory and transport contracts, printing parcel labels… They are more focused on creating and managing online content.
When you’re working with a wide range of modules on your e-commerce CMS, there are many risks involved.
The CMS may present display and functional bugs, slow loading, and an unresponsive interface.
Functionality can also be limited, customization options restricted, and maintenance laborious and costly.
Installation of a shipping module on its CMS
An interesting alternative for simplifying the generation of packing slips is to install a shipping module on your e-commerce platform. While a CMS may not be the most optimal option for managing numerous carrier modules, a dedicated shipping module can meet your needs more efficiently.
A shipping module is a multi-carrier module, generally supplied by companies specializing in e-commerce logistics and not by the carriers themselves.
By using a shipping module, you benefit from direct integration with carriers, enabling you to generate packing slips directly from your interface, in just a few clicks. These modules offer an intuitive interface that lets you choose from a selection of partner carriers. So you can generate freight bills and organize your shipments in the best possible way…
However, it should be noted that some associated costs such as subscription fees or transaction fees per shipment may be required, which should be factored into your logistics budget.
In addition, shipping modules may have limitations in terms of flexibility and customization. Some modules may offer restricted functionality, or may not support specific carriers. If you have specific carrier requirements or wish to further customize packing slips, you may encounter limitations when using a shipping module.
Installation and connection of a logistics solution.
While the use of transport modules limits merchants’ performance, there are other tools that offer opportunities for growth. Such is the case with the Transport Management System (TMS e-commerce), also known as the “Transport Management Solution”.
This specialized transport management softwareoptimizes and automates shipments. With native connection to all carriers on the market, the ability to print waybills for multiple carriers on a single printer, shipment tracking, automatic sending of tracking notifications and returns management, the TMS offers complete control over shipments and saves precious time.
By opting for an integrated logistics solution, such as a TMS, you benefit from advanced tools and functionalities that automate the generation of waybills. You can quickly and easily generate waybills tailored to your specific needs, taking into account the partner carriers you work with.
Speaking of integrated logistics solutions, it’s worth mentioning Shippingbo, a platform dedicated to e-commerce logistics. With Shippingbo, you benefit from a single interface for generating and customizing packing slips. What’s more, all order information is retrieved from the sales channel (however many you have), so you get a label with 100% reliable information.
Shippingbo also connects you to over 50 partner carriers, giving you great flexibility in your choice of shipping options. You can select the carriers that best match your requirements in terms of delivery times, rates and zones.
Shippingbo, the ideal tool for generating packing slips
In conclusion, it is essential for merchants to simplify and make reliable the generation of their waybills: they are essential documents that ensure efficient shipping, precise tracking of parcels, and above all delivery to the right recipient, at the right time.
While the installation of transport modules on CMS was once common practice, it’s becoming increasingly clear that this can limit merchants’ performance and flexibility. This is why the adoption of competitive e-commerce logistics solutions, such as Transport Management Systems (TMS), has become a preferred option. TMS offer advanced functionality, native connection to numerous carriers, shipment automation and increased visibility of logistics processes.
What if you could avoid errors in your e-commerce deliveries? We present the 13 most common errors in this webinar, along with solutions to remedy them.
