e-POD (Electronic Proof of Delivery)

Why use e-POD?

Before e-POD

• Drivers confirm deliveries via paper forms, WhatsApp photos, or verbal confirmation.

• Operations teams manually match delivery proof to jobs — chasing drivers for missing signatures or photos.

• No GPS verification — disputes over whether a delivery actually happened or when it arrived.

• Proof-of-delivery documents are scattered across WhatsApp threads, emails, and paper files.

With e-POD

• Drivers submit proof of delivery from their phone — GPS location, signature, photos, and recipient details — in under 60 seconds.

• Every submission is automatically matched to the correct Delivery Order and emailed to your operations team with a merged PDF (e-POD summary + Work Order document).

• GPS is mandatory — every delivery is location-verified, eliminating disputes.

• All e-PODs are stored centrally, searchable by DO number, with full audit trail.

👉 This results in faster delivery confirmation, fewer disputes, and complete digital proof for every shipment.

How It Works — Overview

e-POD connects three user roles through one seamless flow:

ADMIN (one-time setup)
  → Enable e-POD for your company
  → Configure Metabase DO card + GraphQL (API) credentials
  → Set daily email recipients and schedule

OPERATIONS TEAM (daily use)
  → Outstanding DOs appear automatically from your live shipment data
  → Copy driver link or send via WhatsApp — one click per DO
  → Receive email with merged PDF when driver submits
  → Track outstanding vs submitted e-PODs at a glance

DRIVER (per delivery)
  → Open link on phone (no app install, no login required)
  → GPS captures automatically
  → Fill recipient details, sign, take photos
  → Submit — done in under 60 seconds

💡 Key point: Drivers don't need to install an app, create an account, or remember a password. They just open a link and submit. This is critical for logistics where drivers change per delivery.

Getting Started

Step 1: Admin Enables e-POD

Your Fr8Labs admin enables the e-POD feature for your company in the Notification Hub admin portal.

What gets configured:

⚠️ Note: Initial setup is done by the Fr8Labs team. Once enabled, your operations team manages everything through self-service.

Step 2: Operations Team Accesses the Client Portal

1. Log in to the Notification Hub: https://notification-hub.fr8labs.co/client/login

2. You'll see the e-POD tile on your dashboard (if enabled and your account has permission).

3. Click the tile to enter the e-POD portal.

Client Portal — Outstanding DOs

The Outstanding tab is your operations command center. It shows all Delivery Orders that need e-POD collection.

What You See

How Data Stays Fresh

Your DO list syncs automatically from your live FMS data:

• Every hour — all enabled companies get a background sync at :55 past the hour.

• On page load — if data is more than 1 hour old, a background sync triggers automatically.

• Manual Sync — click the Sync button in the toolbar for an immediate refresh.

• Tab switching — switching between Outstanding and Submitted tabs auto-refreshes the data.

The sync indicator in the toolbar shows when data was last refreshed:

Sending a Driver Link

For each outstanding DO, you have two options:

Option A: Copy Link

1. Click Copy Link on the DO row.

2. The driver URL is copied to your clipboard.

3. Paste it into any messaging app (WhatsApp, Telegram, SMS, email) and send to the driver.

Option B: Send via WhatsApp (if configured)

1. Click the WhatsApp icon on the DO row.

2. Enter the driver's phone number.

3. The system sends the e-POD link directly via WhatsApp.

💡 Tip: Links are auto-generated for every DO. You never need to manually create them — just copy and send.

Viewing DO Details

Click Details on any DO row to see the full delivery order information in a modal:

• Job details (job number, type, status, direction, mode)

• Pickup information (from, address, scheduled date/time)

• Delivery information (to, address, scheduled date/time)

• Customer, shipper, consignee, transporter

• Remarks

📸 Recommended screenshot: Detail modal showing all 5 sections of DO information.

Client Portal — Submitted e-PODs

The Submitted tab shows all completed e-POD submissions with full detail.

Viewing a Submission

Click any submission to view the complete e-POD:

CSV Export

Click Export CSV to download all submissions as a spreadsheet. Includes 16 columns covering all submission data (excluding photo/signature binaries — use the portal to view those).

Voiding a Submission

If a submission needs to be invalidated (e.g., wrong delivery, duplicate):

1. Open the submission detail.

2. Click Void (requires editor permission).

3. Confirm — the submission is voided, photos and signature are removed.

4. The DO automatically returns to the Outstanding tab with a fresh driver link.

💡 Tip: Voiding is non-destructive — metadata is preserved for audit. Only the heavy data (photos + signature) is stripped to save storage.

Client Portal — Settings

The Settings tab lets you customise your e-POD experience.

Branding

Customise how your driver form looks:

A live preview updates as you change settings, so you can see exactly what drivers will see before saving.

Daily Email Summary

Receive a daily email summarising all outstanding DOs with clickable driver links:

The daily email includes stat cards (pending count, submitted count) and a table of outstanding DOs with direct driver links. Recipients can forward the email directly to drivers.

💡 Tip: Set the send hour to match when your operations team starts their day. The system syncs data 5 minutes before sending, so the email always has fresh DO information.

Driver Experience (PWA)

The driver experience is designed for speed and simplicity. No app install, no login, no training needed.

Opening the Link

1. Driver receives a link via WhatsApp, SMS, or email.

2. Taps the link — the form opens in their mobile browser.

3. DO details are pre-filled (consignee, delivery address, transporter).

💡 Tip: Drivers can optionally install the e-POD as a PWA (Progressive Web App) on their home screen for faster access. A prompt appears automatically on supported browsers.

Completing the Form

The form uses an accordion layout — each section expands when tapped:

1. GPS Location (mandatory)

• Captures automatically when the page loads.

