In today’s digital world, it is important to adapt to new technologies and trends in order to remain competitive. One way to advance digitalisation in the logistics industry is the electronic delivery note. Find out here what a digital delivery note is, how it works and what advantages it offers.

Why is an electronic delivery note important?

Traditionally, the delivery note is printed out on paper and carried along during transport. This often leads to problems such as illegible writing, loss or damage to the document. The electronic delivery note reduces these risks by digitizing the document – making it more secure, reliable, and efficient. In addition, the delivery note in digital form is an important part of the digitalization of logistics processes and can help you save time and money.

What is an electronic delivery note and how does it work?

An electronic delivery note is the digital version of the traditional delivery note. It contains all the important information that is also contained on the paper document, such as the delivery address, the delivery date, the delivered goods and the recipient’s signature. The difference is that the delivery note is digitized and can therefore be transmitted and archived virtually.

An electronic delivery note is either created automatically by a system or manually by an employee. It is then transmitted electronically to the recipient. The recipient confirms receipt with a digital signature (electronic signature / ’sign on glass’). The electronic delivery note is then stored in a digital archive and can be retrieved at any time if required.

The advantages of the digitised delivery note

Switching to a digital document not only solves the aforementioned problems such as illegible handwriting, crumpled paper or the loss of the ticket; it also limits risk, in terms of data protection. The advantages go further and are on the side of both transport management and the recipient of the goods.

• Paperless: An electronic delivery note reduces paper consumption and therefore supports sustainability in logistics. For example, OPHEO customer Otto Dörner saves around 100,000 printed delivery notes every year, not to mention expensive printer cartridges. (Click here for the case study).
• Time and cost savings: The digital delivery note saves time and costs by eliminating the manual dispatch and processing of paper documents. Archiving digital documents is easier and faster, there is no need for scanning, for example.
• Optimized billing: The digital solution not only improves the delivery process. The direct online transfer after the customer signature also speeds up the accounting and invoicing process.
• Increased security: The electronic document offers more security than the paper note. It cannot be lost or damaged and is protected from unauthorized access by encryption and authentication.
• Improved transparency: The electronic delivery note offers greater transparency as it can be retrieved at any time. It also contributes to digital networking in logistics, a key competitive advantage and a factor that promotes customer satisfaction.

How can a company introduce or integrate the electronic delivery note?

In order to benefit from the advantages of the electronic delivery note, companies should look for a suitable solution that fits their requirements and needs. It is not advisable to immediately change over the entire data management in logistics, but to have a pilot phase in which the solution is tested.

For transport companies, it makes sense to integrate the digital delivery note via telematics and driver app. This way, the dispatchers can send the delivery note directly to the driver’s device. On the other hand, the driver and the telematics solution ensure that all information and changes flow directly back to the delivery. Load movements and customer signatures can also be recorded and digitized in this way.

Conclusion: Better communication and accelerated processes

Overall, the electronic delivery note is an important innovation that will shape the logistics industry even more in the future. Companies that rely on the digital document can make their processes more efficient, faster and more sustainable. It is important to have a holistic system that networks all parts. This way, you not only achieve improved communication in transport management, but also accelerate downstream processes at the same time.