Playbook / Logistics

POD validation: how AI catches missing or illegible proof of delivery

Q: Will it work with our TMS imaging?

Yes. We connect through your TMS API (for example McLeod LME imaging) to pull POD images and the matching load records, and can optionally write validation status back.

Q: What counts as an exception?

Missing signature, illegible scan, wrong document type, a POD that does not match the load, or no POD at all. Each is routed with the load reference and the reason attached.

Q: How does this lower DSO?

By catching document problems at delivery instead of at dispute, the invoice goes out clean and on time, which shortens the gap between delivery and cash.

A signed proof of delivery is the difference between an invoice that gets paid and one that gets disputed. In most fleets the POD arrives late, arrives unreadable, or does not arrive at all, and nobody notices until the customer short-pays. This playbook shows how an AI agent validates every POD the moment it lands, what it checks, and how Rigby builds it on the McLeod TMS.

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100%

Of PODs checked the moment they arrive

40%

Of freight invoices contain errors

25%

Of delays are documentation

48h-2wk

To get a paper POD back

$100K+/yr

Lost by a fleet losing 50 PODs a month

The definition

What is POD validation?

POD validation is the process of checking every proof-of-delivery document for completeness and legibility, confirming the signature, date, and receiver details are present and readable, and matching the POD against the load record, then flagging any missing or unreadable document before the invoice goes out. AI does this automatically as each POD arrives, instead of a clerk catching it after a customer disputes.

The cost of bad PODs

Why bad PODs cost you.

40%

Of freight invoices contain errors, and up to 25% of delays trace to documentation, not freight

Laneproof

48h-2wk

To get a paper POD back, pushing out billing and inflating DSO

Laneproof

1 gap

A missing signature, bad timestamp, or unclear receiver can reset the payment timeline

Vector

$100K+/yr

Lost by a mid-size fleet losing 50 PODs a month in delayed payments, admin labor, and disputes

Dashdoc

The POD is the document barrier between delivery and cash. Catch the bad ones at delivery, not at dispute.

How it works

How Rigby validates a POD.

Five steps, running on the TMS and document tools you already use.

Capture

Pull each POD image and document from the TMS or email as it arrives.

Read

Extract the signature, date, receiver, and reference numbers, and assess legibility.

Match

Compare the POD against the load and order record in the TMS for the right shipment, quantity, and consignee.

Flag

Detect missing signatures, illegible scans, wrong or mismatched documents, and missing PODs before the invoice goes out.

Route

Clean PODs clear to billing; exceptions go to the right person with the load reference and the issue attached.

Scope

Where we draw the line.

Validating a document against a source of truth is exactly what AI does well. We flag the problems. We do not decide the money.

We build this

Legibility and completeness checks
POD-to-load matching
Missing and mismatched document detection
Exception routing with the load reference

Scoped carefully

Writing validation status back to the TMS
Auto-clearing PODs inside tight rules
Triggering the invoice on a clean check

We do not do

Sending invoices or applying cash automatically
Posting to the ledger
Clearing an exception without a human

Proof point

Validating PODs on the McLeod TMS.

"Once you have this done you won't have to worry about missing document errors and the downstream consequences ever again."

For a 300-plus truck, 9-terminal 3PL, Rigby pulls delivery records and document files directly from the McLeod TMS API, checks each document for legibility, and detects mismatches against the order record, flagging problems before they become billing disputes. The same validation engine powers carrier invoice auditing. Case study coming soon.

Talk to our team

FAQ

Frequently asked questions.

Does it send the invoice once a POD is clean?−

No. It validates and clears the document for billing, and flags the bad ones. Sending the invoice and applying cash stay with your team. Keeping money movement out keeps the build fast and low-risk.

Will it work with our TMS imaging?+

What counts as an exception?+

How does this lower DSO?+

Keep reading

Solution

Catch bad PODs at delivery, not at dispute.

Flat fee, live in days. Rigby validates and flags. Your team keeps approvals and money movement.

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