Zoho implementation for Courier and Last-Mile Delivery
Zoho for courier and last-mile delivery: manage bookings, pickups, delivery runs, proof of delivery and COD reconciliation.
Business process workflow
How courier and last-mile delivery work flows in Zoho
Manage bookings, pickups, delivery runs, proof of delivery and COD reconciliation.
Common problems we fix
- COD cash is reconciled manually
- Customers call for tracking
- Rider performance is not measured
The process, step by step
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Zoho AnalyticsDepartment by department
How every department of a courier and last-mile delivery business works in Zoho
A courier or last-mile company picks up parcels, sorts them at hubs, delivers them through riders and remits cash on delivery back to shippers. In Zoho, business development, pickup, hub operations, delivery, fleet, customer support, finance and HR work on one shipper account and one AWB, so every parcel can be traced and billed.
How the departments hand work to each other
Each arrow is a handover. Because every team works on the same Zoho records, the next department picks up the work without re-entering it.
- 1Business Development to First Mile and Pickup: Onboarded shipper with pickup addresses and timings
- 2Business Development to Finance and Accounts: Rate card and billing cycle
- 3First Mile and Pickup to Hub and Sorting: Picked parcels with AWB and weight
- 4Hub and Sorting to Last Mile Delivery: Bags received at delivery centre
- 5Hub and Sorting to Fleet and Vendors: Line haul trips run and vehicle issues
- 6Last Mile Delivery to Finance and Accounts: COD collected and deposited per day
- 7Last Mile Delivery to Customer Support: Failed delivery cases needing customer contact
- 8Fleet and Vendors to Finance and Accounts: Approved vendor bills
- 9Customer Support to Last Mile Delivery: Reattempts and address changes
- 10Customer Support to Finance and Accounts: Approved claims to credit
- 11Finance and Accounts to Management and Reporting: Revenue, cost per shipment and COD position
- 12HR and Payroll to Finance and Accounts: Payroll and rider earnings summary
- 13Management and Reporting to Business Development: Lanes and regions to grow or reprice
Each department in detail
Open a department to see its workflow, its own entity diagram, who does the work, what needs approval, the reports it watches and what it hands over.
Business DevelopmentSigns up shippers such as e-commerce sellers and businesses with agreed rate cards and service areas.
Workflow
- 1
Capture shipper leads
Seller sign-ups, enterprise enquiries and referrals become CRM leads with monthly volume and lanes.
- 2
Check serviceability
Pickup and delivery pincodes are checked against the network to confirm coverage and TAT.
- 3
Agree the rate card
Weight slabs, zones, COD charges, RTO charges and fuel surcharge are agreed and stored on the account.
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Sign and onboard
The service agreement is signed, KYC is collected, and the shipper gets API or panel access.
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Grow the account
Volume, lane mix and complaints are reviewed monthly to find upsell or retention risks.
Zoho Forms
Zoho SalesIQ
Zoho SignEntity diagram: Business Development
The records this team creates and updates, their key fields, and how they link.
- Zoho CRM
- Zoho Creator
- Zoho Sign
Read the relationships as text
- Shipper priced by Rate Card (1:N)
- Shipper signs Agreement (1:1)
- Rate Card covers Lane (N:N)
Who does the work
- Sales executive
- Key account manager
- Sales head
Approvals and controls
- Rate cards below the floor price need the sales head
- Shippers with high RTO history need credit and operations approval
Reports they watch
- New shippers and volume added
- Revenue by shipper and lane
- Shippers with falling volume
Hands over to
- First Mile and Pickup: Onboarded shipper with pickup addresses and timings
- Finance and Accounts: Rate card and billing cycle
First Mile and PickupCollects parcels from shippers on time and gets them scanned into the network.
Workflow
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Receive manifests
Shippers create orders by API or panel, and AWB numbers and pickup requests are generated.
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Scan at pickup
Riders scan each parcel, record weight and photos, and flag missing or damaged items.
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Zoho FlowEntity diagram: First Mile and Pickup
The records this team creates and updates, their key fields, and how they link.
