01
Vehicle & Driver Readiness
RC, fitness, permit, insurance, PUC, and FASTag checks, plus a valid driver licence, a fit and rested driver, and a pre-trip vehicle inspection.
Daily Dispatch Checklist for Indian Warehouses & Fleets
Every dispatch, from gate-in to proof of delivery, in one checklist: vehicle and driver readiness, load planning, e-way bill and documentation, loading and sealing, tracking, POD, and returns. 75+ items, each labelled by frequency and mapped to Indian regulations. Updated July 2026.
- Daily dispatch cycle for logistics, distribution, and transport businesses
- E-way bill, vehicle documents, and proof of delivery built in
- Cites GST Rule 138, Motor Vehicles Act, and Carriage by Road Act
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Petpooja presents
Logistics & Distribution Daily Dispatch Checklist
For Indian Warehouses, Fleets & 3PLs
75+
Tasks · PDF checklist
July 2026
What's Inside
Eight sections covering every dispatch and drop
02
Order Picking & Load Planning
Verified pick lists, FIFO/FEFO and batch control, damage checks, drop-sequence loading, and staying within the vehicle's weight and volume capacity.
03
Documentation & E-way Bill
Tax invoice, e-way bill (Part A and Part B), delivery challan, and lorry receipt, all matched to the physical load before the vehicle leaves the gate.
04
Loading, Securing & Sealing
Counted and signed-off loads, no overloading, lashed and chocked cargo, cold-chain and hazmat handling, and a recorded seal number.
05
Route, Tracking & In-Transit
Live GPS tracking, planned routes, delivery windows, a reachable driver, and a clear escalation path for breakdowns, delays, and damage.
06
Delivery & Proof of Delivery
Goods counted with the customer, signed or e-POD captured per drop, damage and shortage noted at the door, and COD collected against each invoice.
07
Returns, Reconciliation & Records
Returns logged and quarantined, PODs and COD cash reconciled every trip, and trip sheets, fuel, and maintenance logs kept up to date.
08
Warehouse Safety & Compliance
Trained forklift operators, safe docks and racking, PPE and fire safety, current licences, and PF/ESI, POSH, and contract-labour compliance.
Why This Matters
In Dispatch, One Missed Step Stops the Truck
A vehicle with an expired fitness certificate. An e-way bill without the vehicle number in Part B. A load that went out short. Any one of these turns a routine dispatch into a detained truck, a penalty, or an angry customer waiting for goods that never arrive.
A warehouse pushes out dozens of vehicles a day, each with its own documents, route, drops, and cash to collect. When the plan lives in the dispatch supervisor's head, one busy morning is all it takes for a batch to go on the wrong truck, a paper to be missed, or a delivery to slip its slot.
The compliance stakes are real and immediate. Move taxable goods worth over ₹50,000 without a valid e-way bill and the goods and the vehicle can be detained under the GST law, with a heavy penalty to release them. Overload a vehicle and it cannot legally move until the excess is removed, on top of a per-tonne fine. Every goods vehicle must carry its RC, fitness, permit, insurance, and PUC, and the driver a valid licence.
Then there is the money. Proof of delivery is what gets an invoice paid, so a missing POD is a delayed payment. Cash on delivery that is not reconciled the same day is cash that goes missing. Damage noted at the door is a claim you can win; damage found later is a loss you absorb.
This checklist turns the whole cycle into a routine. 75+ tasks across eight sections, from vehicle and driver readiness and load planning to e-way bill and documentation, loading, GPS tracking, proof of delivery, and end-of-day reconciliation. Each item is labelled by frequency and, where it matters, tied to the exact Indian rule behind it, so your team knows not just what to do, but why.
Sample Preview
A few of the tasks inside the checklist
Here's a preview of what you'll get inside:
Vehicle in: Check RC, fitness, permit, insurance, PUC, and
FASTag; confirm the driver's licence is valid and the driver is fit and rested
Pre-load: Verify the pick list, respect FIFO/FEFO and expiry,
and keep weight and volume within the vehicle's rated capacity, no overloading
Dispatch: Match the tax invoice, e-way bill (Part B filled),
delivery challan, and lorry receipt to the physical load before the gate
Delivery: Count goods with the customer, capture signed or
e-POD, note any damage or shortage at the door, and collect COD against each invoice
Shift end: Reconcile PODs, COD cash, and returns; log fuel, km,
and any vehicle damage; draft the next-day plan
... plus loading and sealing, GPS tracking, returns handling, and warehouse safety
and compliance across 8 sections and a one-page daily quick reference.
Key Stats
The rules behind compliant dispatch
₹50,000
The consignment value above which a valid e-way bill is required to move taxable goods. Part B must carry the vehicle number before the goods move, or the truck can be detained.
Source: CGST Rules 2017, Rule 138₹20,000 +
The penalty for overloading a goods vehicle, plus ₹2,000 for every additional tonne, and the vehicle cannot move until the excess load is removed.
Source: Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Act 2019, Section 1946 papers
Every goods vehicle must carry a valid RC, fitness certificate, permit, insurance, and PUC, and the driver a valid licence for the vehicle class.
