Shipments
A shipment groups one or more outbound batches that leave together for a buyer, transported by a carrier. Each shipment gets a unique number of the form EX-1, EX-2, EX-3…
A shipment is created with the Draft status: you add batches to it, complete their weights and choose, for each batch, the valorization it leaves with. When the load leaves the plant, you click Ship: the shipment moves to the Shipped status, its batches to the Shipped status, they leave inventory and nothing can be changed any more.
Before you start
- Permission: you need the Shipments permission (Operations group). To create an outbound batch from a shipment, you also need the Outbound batches permission. See Roles and permissions.
- Partners: there must be at least one active partner of type Client (the buyer) and one active partner of type Carrier. See Partners.
- Default valorizations (recommended): in the Material and valorization tab of the buyer's record, an administrator can set the valorization to use for each material. RecyTrax uses it to fill in the batches' valorization automatically. See Partners and Valorizations.
- Outbound batches: the batches to ship must exist and have the Open status. If none is available, you can create one from the shipment.
View the list of shipments
In the left-hand menu, click Shipments. The list shows the most recent shipments first, 50 per page. On a phone, each shipment is shown as a card.
| Column | Content |
|---|---|
| Shipment no. | The shipment number (EX-…). |
| Buyer | The partner receiving the goods. |
| Carrier | The partner transporting the goods. |
| Transport note no. | The number entered, or -. |
| Batches | The number of outbound batches on the shipment. |
| Weight (kg) | The sum of the batches' weights (each batch's Weight (kg) field, packagings not deducted). |
| Status | Draft or Shipped. |
- Click a row, or the pencil icon (Edit), to open the shipment.
- Click the Shipment no., Buyer, Carrier, Transport note no. or Status header to sort the list.
Search and filter
- Search by shipment no., partner or transport note: type part of the shipment number, the buyer's name, the carrier's name or the transport note number. The search ignores case and accents.
- All statuses: limit the list to Draft or Shipped shipments.
Create a shipment
- In the left-hand menu, click Shipments.
- Click New shipment, at the top right of the list.
- In Buyer, choose the partner receiving the goods.
- In Carrier, choose the partner transporting the goods.
- If needed, enter the Transport note no..
- Click Save.
The Saved successfully message appears and the page stays open. The title shows the number given (for example Shipment EX-7) and the Draft status. Three elements appear:
- the Ship button, at the top of the page;
- the Outbound batches section, below the information, with the Add a batch button;
- the History panel, on the right (or below, on a small screen).
Batches can only be added once the shipment is saved: the Outbound batches section does not appear on a new shipment.
Edit the shipment's information
As long as the shipment is Draft:
- In the Shipments list, click the shipment's row (or the pencil icon).
- Change the Buyer, the Carrier or the Transport note no..
- Click Save.
The Saved successfully message appears and the page stays open. Changing the buyer affects the batches' valorizations: see the Change the buyer section, further down.
Add batches to the shipment
- Open the shipment (Draft status).
- In the Outbound batches section, click Add a batch.
- The Add a batch window lists all outbound batches with the Open status, all materials included, with their Batch no., Material, Weight (kg) and Location.
- Click Add on the row of each batch to load. The batch disappears from the window and appears in the shipment's table. The window stays open so you can add more.
- Click Close.
When a batch is added:
- it moves to the Assigned status;
- its Valorization is filled with the buyer's default valorization for its material, or left empty if the buyer has none for that material.
Only Open batches, that is, on no other shipment, are offered. A batch can only be on one shipment at a time. It does not need to be in inventory: Not in inventory batches are offered too.
Create an outbound batch from the shipment
When no open batch is available, the window shows "No open outbound batch is available." and, if you have the Outbound batches permission, the Create an outbound batch button.
- Click Create an outbound batch.
- In Material, choose the batch's material.
- If needed, choose the Packaging in the list, or scan its label with the QR code button next to it.
- If you chose a packaging, enter the Packaging weight (kg).
- Click Create and add.
The message "Batch LS-15 was created and added to the shipment." appears (with the new batch's number). The batch is created with a weight of 0: enter its weight in the shipment's table. The location and comment are entered on the batch's page.
If the batch is created but adding it to the shipment fails, the batch still exists: it has the Open status and appears in the list of available batches. Add it again.