• Shows a map pin with accuracy circle.

• GPS is mandatory — the Submit button is blocked until location is captured.

• This is the core value of e-POD: proving the driver was at the delivery location.

2. Recipient Details

• Name, company, and ID of the person receiving the delivery.

• Recipient Company is pre-filled from the consignee data.

3. Signature (mandatory)

• Touch-friendly signature canvas — driver signs directly on screen.

• Clear button to redo if needed.

4. Driver Details

• Driver name, company, and ID.

• Auto-fills from the driver's saved profile (stored on their device after first submission).

5. Photos (optional, max 3)

• Rear camera opens by default (ideal for photographing packages).

• Photos are compressed automatically (max 1200px, JPEG 0.7 quality) to keep submissions fast.

• Tap any thumbnail to preview or remove.

Submitting

1. Fill all required sections (GPS + Signature at minimum).

2. Tap Submit.

3. Confirmation screen appears — the e-POD is complete.

4. The link is consumed — it cannot be resubmitted (one-shot).

Offline Support

If the driver has poor connectivity:

• The form saves a draft automatically if submission fails.

• When the phone regains connection, the draft auto-resubmits.

• Drafts expire after 24 hours (GPS coordinates become stale).

• A yellow "You are offline" bar appears at the bottom of the screen when disconnected.

💡 Tip: Drivers who install the PWA to their home screen can open the app even offline. The form loads from cache, and drafts are saved until connection returns.

Submission Email & PDF

When a driver submits an e-POD, your operations team receives an email automatically.

What's in the Email

• Subject: ePOD Received: [DO Number] - [Consignee Name]

• Body: Summary of the submission — recipient, driver, GPS coordinates, timestamp.

• Attachment: Merged PDF containing:

  • Page 1+: Branded e-POD summary (your logo, header color, all submission data including signature and photos).

  • Remaining pages: The official Work Order PDF from FMS (the delivery/pickup work order for this DO).

Supported Document Types

The system generates the correct Work Order PDF for all job types:

💡 Tip: If GraphQL (API) credentials are not configured or the PDF fetch fails, the email still sends with the e-POD summary PDF only. The system never blocks an email because of a PDF generation issue.

Configuration Reference

What Your Admin Configures (One-Time)

What Your Team Configures (Self-Service)

Implementation Considerations (Best Practices)

We recommend phasing in e-POD adoption carefully:

1. Start with one customer — Pick a customer with a cooperative driver fleet. Enable e-POD and test the full flow: Outstanding → Copy Link → Driver submits → Email received.

2. Verify your DO data — Check that your Metabase DO list card returns the expected columns (DO Number, Job No., Consignee, etc.). The system maps columns flexibly, but verify the data looks right in the Outstanding tab.

3. Set up branding — Upload your logo, set your brand color, and enter your display name. Drivers see this on every form — it builds trust and professionalism.

4. Configure daily email — Enable for your operations leads. The daily email is the "push" mechanism — it sends driver links proactively so your team doesn't need to log into the portal every morning.

5. Roll out to all customers — Once confident, enable e-POD across your customer base. Each driver link is scoped to a single DO, so there's no risk of data leaking between customers.

6. Train drivers (30 seconds) — Show a driver the form once. That's all the training needed. GPS captures automatically, sections are guided, and the form is mobile-optimised. Most drivers get it on the first try.

👉 Following this progression ensures clean data, builds team confidence, and makes adoption frictionless for drivers.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do drivers need to install an app?

No. e-POD works in any mobile browser. Drivers just tap a link. They can optionally install it as a PWA (Progressive Web App) to their home screen for faster access, but it's not required.

What happens if the driver has no internet?

The form loads from cache if the driver previously opened an e-POD link. If they submit without connectivity, the submission is saved as a draft and auto-resubmits when the phone reconnects. Drafts expire after 24 hours.

Can a driver submit the same link twice?

No. Each link is one-shot — once submitted, the token is consumed. If you need a new submission for the same DO (e.g., after voiding), the system auto-generates a fresh link.

What if the driver denies GPS permission?

The Submit button is blocked. GPS is mandatory because it's the core value proposition — proving the driver was at the delivery location. The form shows a clear message asking the driver to enable location services.

Can I customise which columns show in the Outstanding tab?

The columns are determined by your Metabase DO list query. If you need different columns, contact Fr8Labs to adjust your query.

How long do DOs stay in the Outstanding tab?

DOs accumulate in the local store and never disappear when your FMS data window rolls. DOs that have been absent from FMS for 30+ days are automatically expired. Submitted DOs are moved out of the Outstanding tab immediately.

Can I use e-POD for both pickup and delivery legs?

Yes. The system supports both pickup and delivery legs for all job types (Generic, MBL Standard, HBL Standard, Air). The correct Work Order PDF is generated based on the leg type.

How are driver photos stored?

Photos are compressed on the driver's phone (max 1200px, JPEG quality 0.7) and stored in the database. When a submission is voided, photos and signature are stripped to save storage.

Who receives the submission email?

The same recipients configured for the daily email summary in Settings. If no recipients are configured, the submission email is skipped (the e-POD data is still stored and visible in the portal).

Can different team members have different access levels?

Yes. Admin can grant viewer access (can see DOs and submissions) or editor access (can also void submissions, change branding, and configure daily email settings).

Need Help?

If you encounter issues or have questions:

1. Check this documentation for common solutions

2. Contact Fr8Labs support via Mattermost or email

3. Provide details including:

   • Your company/tenant name

   • The DO number (if specific to a delivery)

   • Screenshots of any error messages

   • Render logs timestamp (if technical investigation needed)