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The eCMR (or electronic consignment note) is a digital solution that has been widely developed in the health context of the pandemic, enabling drivers to do away with the need to fill in consignment notes by hand in paper format.
Today, the electronic CMR facilitates the digitization of road transport. It is valid in some European countries. For instance, the eCMR can be found in the Benelux countries, as the test has been extended regarding it use.
What is eCMR?
The consignment note is a formal document that harmonizes the general conditions of a road transport assignment.
Today, this transport document can be presented in digital format. This is known as the "electronic consignment note" or "eCMR". It can be used not only as a proof of delivery, but also as a contract of carriage between the carrier, the shipper and the freight forwarder.
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More precisely, the terms CMR or eCMR are also used to designate the international consignment note as referred to in the 1956 Geneva Convention concerning the International Carriage of Goods by Road. In addition, the Additional Protocol to the CMR Convention considerably facilitates the movement of goods from one country to another.
How do I create an electronic consignment note (eCMR)?
You have to engage with a company that provides this service.
With the Dashdoc application, it's easy to create a digital consignment note, whether on a smartphone or tablet. And because it's so intuitive to use, carriers can generate their eCMRs in the blink of an eye.
All you need to do is enter the information defined in the decree of November 9, 1999 on transport and rental documents. Article 2 of this decree stipulates that the electronic version of the consignment note must specify the following points for national transport:
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Date of first delivery ;
Date and time of start of transport operation;
Name and address of the company in charge of transport;
Name and address of the first principal (if different from the company responsible for delivery);
Name and address of final consignee (if different from company responsible for delivery);
Nature of goods transported;
First and last place of loading.
For international shipments, the digitized consignment note must include :
Date and place of issue;
Name and address of the principal;
Name and address of consignee;
Date and place of goods acceptance and place of delivery;
Nature of goods and packaging (for dangerous goods, please indicate their known name);
Weight or quantity of goods;
Information on transport costs (freight charges, customs duties, etc.);
Instructions for customs formalities;
Proof that the shipment is (or is not) subject to this convention.
What are the main benefits of eCMR?
Here's a look back at how Fabrice Grandgirard, MAUFFREY's General Operations Manager, uses Dashdoc:
"The application is very intuitive, we receive our missions on the application, we know what we have to do during our day and afterwards, we arrive at the customer's premises, we sign in. All we have to do is fill in a few details, like the weight, the number of pallets, etc. We validate with the customer, send him the consignment note directly by e-mail, and then we can get on with our day."
Significant time savings
The digital consignment note saves time and boosts productivity through a single entry of information. This eliminates the need to constantly transfer available data to the TMS (Transport Management System).
In addition to instantaneous feedback to the client, eCMR enables rapid invoicing of the customer once the goods have been delivered, thanks to the electronic signature.
Real-time transport traceability
The digital consignment note makes it possible to track goods in real time, and above all to report incidents in real time. For insurance and liability purposes, the eCMR becomes indispensable.
Secure transport documents
With its time-stamping and electronic signature, the digital consignment note is difficult to falsify. As a result, it enables better monitoring of archiving, with no risk of loss or deterioration, as is sometimes the case with paper documents. It's a great way to combat fraud and illegal employment.
Please note: although it can be dematerialized, the consignment note is one of the transport documents that must be carried on board the transport vehicle.
Optimized administrative management
eCMR optimizes administrative management costs. Today, we're clearly moving towards the "paperless" objective, and this reduces ink, paper and postage costs. In the long term, this represents significant savings for transport operators.
Shortly, eCMR brings significant benefits in terms of reduced administrative costs, improved traceability, data security and time savings, making it an attractive option for players in the freight transport sector.
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eCMR, WMS, TMS, Time Slot Booking... each problem has its own tool solution. The digitalization of the transport sector is clearly on its way to make daily tasks for carriers and shippers easier !
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