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Delivery driver app with proof of delivery and Xero

A delivery round app gives each driver the day’s stops in order, with what to deliver and collect at each one. Drivers record a signature or photo at every drop, and delivered orders become draft invoices in Xero for the office to check.

An example of how the studio would build it. No live services are connected.

From the day’s orders to a round with proof at every drop.

  1. Step 01

    Orders gathered

    Confirmed orders for the day are gathered with each customer’s address, delivery notes and opening times.

  2. Step 02

    Round planned

    Google Maps suggests an order for the drops, and a person adjusts it for anything only they know, such as a pub that opens late.

  3. Step 03

    Driver follows round

    The driver sees each drop in turn, with directions, contact details and what to deliver or collect, such as empty kegs or crates.

  4. Step 04

    Delivery confirmed

    At each drop the driver records a signature or photo and notes any shortages, returns or refusals.

  5. Step 05

    Invoice prepared

    Delivered orders, with any changes, become draft invoices in Xero for a person to check and approve.

The result

Drivers know their round, and the office knows what was delivered.

Invoices are created as drafts and only sent after a person approves them. A delivery recorded twice, for example after a weak signal, is matched to the same order rather than counted again.

Before we connect it.

Where this is useful

Useful for breweries, bakeries, dairies, laundries and wholesalers that deliver to local trade customers on regular rounds, where paper delivery notes come back crumpled or not at all. A sensible first version covers the round sheet and proof of delivery, with invoices still raised by the office as they are today.

What we need to connect

  1. 01Where your orders live, such as a spreadsheet, an online shop or your own system, and how they are confirmed each day.
  2. 02Customer addresses, delivery notes and opening times, plus Google Maps Platform access for directions and suggested routes.
  3. 03Xero access to create draft invoices, the items and prices to use and how shortages and returns should be recorded.

What needs careful handling

Rural roads and cellars often have no signal, so the app stores each delivery on the phone and sends it when the connection returns. Drivers sometimes swap drops or take extra stock, so the app records what was actually delivered rather than what was planned. Returnable containers such as kegs and crates are tracked against each customer, so deposits and stock counts stay accurate.

Questions people ask.

Can drivers use their own phones?

They can, on iPhone or Android, but a company phone in each van is often simpler for security and support. Either way, drivers only see the rounds assigned to them.

Isn’t there off-the-shelf software for this?

There is, and for larger fleets it may be the right choice. A custom app suits smaller operations with particular needs, such as keg returns or orders from several sources, that don’t fit a standard delivery product.

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