Source: Motor Vehicles Act 1988 & Central Motor Vehicles Rules
Common Mistakes
7 Dispatch Mistakes Logistics Operations Make
01
Moving goods without a valid e-way bill
Dispatching taxable goods over ₹50,000 without a valid e-way bill, or with Part B not matching the actual vehicle, gets the goods and the truck detained, with a heavy penalty to release them.
02
Sending out a vehicle with expired papers
An expired fitness certificate, permit, insurance, or PUC makes the vehicle non-compliant and uninsured on the road. A quick document check at the gate saves a detained truck later.
03
Overloading to squeeze in one more drop
Overloading is illegal, unsafe, and voids insurance in an accident. The vehicle cannot legally move until the excess is removed, and the fine grows with every extra tonne.
04
Loading without checking the count and the load
Goods that go out short or damaged become returns, disputes, and lost days. Count against the pick list at the dock, check for damage, and secure the load before it leaves.
05
No proof of delivery
Proof of delivery is what gets an invoice paid. No signed copy or e-POD means a delayed payment and a dispute you cannot win. Capture a POD, with condition noted, at every drop.
06
Not reconciling COD cash the same day
Cash collected on the route that is not counted against invoices at shift end is cash that quietly goes missing. Reconcile PODs, COD, and returns before the day closes.
07
Running dispatch in someone's head
When the whole plan lives with one supervisor, one leave day breaks it: batches get missed, papers slip, and deliveries fall through. A written checklist survives the handover.
Comparison
Dispatch Checklists: Paper vs Digital
| Aspect | Paper Checklist | Digital (Petpooja Tasks) |
|---|---|---|
| Proof a task was done | A tick anyone can backfill | Photo/video proof with time stamp |
| Vehicle & gate checks | Signed off from the desk | Geo-tagged, done at the vehicle |
| Missed documents | Found out at the check post | Real-time alert before dispatch |
| Proof of delivery | Loose paper slips | e-POD with photo, signature, geo-tag |
| Reminders | Depends on memory | WhatsApp reminders per task |
| Multi-warehouse / fleet | Separate registers, no overview | One dashboard across sites and routes |
| Audit & reconciliation trail | Box files to dig through | Searchable history, exportable |
Run every dispatch by the book
Download the free Logistics & Distribution Daily Dispatch Checklist, 75+ tasks across eight sections, ready to print and pin at the dispatch desk.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
When is an e-way bill required for moving goods?
Under Rule 138 of the CGST Rules, an e-way bill is required to move goods where the
consignment value exceeds ₹50,000. Part A carries the invoice and party details, and Part B carries the
transporting vehicle number, the e-way bill is not valid for movement until Part B is filled. Inter-state
uses the ₹50,000 threshold uniformly, while intra-state thresholds vary by state (several states set a
higher limit), so confirm your state's rule. Our e-way bill compliance checklist covers this in detail.
What documents must a goods vehicle carry in India?
Every goods vehicle must carry a valid Registration Certificate (RC), fitness certificate,
goods-carriage permit, insurance, and Pollution Under Control (PUC) certificate, and the driver must hold a
valid licence for the vehicle class, under the Motor Vehicles Act 1988 and Central Motor Vehicles Rules. For
each consignment, the driver also carries the tax invoice, e-way bill (or its number), delivery challan, and
lorry receipt. FASTag is mandatory for national-highway tolls. Missing documents at a check post can mean
detention of the vehicle and goods.
What is the penalty for overloading a goods vehicle?
Under Section 194 of the Motor Vehicles Act (as amended in 2019), overloading attracts a
penalty of ₹20,000 plus ₹2,000 for every additional tonne of excess load, and the vehicle is not allowed to
move until the excess load is removed. Overloading also damages the vehicle and road, makes braking
dangerous, and can void insurance in an accident. Load within the vehicle's gross weight and axle limits,
every time.
What is a lorry receipt or consignment note?
A lorry receipt (LR), also called a consignment note, is the document a road transporter
issues for the goods it carries. It records the consignor, consignee, goods, and terms, and is the basic
contract of carriage; a common carrier's registration and records are governed by the Carriage by Road Act
2007 and Rules 2011. Separately, under GST, issuing a consignment note is the test that makes a transporter a
Goods Transport Agency. It travels with the goods alongside the invoice and e-way bill.
Does this checklist work for a small distributor or a 3PL?
Yes. It scales from a single-vehicle distributor to a multi-warehouse third-party logistics
(3PL) operation. Use the daily quick-reference page and the sections that apply to you, and mark the rest as
not applicable. The cold-chain, hazardous-goods, and inter-state items apply only where relevant, and are
labelled as such. The core cycle, vehicle readiness, documentation, loading, tracking, delivery, and
reconciliation, applies to any goods-dispatch operation, whatever its size.
About Petpooja
Petpooja is India's leading SME business software suite, trusted by 1,50,000+ businesses across restaurants, retail, healthcare, manufacturing, and more. From billing and payroll to task management and procurement Petpooja helps Indian businesses run better, every day.
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