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Modern retail and e-commerce distribution centres run on schedules. A truck that arrives on time with clean paperwork is unloaded in a few hours. A truck that arrives late, or with a mismatch, can wait a day or be sent back. For a brand, that means lost sales and a second freight bill.
This guide is for logistics managers who replenish retail DCs and e-commerce fulfilment centres in India. It covers slots, paperwork, choosing the mode, rejections, returns and the KPIs worth writing into a transport contract.
How DC replenishment works
The flow is usually the same:
- The retailer issues a purchase order (PO) with a validity date.
- You book an appointment slot at the DC for a date and time window.
- You pick, pack and palletise against the PO.
- You raise the invoice and the e-way bill, and send the advance shipping notice (ASN).
- The truck reports at the DC gate inside its slot.
- The DC checks the documents, unloads, counts and inspects.
- The DC issues a goods receipt and the signed proof of delivery (POD) comes back to you.
Every step depends on the one before. Most delivery failures start early, with a slot booked against the wrong PO or an ASN that does not match the invoice.
Appointment slots
Treat the slot as the real deadline, not the PO date.
- Book the slot before you dispatch. Do not send a truck on the hope of a slot.
- Work back from the slot. Add transit time, a buffer for the lane, and loading time at your warehouse. That gives the latest dispatch time.
- Tell the transporter the slot, not just the date. The driver must know the reporting window and the DC gate rules.
- Ask what happens if you miss it. Some DCs give the next free slot. Others make you rebook, which can cost a day or more.
- Reschedule early. If the truck will be late, move the slot before it is missed, not after.
ASN and paperwork
The DC compares four things: the PO, the ASN, the invoice and what is physically on the truck. They must agree.
- Invoice. Quantities, item codes and PO number should match the PO exactly.
- E-way bill. Needed where the consignment value crosses the threshold under Rule 138 of the CGST Rules. Part B must show the vehicle that is actually carrying the goods. If the goods change vehicles, Part B must be updated. Our GST and e-way bill guide explains this.
- ASN. Sent before dispatch, with PO, items, quantities, case or pallet counts and vehicle number.
- Consignment note from the transporter.
- Any retailer-specific documents, such as a packing list per pallet or labels in the DC’s format.
Keep one person responsible for checking these against each other before the truck leaves.
Part load or full truckload
The choice follows the same logic as any other shipment, with one extra test: can the mode meet the slot?
| Situation | Lean towards | Why |
|---|---|---|
| One PO fills most of a truck | Full truckload | Direct run, predictable arrival, sealed |
| Several POs to the same DC on the same day | Full truckload | Combine them and book one slot |
| A small top-up or urgent stock-out | Part truckload | Pay only for what you ship |
| Tight slot on a thin lane | Full truckload | Hub waits in part load can miss the window |
| Fragile or high-value goods | Full truckload | Fewer handlings, less damage risk |
Part load can work well for DC deliveries on busy lanes. Ask the transporter how it handles appointment slots at the destination, and how the slot is passed to the delivery branch. Our FTL vs PTL guide covers the cost crossover in detail.
Why DCs reject trucks, and how to avoid it
| Reason | How to avoid it |
|---|---|
| Missed or no slot | Book first, dispatch to the slot, reschedule early |
| PO expired | Check PO validity against the slot date before booking |
| Quantity or item mismatch | Pick against the PO, check invoice and ASN before dispatch |
| Wrong or missing paperwork | One checklist, one person, before the truck leaves |
| E-way bill vehicle mismatch | Update Part B whenever the vehicle changes |
| Damaged goods or broken pallets | Stretch wrap, corner boards, load to the DC’s pallet height |
| Short shelf life | Know the DC’s minimum remaining shelf life and pick fresher stock |
| Wrong labels | Follow the retailer’s label format and placement |
Record every rejection with its reason. A pattern usually points to one fixable step.
Returns
Returns from DCs are often an afterthought, and they get expensive when they are.
- Refused at the gate. The goods come straight back on the same or another truck. Agree who pays.
- Short or damaged at count. The DC raises a debit note or holds the goods for collection.
- Expired or recalled stock. Collected later on a planned return.
For each, agree in writing who books the return trip, which document moves the goods back, how fast they must be collected, and how quantities are checked on arrival at your warehouse.
KPIs to put in the contract
Write the definition and the data source for each KPI into the contract. A KPI without a definition becomes an argument.
- On-time to slot. Share of trucks that report inside the booked window. Measured from the DC gate entry time, not the dispatch time.
- Truck fill rate. Share of the truck’s weight or volume capacity used. This tells you whether you are paying for empty space.
- Rejection rate. Share of trucks or lines rejected, split by reason and by who caused it.
- Proof of delivery turnaround. Days from delivery to a clean, signed POD reaching you. Slow PODs delay billing and disputes.
- Transit time against standard. Per lane, agreed in advance.
- Damage and shortage rate. Per consignment, with the claim process attached.
Review these monthly with the transporter. Agree what happens when a KPI is missed, and what counts as outside the transporter’s control, such as a DC that delays unloading.
Checklist before each DC dispatch
- PO valid on the slot date
- Slot booked and shared with the transporter
- Picked and packed against the PO
- Invoice, ASN and physical count match
- E-way bill raised with the correct vehicle in Part B
- Pallets wrapped, labelled and within height limits
- Shelf life meets the DC’s minimum
- Driver has the slot time, gate rules and documents
Working with SSL
Safe & Secure Logistics has moved goods by road since 1951. It handles 5.1 lakh consignments a year across 2,000+ destinations, through 110+ branches and offices, on both part truckload and full truckload.
If you replenish retail DCs and want the lanes priced, send us an RFQ with your DC locations, typical order sizes and slot patterns.
Figures for Safe & Secure Logistics are for FY2025-26 from our booking register. How each one is counted is on the Facts and sources page.