Complete the weights and valorizations
The table in the Outbound batches section (with the number of batches, for example "3 batch(es)") shows the shipment's batches:
| Column | Content | Editable on a Draft shipment |
|---|---|---|
| Batch no. | The batch number, as a link to its page. | — |
| Material | The batch's material. | No |
| Weight (kg) | The batch's weight. | Yes |
| Pack. weight (kg) | The weight of the batch's packaging. Shows - if the batch has no packaging. | Yes, if the batch has a packaging |
| Net weight (kg) | Weight (kg) less Pack. weight (kg). Calculated and display-only; it shows in red when negative. | No |
| Valorization | The valorization the batch leaves with. | Yes |
| X icon | Take off the shipment. | — |
A Total row adds up the Weight (kg), Pack. weight (kg) and Net weight (kg) columns.
Enter a weight
- Click in the batch's Weight (kg) or Pack. weight (kg) box.
- Enter the value.
- Press Enter, or leave the box (Tab key or click elsewhere).
The weight is saved straight away: there is no need to click Save. Press Esc before leaving the box to go back to the saved value. An empty or negative box is outlined in red and is not saved.
The weight entered here is the batch's own weight: the batch's page shows the same value.
Choose the valorization
- In the batch's Valorization column, open the list.
- Choose the valorization (or - for none).
The choice is saved straight away. If you choose a valorization different from the buyer's default valorization for that material, the Changed badge appears next to it; hovering over it reads "Differs from the buyer's default valorization for this material."
If the buyer has no default valorization for the material, the box stays empty (-): you must choose a valorization before shipping.
Take a batch off the shipment
Click the X icon (Take off the shipment) at the end of the batch's row. It is immediate, with no confirmation:
- the batch goes back to the Open status and becomes available for another shipment;
- its valorization is cleared;
- its location does not change.
Change the buyer
If you change the Buyer of a Draft shipment that already holds batches, the message "Changing the buyer re-applies its default valorizations to every batch." appears under the field.
When you click Save, each batch receives the new buyer's default valorization for its material, replacing choices made by hand, or an empty valorization if the new buyer has none for that material. Check the Valorization column before shipping.
Ship
When the load leaves the plant:
- Check that every batch has a Weight (kg) above 0 and a Valorization.
- Click Ship, at the top of the page.
- In the Are you sure? window ("Ship EX-7? The shipment and its batches can no longer be changed, and the batches leave inventory."), click Ship.
The The shipment was shipped. message appears. Then:
- the shipment moves to the Shipped status; the date, time and user are recorded and appear in the History (Shipped, "by …");
- each batch moves to the Shipped status and leaves inventory (its location becomes Not in inventory);
- the shipment and its batches become read-only: the Save, Ship, Add a batch and Take off the shipment buttons disappear, and weights and valorizations can no longer be changed;
- the shipped batches are counted, on the shipping date, in the Outbound materials report, in the Mass balance and on the dashboard. A batch that has not been shipped yet does not appear there.
If you changed the buyer, the carrier or the transport note number without clicking Save, Ship saves those changes first.
A shipped shipment can be neither cancelled, changed nor deleted. Check the batches, weights and valorizations before confirming.
Checks before departure
RecyTrax refuses to ship in the following cases:
| Situation | Message shown |
|---|---|
| The shipment holds no batch | "Add at least one batch before shipping." |
| One or more batches weigh 0 | "These batches have a weight of 0: LS-3, LS-8." |
| One or more batches have no valorization | "These batches have no valorization: LS-5." |
If the last two problems occur together, both sentences are shown in the same message, so you can fix everything in one go.
A Net weight (kg) shown in red (packaging heavier than the batch's weight) does not prevent shipping. It is nonetheless a likely sign of a data-entry error: correct the weight or the packaging weight before shipping.
Delete a shipment
Only a Draft shipment can be deleted, from the list.
- In the Shipments list, click the bin icon (Delete) on the row.
- In the Are you sure? window ("Delete shipment EX-7? Its batches become available again."), click Yes.
The Deleted successfully message appears. The shipment's batches go back to the Open status, their valorization is cleared and their location does not change.
For a Shipped shipment, the bin icon is greyed out; hovering over it shows "A shipped shipment can't be deleted". A deleted shipment's number is never reused.