- Zoho Creator
Read the relationships as text
- Pickup Request contains Shipment (1:N)
- Pickup Run covers Pickup Request (1:N)
Who does the work
- Pickup rider
- Pickup supervisor
Approvals and controls
- Parcels with weight above declared slab are flagged for re-billing
Reports they watch
- Pickup success rate by shipper
- Parcels picked by rider
- Weight discrepancy cases
Hands over to
- Hub and Sorting: Picked parcels with AWB and weight
Hub and SortingSorts and moves parcels between hubs on the right line haul so they reach the delivery centre on time.
Workflow
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Inbound scan
Bags and parcels are scanned in, and shortages against the manifest are raised at once.
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Sort by destination
Parcels are sorted to destination hub or delivery centre and bagged with a bag tag.
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Connect line haul
Bags are loaded on the scheduled vehicle and the connection manifest is closed.
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Handle exceptions
Damaged, misrouted and short parcels are logged with photos and investigated.
Zoho DeskEntity diagram: Hub and Sorting
The records this team creates and updates, their key fields, and how they link.
- Zoho Creator
Read the relationships as text
- Bag loaded on Line Haul Trip (1:N)
- Bag may raise Hub Exception (1:N)
Who does the work
- Hub in-charge
- Sorter
- Line haul coordinator
Approvals and controls
- Vehicles leave only after the connection manifest is closed
- Lost parcel declarations need the regional manager
Reports they watch
- Connection adherence by route
- Hub exceptions by type
- Parcels dwelling over 24 hours
Hands over to
- Last Mile Delivery: Bags received at delivery centre
- Fleet and Vendors: Line haul trips run and vehicle issues
Last Mile DeliveryDelivers parcels to the doorstep, collects COD and returns undelivered parcels to shippers.
Workflow
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Build delivery runs
Parcels at the delivery centre are assigned to riders by beat with an out-for-delivery scan.
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Deliver with proof
Riders capture OTP, signature or photo as proof of delivery and collect COD by cash or UPI.
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Record failed attempts
Failed deliveries are logged with a reason, and the customer and shipper are updated.
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Close the run
At the end of the day, cash is handed over and undelivered parcels are scanned back in.
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Process RTO
Parcels that reach the attempt limit are returned to origin and the shipper is charged as agreed.
Entity diagram: Last Mile Delivery
The records this team creates and updates, their key fields, and how they link.
- Zoho Creator
Read the relationships as text
- Delivery Run includes Delivery Attempt (1:N)
- Delivery Run closed by COD Handover (1:1)
- Delivery Attempt may become RTO Case (1:1)
Who does the work
- Delivery rider
- Delivery centre manager
- Cash officer
Approvals and controls
- Short COD at handover is recorded against the rider and reviewed by the centre manager
- RTO is triggered only after the agreed number of attempts
Reports they watch
- First attempt delivery rate
- COD collected versus expected by rider
- Failed delivery reasons
Hands over to
- Finance and Accounts: COD collected and deposited per day
- Customer Support: Failed delivery cases needing customer contact
Fleet and VendorsRuns owned and hired vehicles for line haul and pickup, and pays vehicle vendors correctly.
Workflow
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Maintain vehicle records
Vehicles are listed with registration, permits, insurance and fitness dates.
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Contract hired vehicles
Market and dedicated vehicles are hired at agreed rates per trip or month.
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Track trips and fuel
Trips, kilometres and fuel are logged and compared with the route standard.
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Pay vehicle vendors
Trip sheets are approved and vendor bills paid against them.
Zoho ContractsEntity diagram: Fleet and Vendors
The records this team creates and updates, their key fields, and how they link.
- Zoho Creator
- Zoho Contracts
Read the relationships as text
- Vendor Contract supplies Vehicle (1:N)
- Vehicle logs Trip Sheet (1:N)
Who does the work
- Fleet manager
- Fleet coordinator
Approvals and controls
- Trip sheets with kilometres above route standard need the fleet manager
- Vehicles with expired documents are blocked from trips
Reports they watch
- Cost per kilometre by route
- Vehicle documents expiring
- Vendor trip payments pending
Hands over to
- Finance and Accounts: Approved vendor bills
Customer SupportAnswers shipper and receiver queries and settles lost, damaged and delay claims.
