Indian Logistics Glossary
Common terms, documents, and concepts in the Indian transport sector explained in simple words.
GR (Goods Receipt)
A legal document issued by a transporter acknowledging receipt of goods for shipment. It serves as an official contract of carriage, detailing terms, freight rates, and party names. TSM by Expendifii creates and manages GRs digitally.
LR (Lorry Receipt)
Same as GR — used interchangeably in the Indian transport industry. It outlines the freight, consignor, consignee, and vehicle information. In manual systems, it consists of a driver copy, consigner copy, and consignee copy.
POD (Proof of Delivery)
A signed document or delivery acknowledgment confirming that goods were delivered to the consignee in satisfactory condition. Essential for releasing transportation payments and completing the job loop.
E-way Bill
An electronic document required under the GST regime for the movement of goods worth over ₹50,000 between states or within a state. TSM allows you to save the E-way bill details alongside your GR record for seamless auditing.
Consignor (Consigner)
The sender of the goods being shipped. They are the billing party responsible for hiring the transporter. Consignor details (Name, phone, GSTIN, address) are mandatory on every GR form.
Consignee
The recipient of the goods being transported. Their details are recorded on the GR to verify who is authorised to sign the Proof of Delivery (POD) upon vehicle arrival.
Freight
The charge or cost paid to a transporter for moving goods from one destination to another. Freight calculations in TSM support box rates, weight rates, or flat trip rates.
Dispatch / Transit
The stage in the logistics cycle where a vehicle is loaded, documentation is verified, and the shipment is actively traveling from point of origin to destination.
Fleet Management
The coordination of a company's transport vehicles. Includes vehicle tracking, maintenance, dispatch schedules, and driver assignments to keep operational costs low.
Transport Management System (TMS)
A software platform designed to automate and optimise logistics operations. Simplifies document generation (GR/LR), record lookup, driver communication, and invoices.