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Automation for transporters and logistics firms

Trip papers read from phone photos, customers updated on WhatsApp, invoices drafted without retyping.

3D render of an AI developer kit, a single board computer, a camera module and IoT sensor pucks

At a glance

Logistics engagements
Typical buyers
Transporters and fleet owners, freight forwarders, 3PL warehouses, courier franchisees
Documents
LRs, PODs, e-way bills, freight invoices, diesel and toll slips, bills of lading, packing lists
Field channel
WhatsApp from the driver's or supervisor's phone
Hardware
GPS and IoT trackers, temperature loggers, Raspberry Pi gateways at docks
Integrations
Tally, Google Workspace, WhatsApp Business API, n8n

Where a logistics office spends its day

The trucks move. The paperwork and the phone calls are what hold up the money.

If a driver can send a photo on WhatsApp, the system can read it, attach it to the trip, update the customer and release the invoice.

Read more about Where a logistics office spends its day

At a typical Indian transporter, the traffic team spends the day on the phone: calling drivers to ask where they are, then calling customers to tell them. When a vehicle is delayed near the end of an e-way bill's validity, someone has to notice in time to extend it. When a truck is changed mid-route, the vehicle number on the e-way bill has to be updated.

After delivery, the signed proof of delivery comes back days later, folded in a driver's pocket, or as a blurry WhatsApp photo. Billing waits for the POD, so invoices go out late and payments come in later. Diesel slips, toll charges and driver advances are entered by hand into trip sheets, and nobody knows a trip's real margin until month end.

Logistics automation here starts with the phone in the driver's hand. If the driver can send a photo on WhatsApp, the system can read it, attach it to the right trip, update the customer and release the invoice.

Documents we read, and where the data goes

Each document is read by our OCR pipeline and checked by a person when the system is unsure.

DocumentFields extractedUsed for
Lorry receipt (LR) or consignment noteLR number, consignor, consignee, origin, destination, packages, weight, freightOpening the trip and the freight invoice
E-way billEWB number, validity, vehicle number, invoice valueExpiry alerts and vehicle updates
Proof of deliveryLR number, delivery date, receiver's signature and stamp, remarks such as shortage or damageClosing the trip and releasing the invoice
Diesel and toll slipsDate, amount, vehicle, fuel station or plazaTrip expense and margin
Commercial invoice and packing listItems, HS codes, quantities, values, weightsFreight forwarding and customs paperwork
Bill of lading or airway billDocument number, shipper, consignee, ports, containersShipment tracking for forwarders

Damage or shortage remarks on a POD are flagged for the claims team instead of being filed silently. Built on our OCR and document intelligence service.

What we build for logistics firms

Trip updates on WhatsApp

Drivers send photo updates on WhatsApp, and customers hear from the company number automatically.

Read more about Trip updates on WhatsApp

Drivers or supervisors send loading, in-transit and delivery updates with a photo on WhatsApp. Customers get the update automatically from the company number, and the traffic team stops making status calls. Built on our WhatsApp CRM.

E-way bill watch

Alerts before an e-way bill expires, and reminders to update a changed vehicle number.

Read more about E-way bill watch

Every active e-way bill is tracked against its validity. When a vehicle is behind schedule, the team gets an alert before expiry, in time to extend it, and is reminded to update the vehicle number when a truck changes.

POD to invoice

A POD matched to its LR closes the trip and drafts the freight invoice.

Read more about POD to invoice

When a POD photo is read and matched to its LR, the trip closes and a freight invoice is drafted. Invoices and receivables can be kept in Fint or posted to Tally.

Trip costing

Diesel, tolls and driver advances attached to each trip, so margins show daily.

Read more about Trip costing

Diesel, tolls, driver advances and loading charges attached to each trip from slips and statements, so the margin per trip, lane and customer is visible daily instead of at month end.

Trackers and sensors

GPS trackers and temperature loggers feed the trip record, with alerts for cold chain loads.

Read more about Trackers and sensors

GPS trackers and temperature loggers for cold chain loads feed the same trip record, with an alert when a reefer goes out of range. Our lab works with IoT sensors and edge devices; see edge AI development.

Customer and lane pipeline

Enquiries, rate quotes and contracts tracked in Desk by lane and customer.

Read more about Customer and lane pipeline

Enquiries, rate quotes and contracts tracked in Desk, so the sales team can see which lanes and customers are growing.

Rules the system is built around

Fig. 01 Overhead: dev kit, board, camera module and sensor pucks
Regulation and practiceIndia and UK
E-way bill
Needed for goods movement above ₹50,000, with state limits for movement within a state. Valid one day per 200 km for regular cargo, and one day per 20 km for over dimensional cargo.
E-way bill extension
Can be extended from 8 hours before to 8 hours after expiry if the goods are still in transit.
GST on GTA services
Goods transport agencies pay GST either under reverse charge, where the recipient pays, or under forward charge if they opt for it for the year.
E-invoicing
Goods transport agencies are exempt from e-invoicing regardless of turnover; forwarders and 3PLs above ₹5 crore are not.
DPDP Act 2023
Driver phone numbers and vehicle location trails are personal data. Drivers need a notice of what is tracked and why.
UK
International road freight uses the CMR consignment note; driver data is covered by UK GDPR.

How a project starts

Projects start with one lane or one large customer and a WhatsApp number. Drivers need no new app.

Read more about How a project starts

We usually start with one lane or one large customer. Drivers on that lane send photos to a WhatsApp number, PODs are read and matched, and the traffic team compares the automatic updates with what they would have done by phone. Once the team trusts it, more lanes are added.

No driver app is required. Most drivers already use WhatsApp, and a new app is the first thing that gets uninstalled. Where a warehouse needs scanning or dock cameras, we add edge devices at the dock and connect them through our n8n integrations work.

Questions

Can the system read a crumpled POD photographed on a phone?

Usually, yes. The LR number, date and stamp are read and matched to the trip. When the photo is too blurred or the match is uncertain, the POD goes to a review screen and the driver can be asked for a clearer photo on WhatsApp while the truck is still at the consignee.

Does this generate e-way bills for us?

We build the tracking, alerts and data preparation around e-way bills. Generation, extension and vehicle updates can be done through an authorised GST Suvidha Provider's API or by your team on the portal, depending on your volume and setup.

Do drivers need to install an app?

No. Drivers send photos and short updates on WhatsApp, which they already use. The system replies with simple prompts, such as asking for the POD photo when a delivery is marked done.

Can customers see their shipment status without calling?

Yes. Each customer receives updates on WhatsApp at loading, in transit and at delivery, with the POD image when the trip closes. They can also reply to ask for the latest status and get it from the trip record.

We are a freight forwarder, not a transporter. Does this apply?

Yes, with different documents. For forwarders we read commercial invoices, packing lists, bills of lading and airway bills, and track shipments and customer updates in the same way.

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