Workflow
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Trace the parcel
Agents see the scan history and contact the hub or rider to resolve the issue.
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Reattempt or reroute
Address corrections and reattempt requests are pushed to the delivery centre.
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Settle claims
Lost or damaged parcel claims are checked against declared value and liability terms.
Entity diagram: Customer Support
The records this team creates and updates, their key fields, and how they link.
- Zoho Desk
- Zoho Creator
Read the relationships as text
- Ticket may raise Claim (1:1)
- Ticket may request Reattempt (1:N)
Who does the work
- Support agent
- Claims executive
Approvals and controls
- Claims above the set value need the regional manager
Reports they watch
- Tickets by type and age
- Claims paid against revenue
- Repeat queries by shipper
Hands over to
- Last Mile Delivery: Reattempts and address changes
- Finance and Accounts: Approved claims to credit
Finance and AccountsBills shippers from delivered and RTO volumes, remits COD to shippers and pays vendors.
Workflow
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Bill shippers
Freight invoices are built from shipments by weight slab and zone, with GST in India or VAT in the UAE.
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Reconcile COD
Cash and UPI collected at centres is matched with AWBs and bank deposits.
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Remit COD to shippers
COD is remitted on the agreed cycle, net of freight where agreed, with a remittance statement.
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Pay vendors and riders
Vehicle vendors, franchise partners and gig riders are paid against approved sheets.
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Close the month
Revenue, claims and cost per shipment are reported by region.
Entity diagram: Finance and Accounts
The records this team creates and updates, their key fields, and how they link.
- Zoho Books
Read the relationships as text
- Bank Deposit funds COD Remittance (N:N)
- Freight Invoice netted in COD Remittance (N:N)
- Vendor Payment paid from Bank Deposit (N:N)
Who does the work
- Billing executive
- COD reconciliation analyst
- Finance manager
Approvals and controls
- COD remittances are released only after reconciliation
- Credit notes for claims need the finance manager
Reports they watch
- COD pending remittance by shipper
- Unreconciled cash by centre
- Cost per shipment by region
Hands over to
- Management and Reporting: Revenue, cost per shipment and COD position
HR and PayrollHires and pays riders, sorters and hub staff, including per-delivery incentives.
Workflow
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Hire riders
Riders and sorters are hired in bulk with licence, ID and police verification.
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Onboard and train
Safety, app use, COD handling and customer etiquette training is recorded.
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Track shifts
Hub shifts and rider attendance are recorded with check-in on the app.
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Pay wages and incentives
Salary or per-delivery pay is worked out and paid through Zoho Payroll where it is available, or your local payroll provider.
Zoho Recruit
Zoho People
Zoho Learn
Zoho Shifts
Zoho PayrollEntity diagram: HR and Payroll
The records this team creates and updates, their key fields, and how they link.
- Zoho People
- Zoho Creator
- Zoho Shifts
- Zoho Payroll
Read the relationships as text
- Employee earns Rider Earnings (1:N)
- Employee works Shift (1:N)
- Employee paid by Payslip (1:N)
Who does the work
- HR executive
- Payroll executive
Approvals and controls
- Riders start only after verification and training are complete
Reports they watch
- Rider attrition by centre
- Deliveries per rider per day
- Incentive cost per shipment
Hands over to
- Finance and Accounts: Payroll and rider earnings summary
Management and ReportingGives leadership a view of volume, delivery performance, cost and cash across the network.
Workflow
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Watch the network daily
Volume, TAT, first attempt delivery and RTO are shown by region and shipper.
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Review unit cost
Cost per shipment across pickup, line haul and last mile is tracked against price.
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Act on problem lanes
Lanes with poor TAT or high cost are reviewed with regional heads.
Zoho CliqEntity diagram: Management and Reporting
The records this team creates and updates, their key fields, and how they link.
