POD
A POD, or proof of delivery, is the document that shows the freight was delivered, usually signed by the receiver.
Last updated 11 October 2026.
Delivered is not done. Billed is done, and you cannot bill a clean load without the POD.
It may be a signed bill of lading, a photo of the paperwork, or a receiver's stamp with the date and time. The useful one names the load and shows who accepted the freight. A blurry photo with no load number is the one billing loses an afternoon matching.
Shortages and damage belong on it. A clean signature and a signature that says two pallets were short are different documents. The claim starts from that note, not from a recollection a week later.
Carriers send PODs late, send them to the wrong inbox, or send them to a personal phone. Ask, wait, ask again, then escalate. Then match the paper to this load, not to a load with a similar number from last week.
FreightScout collects the POD, matches it to the load, and waits for your approval before the note is written. The invoice goes out with the POD attached when the match is there. A paper that does not match waits. How FreightScout processes PODs.
Questions people actually ask
Why does billing wait on a POD?
The shipper invoice and the carrier payable both depend on proof the freight was accepted. Without it, the load is delivered on the road and still open in the office.
What if the receiver notes a shortage on the POD?
Treat that as a different document from a clean signature. The shortage note is where a claim starts. FreightScout does not invent a delivery time or a piece count.