Industry playbook
Transport & logistics operators
How transport operators automate truck-wise profit, freight billing and GST with hisabkitab
Consider a transport operator running a dozen trucks for manufacturers and traders on contract and spot routes. Every trip generates a lorry receipt, fuel, toll and driver advances, the trucks carry loans and frequent repair bills, and customers pay freight on long credit. Fuel and toll slips usually come back crumpled, days after the trip.
The challenges
Where freight income disappears
Profit per truck is a mystery
Fuel, tolls, driver allowances, tyres, repairs and loan instalments are booked in common ledgers. The owner knows the business is busy but cannot say which truck earns money and which one should be sold.
LR-wise billing
Each trip has a lorry receipt with consignor, consignee, weight, route and rate. Billing customers from a pile of LRs at month-end leads to missed trips, disputes over weight and slow collections.
Driver advances and cash
Drivers take cash advances for fuel, tolls and food on every trip and settle on return with a mix of bills and explanations. Without a running driver account, advances are never fully reconciled.
GTA GST choices
A goods transport agency can operate under reverse charge, where the business customer pays GST, or opt to charge GST itself under forward charge. Mixing the two, or applying the wrong one to a customer, causes return mismatches and disputes.
TDS on freight
Business customers often deduct income-tax TDS on freight unless the transporter qualifies for and furnishes the declaration that allows payment without it. Unreconciled TDS means money lost or locked up.
A day in the life
A day before vs after hisabkitab
Before
LRs are written by hand and bills prepared from them at month-end.
Fuel and toll slips are stuffed in the truck cabin and handed in weeks later.
Driver advances are noted in a diary and settled roughly.
The accountant spreads all truck costs across one expense ledger.
With hisabkitab
Each freight bill carries LR number, vehicle, route and weight as fields, with a freight formula.
Every expense is tagged to a vehicle cost centre, giving profit per truck.
Each driver has a ledger; advances and settlements post against it.
TDS deducted by customers is tracked on receipts, and ageing drives freight collections.
Solutions
How hisabkitab solves it
Unknown profit per truck
Cost centres (one per vehicle)
Tag freight income and every fuel, toll, repair and EMI entry to the vehicle. Reports by cost centre show profit per truck and per month.
LR-wise freight billing
Custom Field (Transaction level) + Formula
Capture LR No, vehicle, from-to, and weight on each bill; Freight = Weight (MT) × Rate per MT computes the amount, ready for consolidated monthly bills.
Driver advances
Driver ledgers + Custom Field (Ledger level, Advanced)
Give each driver a ledger, pay advances against it and settle with expenses on return. Ledger-level fields hold licence and contact details.
Fuel and toll volume
OCR Bank Statement Import (Advanced) + Mobile app
Import bank and card statements with AI classification, and capture fuel bills from the mobile app on the road.
TDS on freight
TDS Report
Track TDS deducted by customers on receipts and check it against your tax credit statement.
Slow freight collections
Customer Ageing + Auto-payment reminder
See freight dues by age and send automatic reminders.
Contract customers billed monthly
Recurring Invoice + Auto-mail
For fixed monthly contracts, Recurring Invoice raises the bill on schedule and Auto-mail delivers it, while spot trips are billed LR by LR.
Inside the software
Built for your books
Custom formula example
Freight = Weight (MT) × Rate per MT. Example: 24.5 MT × ₹1,450/MT = ₹35,525 for a Surat–Ahmedabad trip.
4-level grouping
Items/services: Freight → Full truck load → Route (Surat–Ahmedabad) → Vehicle class. Customers: Industry → City → Account manager → Consignor.
Reports you’ll use
Customer Ageing Report · TDS Report · Trading P&L · Cash/Bank Report · Ledger · GST Report
Compliance notes
Goods transport agencies can operate under reverse charge, where the registered recipient pays GST, or opt for forward charge and collect GST with input credit; the option and rates should be confirmed with your CA, especially after the 2025 changes. Customers may deduct TDS on freight unless you qualify for the small-transporter declaration. E-way bills are normally generated by the consignor, but you must carry them and update vehicle details when trucks change. Keep LR copies linked to each freight bill so disputes and audits are settled from the record.
Recommended plan
The plan that fits
Advanced
₹6,999/year, exclusive of 18% GST (or ₹13,999 for 3 years)
Vehicle cost centres for profit per truck, ledger-level driver fields and AI bank statement import for fuel and toll lines are on Advanced, alongside LR fields, freight formulas, Recurring Invoice and Auto-WhatsApp. A small operator who does not need profit per vehicle can start on Boost.
FAQs
Frequently asked questions
Can I see profit for each truck?
Yes. Create a cost centre for each vehicle and tag freight income and every fuel, toll, repair, tyre and loan entry to it. Reports by cost centre then show what each truck earned and spent, which helps decide routes, rates and which vehicle to replace first.
Can I bill freight by LR number?
Yes. Add LR No, vehicle number, route and weight as transaction-level fields and use the formula Freight = Weight × Rate. Each trip is recorded with full details, and customers who want monthly bills can be invoiced with every LR listed clearly.
How do I settle driver advances?
Give each driver a ledger. Record advances as payments to that ledger and, when the trip ends, record fuel, toll and other expenses against it. The driver's balance shows exactly what is still to be settled, trip after trip. Unsettled advances stand out on the ledger.
Should I charge GST on freight or not?
It depends on whether you operate under reverse charge or have opted for forward charge, and on who your customer is. hisabkitab can handle either treatment on your invoices once you decide, but the choice itself should be made with your CA.
Can I track TDS deducted on my freight?
Yes. Record TDS deducted by customers when you record their payments, and use the TDS Report to see totals by customer and quarter. Compare them with your tax credit statement so every rupee deducted is claimed in your income-tax return.
Know what every truck earns
Book a demo and we will set up vehicle cost centres, LR-wise freight billing and driver ledgers using a few of your own trips.
