Bill of Lading

Flatworld's e-BOL solution: How it saves time and costs

Productivity improvement on the trucking route

The electronic BOL reaches the distribution center before the driver gets there. This enhances the productivity of the dock personnel and the truck driver who would otherwise have to wait for the information be keyed into the computer at the distribution center, to create the essential document called the unloading manifest, before the truck can be unloaded.

Getting the information on the freight ahead of time also benefits the dock manager because he can direct the truck to the right gate for unloading. Drivers no longer have to wait 2 to 4 hours to unload their trucks, which means they can get back home the same day. Since drivers are paid by the hour, and driver turnover for carriers can reach 100 percent, this is an important benefit for driver retention. It improves carrier performance, enabling faster turnaround time.

Quality Enhancement

Flatworld's Billing Automation System keeps track of Bills of Lading specifications as provided by the customers.

Stringent training, quality enhancement, online verification and validation, performance tracking at Flatworld work together to provide consistent, accurate, cost-effective and reliable results.

Error Reduction

Flatworld's process enhancement software helps early detection of critical data entry errors with the History Tracing System and message search engines. For example, a wrong destination address would send a shipment astray and result in lost business, while an entry like HAZMAT (Hazardous materials) is highly critical since such shipments require special documentation compliant with state and federal laws. Important information like Cash on Delivery (COD) when entered correctly, enables the carrier to collect dues from the consignee on time.

Whether you're a 3PL or 3PP, (third-party logistics provider or third-party payment provider), a transportation company or the logistics division of a manufacturing company, Flatworld has the domain knowledge and expertise to provide solutions tailored for your needs.

Gain from Flatworld's best-of-breed Customer Relationship Management services offered to logistics companies worldwide.

How it works

A carrier may pick up freight from multiple shippers in multiple locations, to be delivered to many consignees in different locations. The shipper hands the freight to the driver of the truck, along with the Bill of Lading on which the driver sticks a unique Pro Label that distinguishes the shipment. The driver scans the Bill of Lading into the mobile data transmitter (MDT) in the truck. The data reaches the customer's server immediately. The server scans the barcode of the Pro-label on the BOL image, which is saved in the database with the Pro-number. Flatworld executives access the scanned BOL from the customer's server through a secure virtual private network. They input the data from the scanned BOL into a prescribed format. The electronic BOL is saved in the customer's database with the Trailer ID gathered from the MDT and a Sequence ID generated by the server. Now the shipment is identified with the Pro Number. Thus the e-BOL is generated.