What is the Bill of Lading (BOL)?
A bill of lading (BOL) is a legal agreement serving as a contract between the shipper and the carrier. The paperwork outlines the terms and conditions and acts a receipt for the shipment of goods. All shipment details, including freight details, bill-to party, addresses, and services, are included on the document.
For less-than-truckload shipments, a BOL serves as a waybill, indicating pickup and delivery of a shipment. The document outlines the shipment details, bill-to information, services required, and more. The document also acts as a receipt for goods delivered.
The Importance of a BOL
The document is essential for all parties in the shipment: the shipper, consignee, third-party, and carrier. It serves as a record of the shipments condition and acts as evidence in case of any claims or legal disputes. In addition, the document is required by law for all commercial shipments in the United States, making it necessary to document for any shipper or carrier to have.
Creating the Document
The responsibility of the Bill of Lading is on the shipper in all cases. While a Third-Party or Consignee may forward the BOL, the shipper is responsible for handing the Bill of Lading to the carrier. Make sure to have all accurate information prior to creating the document. This includes accurate freight details, addresses, and other information to avoid unnecessary recharges.
The document is a uniform document with industry standards.
Shipping Document Management
Managing of shipping documents is very important in the shipping industry. It is recommended to keep shipping documents for a minimum of seven years. The reason for this length of time is to have record if any issues pop up within the time range. Bill of Ladings, Proof of Deliveries, Rate Confirmations, and other documents are crucial in issue resolution with carriers.
Document Creation
One way to streamline creating a document is by utilizing a transportation management system, like ViewPoint. The freight system will automatically generate documents for you based on the shipment information. Eliminating the need to manually create and avoid errors in the creation process.
Document Storage
Transportation Management Systems is the preferred method to store shipping documents as well. A system like ViewPoint allows shippers to pull documents from specific shipments or reference numbers. This gives easy access to the documents for issue resolution.
Download a Blank Template for Bill of Lading
At TLI, our goal is to provide shippers with the resources they require. Download our complimentary editable bill of lading for use in your next shipment. Reach out to us if you need any assistance or feel that ViewPoint document creation may be a fit for you.