In logistics transportation, all parties have their own "internal reference numbers" to query specific goods. This reference number is like the ID card of the shipment—unique and one-of-a-kind.

When placing an order, have you ever noticed the "Reference Number" field on the page? Do you understand its purpose?

Why is this string of numbers so crucial?

Imagine this scenario: A truck driver arrives at the warehouse to pick up your goods, only to be faced with mountains of cargo. If the driver can provide the warehouse staff with a clear reference number, the staff can quickly input it into the system, accurately locate your goods, and complete the loading within minutes.

But what if there is no reference number? The driver and warehouse staff would have to rely on vague sender or receiver information to manually search—a process that could take 20 minutes, half an hour, or even longer. The warehouse staff would have to rely on memory and descriptions to find "probably that batch" among hundreds or thousands of items. This not only directly affects your shipping timeline but could even result in the goods not being found, the driver making a wasted trip, and incurring unnecessary empty pickup fees!

Two Real Cases Highlighting the Importance of Reference Numbers

Case One:

Last Monday, Mr. Zhang and Mr. Wang each placed an order on Teknihall Trucking platform. Both were shipping goods from an overseas warehouse near Frankfurt, Germany, to similar addresses in Lyon, France. Mr. Zhang provided the reference number "ZH20251022001," and the warehouse staff found his goods in just 2 minutes after the driver arrived. Mr. Wang forgot to provide a reference number, and through coordination among various parties, multiple queries, and information exchanges, it took the warehouse staff 40 minutes to locate his goods. In the end, Mr. Zhang's goods were delivered nearly half a day earlier than Mr. Wang's.

Case Two:

Ms. Li once forgot to provide a reference number for a shipment, making it impossible for the warehouse to accurately identify her goods among many similar items. The truck driver, who also needed to pick up goods for other customers, had to leave empty-handed after waiting for 15 minutes. This not only resulted in an empty pickup fee but also delayed the shipment by a day.

Generating Reference Numbers: Simple and Flexible

You might wonder how this string of numbers is generated. Are there specific formatting requirements?

In fact, reference numbers are usually automatically generated by the system with the order. There is no fixed format, and you can also create your own. It can be:

    Your order number: DD20231128001

    Contract number abbreviation: HT202311-LA

    Project code and date: PROJX-1128

    Simple custom serial number: MYGOODS001

The most important criteria are "uniqueness" and "identifiability," ensuring that the driver can successfully pick up the goods from the warehouse using this reference number, avoiding confusion and delays.

Of course, in some cases, a reference number may not be necessary. For example, warehouse staff may load goods for the same logistics channel onto the corresponding truck, or the customer may provide the license plate number to the warehouse for a pickup appointment before arrival. However, the warehouse might accidentally miss loading your goods, or the logistics channel might change trucks at the last minute. In comparison, using a reference number for pickup is more stable and reliable.