- Zoho Analytics
Read the relationships as text
- Network KPI flags Lane Review (1:N)
- Unit Cost View flags Lane Review (1:N)
Who does the work
- CEO
- Head of operations
Approvals and controls
- Network changes such as new hubs or routes are approved by leadership
Reports they watch
- Daily volume and TAT by region
- RTO rate by shipper
- Cost per shipment trend
Hands over to
- Business Development: Lanes and regions to grow or reprice
What to expect when you start
A typical plan for a focused project of one to three apps. Larger scope or messy data takes longer; we confirm the timeline after discovery.
Week 1 to 2
Map and agree
We walk through your courier and last-mile delivery process from "Booking" to "Service reports", list the records and fields you really need, and agree the scope.
Week 3 to 4
Build the core
We configure Zoho CRM and Zoho Creator with your stages, roles, approvals and templates.
Week 5 to 6
Connect and migrate
We clean and import your data, connect email, payments or other tools, and build the reports you will use every week.
Week 7 to 8
Test and go live
Your team tests with real cases, we train each role, and we cut over with a checklist.
Mistakes to avoid
- Copying the old spreadsheet column for column. Keep only the fields that help someone decide or act.
- Leaving out exceptions such as returns, changes and cancellations. Model them early so the team does not work around the system.
- No owner per stage. Name one person for "Booking" and one for "Service reports".
- Going live without checking reports against numbers you already trust.
A good first win
Start with the problem that hurts most: COD cash is reconciled manually. Fixing one visible problem in the first month builds trust and adoption for everything after it.
What you can measure
- On-time delivery
- Failed delivery rate
- COD reconciliation days
Questions about Zoho for courier and last-mile delivery
Which Zoho apps suit courier and last-mile delivery businesses?
A typical courier and last-mile delivery setup uses Zoho CRM, Zoho Creator, Zoho FSM, Zoho Books, Zoho Analytics. We confirm the exact apps after mapping your own process in a discovery call.
How does the business process flow in Zoho for courier and last-mile delivery?
1. Booking; 2. Pickup assignment; 3. Hub scan and sorting; 4. Delivery and POD; 5. COD reconciliation; 6. Service reports.
Which departments does a Zoho setup for courier and last-mile delivery cover?
A full setup covers Business Development, First Mile and Pickup, Hub and Sorting, Last Mile Delivery, Fleet and Vendors, Customer Support, Finance and Accounts, HR and Payroll, Management and Reporting. Each department works in its own Zoho screens, but they share the same customer, order and finance records, so work moves from one team to the next without being retyped.
Zoho apps we set up for courier and last-mile delivery
Zoho CRM
Zoho Creator
Zoho Books
Not sure which apps fit your business? Book a free 30-minute call or see all Zoho products we implement
Zoho services for courier and last-mile delivery
All Zoho services →- Zoho implementationZoho CRM live within 2 weeks, fixed price agreed in writing
- Zoho support100-hour support packs, first reply within 1 hour
- Zoho consultingChoose the right apps and plan before you build
- Data migration to ZohoMove from Salesforce, HubSpot, Tally, QuickBooks or spreadsheets
- Zoho integration servicesConnect Zoho to payments, ads, telephony, e-commerce and more
- Zoho auditA scored review of your current Zoho setup
More industries we build Zoho workflows for
Zoho adapts to almost any business that has leads, orders, projects, people and money to track. A few examples are below; the industries page lists all 179 with a typical process flow and the Zoho apps behind each.
- Construction and ContractingControl tenders, project costs, subcontractors, site materials and progress billing from one system.
- Wholesale and DistributionRun orders, stock across warehouses, credit limits and collections for dealers and retailers.
- Food and BeverageTrack outlet and central kitchen stock, recipes, suppliers and daily sales with branch-wise accounts.
- Fitness and WellnessConvert enquiries into members, manage bookings and recurring fees, and keep members engaged.
- Staffing and RecruitmentManage client job orders, candidate pipelines, placements and invoicing in one flow.
- Travel and TourismTurn enquiries into itineraries, bookings and payments with supplier and customer tracking.
- Telecom and ISPsRun activation, installation, support and recurring billing for subscribers and enterprise accounts.
- Media and AdvertisingManage clients, briefs, campaign projects, approvals and retainer billing for agencies and media firms.
- Import and Export TradingHandle enquiries, proforma invoices, shipments, documentation and multi-currency accounting.