Fields
| Field | Description | Required |
|---|---|---|
| Buyer | The partner receiving the goods. The list offers active partners of type Client; a shipment keeps its buyer even if it is deactivated later. Its default valorizations fill in those of the batches. | Yes |
| Carrier | The partner transporting the goods. The list offers active partners of type Carrier; a shipment keeps its carrier even if it is deactivated later. | Yes |
| Transport note no. | The number of the transport document accompanying the load, up to 64 characters. It is used in the search and appears in the Outbound materials report. | No |
Required fields are marked with a red asterisk. An empty required field is outlined in red as soon as you leave it or try to save.
The shipment has no dates other than those in the History: Created (creation date and user) and Shipped (date and time of departure, and the user who clicked Ship).
Documents
RecyTrax does not produce a transport note or any other document for a shipment: the shipment's page has no print button. Enter the number of the document you use in Transport note no.. To label the batches themselves, print their identification corner from the batch's page.
Statuses
| Status | Meaning | What triggers it |
|---|---|---|
| Draft | The shipment is being prepared: information, batches, weights and valorizations can be changed. It can be deleted. | Creating the shipment. |
| Shipped | The load has left. The shipment and its batches are read-only. | The Ship button. |
Effect on the outbound batches:
| Action on the shipment | Batch status |
|---|---|
| Add a batch | Open → Assigned |
| Take a batch off, or delete the shipment | Assigned → Open (valorization cleared) |
| Ship | Assigned → Shipped (out of inventory) |
For an overview of all RecyTrax statuses, see Statuses.
Rules and error messages
| Situation | Message shown |
|---|---|
| No buyer chosen | "The buyer is required." |
| No carrier chosen | "The carrier is required." |
| The chosen buyer was deactivated, deleted or is not of type Client | "This partner no longer exists, is inactive or is not a Client." |
| The chosen carrier was deactivated, deleted or is not of type Carrier | "This partner no longer exists, is inactive or is not a Carrier." |
| Any change to a shipment already shipped (for example, shipped by a colleague while you had the page open) | "This shipment is shipped and can no longer be changed." |
| The batch was added to another shipment in the meantime | "This batch is already on a shipment." |
| The batch was taken off the shipment in the meantime | "This batch is not on this shipment." |
| The chosen valorization was deleted in the meantime | "This valorization type no longer exists." |
| Empty weight | "The weight is required." |
| Negative weight | "Weight can't be negative." |
| Negative packaging weight | "The packaging weight can't be negative." |
| Empty packaging weight for a batch that has a packaging | "The packaging weight is mandatory when a packaging is selected." |
| The shipment was deleted by another user | "This shipment no longer exists." |
The messages that prevent shipping are described above, in the Checks before departure section.
Frequently asked questions
I can't see the Add a batch button.
Either the shipment is not saved yet (click Save first), or it is already Shipped and can no longer be changed.
A batch doesn't appear in the Add a batch window.
The window only offers batches with the Open status. In Outbound batches, check the batch's status: if it is Assigned, the Shipment column shows which shipment it is on; take it off that shipment to be able to add it to yours. A Shipped batch can no longer be added.
Why is a batch's valorization empty?
The buyer has no default valorization for this batch's material. Choose it in the Valorization column, or ask an administrator to set it in the Material and valorization tab of the buyer's record for future shipments.
I changed the buyer and my valorizations changed.
This is intended: on saving, each batch takes the new buyer's default valorization for its material, even if you had changed it by hand. Make your choices again if needed before shipping.
What does the Changed badge mean?
The valorization chosen for this batch differs from the buyer's default valorization for its material. This is allowed; the badge simply points it out.
Do I need to click Save after entering weights or valorizations?
No. Weights are saved as soon as you leave the box or press Enter, and the valorization as soon as you choose it. Save only applies to the buyer, the carrier and the transport note number.
A batch's net weight shows in red.
The packaging weight is greater than the batch's weight. Check both values: you may have entered the net weight instead of the weight weighed with the packaging.
Can I cancel a shipment that has already been shipped?
No. The shipment and its batches are permanently read-only. That is why RecyTrax asks for confirmation before shipping.
Can I print a transport note from RecyTrax?
No. RecyTrax does not generate a document for the shipment. Enter your transport note number in Transport note no.: it will appear in the Outbound materials report.
Do batches need to be in inventory to be shipped?
No. A Not in inventory batch can be added to a shipment and shipped. On shipping, all batches leave inventory.
I added a batch to the wrong shipment.
As long as the shipment is Draft, click the X icon (Take off the shipment) on the batch's row, then add it to the right shipment.