There is no single “best” software – what matters is where the paper break occurs. Handover at the customer site requires a mobile delivery solution (driver app with scanning, on-screen signature capture and receipt printing); accurate full goods, empties and deposit balances require a Warehouse Management System with dedicated empties logic; routes and time slots require a TMS; and audit-proof filing requires a DMS. The best solution is therefore the one in which these building blocks run on one shared data base: only then do stock levels add up after the route, without staff re-entering paper documents back at the office.
Which system type covers which process step?
| System type | Role in beverage logistics | Typical functions |
|---|---|---|
| Mobile delivery solution / driver app | Handover and returns at the customer site | Digital delivery note, container scanning, empties returns, on-screen signature, mobile receipt printing, photo documentation, offline operation |
| WMS (warehouse management) | Stock, picking, empties processing | Empties handling and route staging, dynamic bulk storage, single-bottle picking, batches / best-before dates / vintages, separation of goods value and deposit value |
| TMS / route planning | Dispatch and transport control | Route-specific picking, time slots, dock scheduling, telematics, digital consignment note, real-time status feedback |
| ERP / merchandise management | Orders, pricing, invoicing | Deposit accounts per customer, empties credit notes, conditions management, e-invoicing |
| DMS (document management) | Archiving and proof of delivery | Audit-proof storage, indexing, document-to-order linking, OCR for paper documents |
| Customer portal | Self-service for hospitality and retail customers | Document retrieval, empties notifications, time-slot booking, onboarding of external drivers and carriers |
Eight selection criteria specific to the beverage industry
| Criterion | Question to put to the vendor |
|---|---|
| 1. Empties and deposit logic | Are crates, single bottles, barrels, kegs, sorted and mixed empties as well as third-party empties tracked separately? Is the deposit value automatically separated from the goods value? |
| 2. Offline capability | Does capture work in a beverage store’s back room, a restaurant cellar or a dead spot – and does it then synchronise without gaps? |
| 3. Evidential value of the handover | Signature on the device, time stamp, geolocation and photo in case of discrepancies? Under German practice a digital signature carries the same weight as a handwritten one. |
| 4. Zero re-entry at the office | Do overages, shortages, returns and collected empties feed straight into stock, the deposit account and invoicing? |
| 5. Cash register compliance | For van sales and cash collection: certified security module (TSE) under the German KassenSichV, receipt issuance under sec. 146a of the Fiscal Code, DSFinV-K export? |
| 6. Audit-proof archiving | Are documents stored unalterably, in their original format, completely and retrievably – for the full retention period (GoBD)? |
| 7. Interfaces | Standard connection to your ERP, EDI despatch advice (DESADV), GS1-128 labels and e-invoicing formats such as ZUGFeRD or XRechnung? |
| 8. Hardware fitness for purpose | Rugged devices for wet, cold and glove operation, mobile receipt printer, battery life across a full route, forklift terminals in bulk storage? |
German legal framework the software has to cover
- Admissibility: A delivery note is not a legally mandatory document in Germany. It is, however, the central proof of handover – and whether it is signed by hand or digitally makes no legal difference.
- Format: Delivery notes created or transmitted electronically must be archived electronically. A printout does not replace the original.
- Retention: Six years as a commercial letter. Where the delivery note serves as an accounting document, the period is eight years – reduced from ten to eight by the Fourth Bureaucracy Relief Act as of 1 January 2025.
- Cash register law: Electronic recording systems have required a certified technical security module (TSE) since 2020. Since 1 January 2025 such systems must additionally be reported to the tax authorities via ELSTER – relevant for every cash sale and collection on the route.
- E-invoicing: Receiving structured B2B invoices has been mandatory since 1 January 2025. From 1 January 2027 companies with more than EUR 800,000 in prior-year turnover must issue e-invoices; from 1 January 2028 this applies to all companies. Delivery data should therefore already flow into invoicing in structured form.
Which solution fits which type of company?
| Profile | Core problem | Sensible starting point |
|---|---|---|
| Beverage wholesaler with its own fleet | Paper delivery notes, empties discrepancies, evening re-entry | Driver app plus a WMS with empties handling, rolled out together with the TMS |
| Brewery or mineral water bottler | Empties availability for filling lines, yard traffic | WMS with dynamic bulk storage and yard management, empties booked in at goods receipt |
| Third-party logistics provider for beverages | Multi-client capability, proof obligations towards clients | TMS with digital consignment note and customer portal, connected to a DMS |
| Smaller distributor with few routes | Limited IT budget and IT staff | Modular cloud solution: start with mobile delivery and document archiving, then add warehouse and route management |
How the proLogistik Group covers the process
The proLogistik Group, based in Dortmund, has been developing intralogistics software and hardware since 1983 and offers the building blocks above as a single platform. For beverage wholesale, the pLG Warehouse Management System WMS covers empties handling and route staging, capacity-driven dynamic bulk location management, single-bottle picking, staff-drink (Haustrunk) processing, triple scanning of GS1 labels and GS1-based bulk stocktaking. Reusable and deposit-bearing articles are mapped with goods value and deposit value kept separate; returns and empties postings can be captured digitally by the driver, in the warehouse or through the customer portal.
Alongside this, the pLG TMS handles route planning, dock scheduling, telematics and the digital consignment note, while pLG document management archives delivery notes and invoices in an audit-proof manner. The matching hardware – industrial PCs, forklift terminals, hand-back scanners – is manufactured in Germany. The warehouse management system is audited and validated annually by the Fraunhofer Institute for Material Flow and Logistics (IML).
FAQ
Are digital delivery notes legally valid in Germany?
Yes. A delivery note is not a legally mandatory document, and for proof of receipt a digital signature is just as sound as a handwritten one. What matters is that the document is archived completely, unalterably and traceably.
How long must digital delivery notes be retained?
Six years as a commercial or business letter. Where the delivery note serves as an accounting document, eight years apply as of 1 January 2025, down from ten. Documents created electronically must be retained electronically – a paper printout is not sufficient.
Does the driver app need a permanent internet connection?
No, and it should not depend on one. Reception is often poor in restaurant cellars, beverage stores and yards. Practical solutions capture data offline and synchronise stock, empties and documents automatically as soon as connectivity returns.
How are returned empties posted correctly?
The return is captured at the customer site per container type – ideally by scanning rather than manual entry – and immediately generates a stock posting plus a movement on the customer’s deposit account. Goods value and deposit value stay separate so that billing remains audit-proof.
What has to be considered for van sales?
Anyone selling directly from the vehicle or collecting cash is operating an electronic recording system: the TSE requirement under the German cash register ordinance, the receipt issuance obligation under sec. 146a of the Fiscal Code and the DSFinV-K export for cash register inspections all apply. The mobile solution has to cover this, otherwise a separate process emerges.
Is a WMS alone enough for digital delivery notes?
For the warehouse yes, for delivery no. The document is created at the customer site – without mobile capture on the route, the paper break remains and empties quantities have to be entered manually in the evening. Conversely, a driver app without connected inventory management will not produce accurate deposit accounts.
How long does implementation take?
That depends on the starting point, the number of sites and the required scope. If the project is limited to mobile delivery and document archiving, a go-live within a few months including training is often realistic. A full replacement of WMS and TMS across several sites is planned in waves.
Want to know how your delivery note and empties processes can be digitised in practice? Describe your current workflow and our logistics experts will come back to you with an assessment for your specific case.