Courier Branch Daily Closing Checklist and Common Mistakes

A courier branch that closes its day properly rarely has big surprises. One that skips closing finds problems a week later, when memory has faded. The checklist below can be done on paper or in software, but it works best when the system forces each step. It takes about twenty minutes once the habit is formed and saves hours of searching later.

Before the shutter goes down

Closing starts with a simple question: can we account for every parcel that came through this branch today? Parcels fall into a few groups, and each should have a clear owner by evening.

1. Booked today: every slip has a parcel record, and the count matches the slips kept.
2. Received from other branches: manifests are checked and discrepancies noted before staff leave.
3. Out for delivery: each rider has returned with delivered, failed or still-with-rider parcels listed.
4. Dispatched onward: a manifest is printed or saved with the vehicle or bus details.
5. Held at the branch: receiver-pickup parcels are shelved and counted.

Cash and COD checks

Cash is where small mistakes become disputes. At closing the cashier should compare three figures: counter cash collected for bookings paid at the desk, COD handed in by riders and expenses paid out. Each rider's COD should be matched parcel by parcel, not as a lump. Keep the cash drawer total, the system total and the bank or wallet deposit reference together in one summary.

• Counter cash received for bookings
• COD received per rider with parcel list
• Petty expenses with vouchers
• Cash banked or handed to the manager
• Any shortage with the reason and staff name

Exceptions list

Every evening the manager should look at a short exceptions list rather than all parcels. It should include parcels with two failed attempts, parcels in transit longer than expected, parcels with COD but no collection, and anything marked damaged or lost. Reviewing this list daily stops problems from ageing.

Exception	Typical next action
Two failed attempts	Call merchant, agree return or new landmark
Late in transit	Contact destination branch or coach contact
COD not matched	Check rider list and receiver call
Damaged on arrival	Photograph, record and inform merchant

Common mistakes to avoid

The first is backdating. Staff enter yesterday's parcels today, and the timeline no longer shows the truth. Lock the date or require approval for back entries. The second is sharing one login. When three people use the same account, nobody is responsible for a wrong status. Give each user a login and a role.

The third is letting riders keep parcels overnight without a record. If a parcel is with a rider at night, it should say so. The fourth is treating a returned parcel as finished once it reaches the branch. It is finished only when the merchant has received it. The fifth is ignoring small cash differences. A recurring small shortage with one rider is a pattern, not an accident.

What the owner should look at

If you own several branches you cannot read every closing sheet, so choose five numbers and look at them each morning: parcels booked, parcels delivered, COD collected, COD banked and open exceptions. A gap between COD collected and COD banked is the first thing to question. A rising exception count tells you a branch is struggling before merchants complain. Ask branch managers to explain any number that moves sharply, and keep the conversation about the process rather than about blame, so staff report problems early instead of hiding them.

Handover between shifts and staff

Many branches run a morning and an evening shift, or change counter staff on holidays such as Dashain and Tihar when volume spikes and half the team is away. Closing is the moment to hand over cleanly. The outgoing person lists parcels waiting for pickup, parcels waiting for a call back and anything promised to a merchant by a specific time. The incoming person confirms it in the system rather than in a verbal conversation.

During festival weeks, volume rises sharply and temporary staff join. Give temporary staff limited roles, such as booking only, and keep cash, edit and settlement permissions with permanent staff. Print the exceptions list twice a day instead of once, because delays pile up quickly when riders are stretched. After the festival, review which delivery reasons grew the most so you can plan better next year.

Weekly and month-end habits

Once a week, list all COD collected but not yet paid to merchants, and clear it. At month end, produce merchant statements, branch totals and rider performance, and compare with your accountant's records. If you issue VAT invoices, confirm with your accountant how and when they should be prepared. Nepali fiscal years begin in Shrawan, so annual reports are cleaner when your system can filter by fiscal year.

Next step

Print this checklist and run it for a week at your busiest branch, noting which steps are hard to complete. Those are the places software should help. WebsNP courier software can be configured around this closing routine. Message +977 9846280400 on WhatsApp to see it in a demo, and consider attendance software if rider and counter shifts also need tracking.

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