Despatch

The Despatch module manages the process of grouping pallets for outbound shipment, recording transport details, and confirming a load has left the facility. On confirmation, Commander4j can generate a Despatch Advice (DESADV) message for transmission to a customer or ERP system.

Overview

A Despatch record links a set of pallets (identified by their SSCC barcodes) to a shipment, recording where the goods are moving from and to, along with transport details such as trailer number and haulier. Despatches move through two statuses:

Status	Meaning
Unconfirmed	The despatch is being built. Pallets can be added or removed. Details can be edited.
Confirmed	The despatch has been finalised and the load has departed. No further changes are permitted.

Interfaces

Despatch functionality is available through two interfaces:

Desktop Application

The desktop Despatch screen provides full functionality including search, edit, pallet management, reporting, and access to historical confirmed despatches. It is suited to office-based staff and logistics coordinators.

Web Scanner Interface (c4j_web_react)

The web scanner interface is designed for warehouse operatives loading vehicles. Using a handheld barcode scanner or tablet, an operator can create a despatch, scan pallets onto it, and confirm the load — without leaving the loading bay.

Web Scanner Workflow

Step 1 — Create or Select a Despatch

From the menu the operator can either:

Create a new despatch, which generates a unique despatch number automatically.
Select an existing unconfirmed despatch to continue adding pallets.

Step 2 — Enter Despatch Details

The Despatch Header screen displays the current despatch number and the following editable fields:

Field	Description
From Location	The location pallets are being despatched from (dropdown)
To Location	The destination location (dropdown)
Trailer	Trailer or vehicle reference (optional)
Haulier	Haulier or carrier name (optional)
Load No	Load or booking reference (optional)
Journey Ref	Journey reference number (optional)
Assigned Pallet Count	Read-only count of pallets currently assigned to this despatch

The From and To Location dropdowns are populated from the locations defined in Commander4j. Changes to these fields are saved to the database each time the operator navigates away from the header screen.

Step 3 — Add Pallets

Selecting Add SSCC takes the operator to the pallet scanning screen. Here the operator:

Selects Add or Remove mode using the radio buttons.
Scans the SSCC barcode on the pallet.
Submits — the pallet is assigned to (or removed from) the despatch and the assigned count updates.

The operator can scan multiple pallets one after another and returns to the header screen when loading is complete.

Step 4 — Confirm the Despatch

Selecting Confirm Despatch from the header screen shows a confirmation prompt. The operator can optionally tick Print STN on Confirm to print a Shipping Transaction Note at the point of confirmation.

On selecting Yes:

The despatch status changes from Unconfirmed to Confirmed.
If the print option was selected, the STN is sent to the configured printer.
The despatch number is cleared from the session and the operator returns to the menu.

Once confirmed, a despatch cannot be edited through the web interface. Any corrections must be made through the desktop application.

Cancelling

The operator can exit the despatch at any point before confirmation by selecting Exit or No. The despatch record remains in Unconfirmed status and can be retrieved and continued later.

Despatch Advice Output

On confirmation of a despatch, Commander4j can generate an outbound Despatch Advice message (DESADV) in EANCOM format for transmission to the customer or a connected ERP system. This is configured through the Interface Admin screen.

Printing

A Shipping Transaction Note (STN) can be printed either from the header screen (Print STN button) or automatically at the point of confirmation. Print output is directed to the printer configured for the current user or workstation.