How to Automate CPDP Billing for DTDC Franchises: Complete HL Code Guide

What is CPDP billing? A simple explanation

CPDP stands for Consignee Pays Delivery Partner. In simple terms: a CPDP client is a company (usually an e-commerce business or large shipper) that has an agreement with DTDC. They ship from their warehouse, and the DTDC Franchise that handles their deliveries bills them for the service.

Here is the challenge: a single DSR (Daily Sales Report) may contain consignments for 5-10 different CPDP clients, mixed together. Your job as a Franchise owner is to:

Identify which consignments belong to which CPDP client
Apply each client's specific pricing (weight slabs, rates)
Generate separate GST invoices for each client
Attach the correct consignment annexure to each invoice

Doing this manually — scrolling through a 500-row Excel sheet and tagging each row — can take 3-4 hours per billing cycle. HL code automation reduces this to under 5 minutes.

What are HL codes and how do they identify CPDP clients?

In DTDC's system, HL codes (Handle Location codes) are unique identifiers assigned to each CPDP client. Think of an HL code as a client's account number within DTDC. When a consignment is booked under a CPDP client's account, the DSR export includes that client's HL code against each consignment row.

Example

A CPDP client called "FashionHub India" has HL code HL-4521. In your DSR, every consignment from FashionHub India will have HL-4521 in the HL code column. If you have 5 CPDP clients, each has a unique HL code. Upload the DSR, and the system reads the HL code to know exactly which consignment belongs to which client.

This is the foundation of CPDP billing automation — one HL code per client, and every consignment already tagged with the right code in the DSR.

How CPDP billing automation works: step by step

Here is the complete process — from DSR upload to GST invoice — using HL code automation.

Step 1: Add your CPDP clients with their HL codes

Before you can automate, you need to set up each CPDP client with their billing details and HL code. This is a one-time step.

Go to Clients and add each CPDP client
Enter their company name, GSTIN, and billing address
Enter their HL code (this is the key field for automation)
Set up their pricing slabs (weight-based rates)

Once saved, the system knows: "HL-4521 = FashionHub India, with these prices."

Step 2: Upload your DSR file

Upload your DSR export (Excel file) to the Booking Data section. The system reads every row, including:

Consignment number (C-Note)
HL code (identifies the CPDP client)
Weight, destination, and other details
Booking date and amount

The system validates the data and shows any rows that failed — so you can fix them before billing.

Step 3: Auto-assign consignments by HL code

This is where the magic happens. When you go to Invoices and select a client, the system already knows which consignments belong to that client — because the HL code on each consignment matches the HL code saved in the client profile.

Instead of scrolling through 500 rows and manually tagging each one, you see all that client's consignments pre-filtered and ready to assign. One click confirms the assignment.

Time saved: What used to take 30-45 minutes of manual sorting per client now takes under 1 minute. For a Franchise with 8 CPDP clients, that is 4-6 hours saved per billing cycle.

Step 4: Generate the GST invoice with annexure

Once consignments are assigned, click Generate Invoice. The system:

Calculates charges using the client's pre-saved weight slabs
Applies the correct GST (SGST/CGST or IGST) based on destination
Creates a Tax Invoice (page 1) and a Consignment Annexure (subsequent pages)
Combines them into a single PDF ready to send to the client

Repeat for each CPDP client — the system remembers which consignments have already been assigned, so you never double-bill.

How HL code mapping works — visual breakdown

Here is a simple visual of how the system matches consignments to clients using HL codes:

DSR Consignment Row	HL Code in DSR	Matched Client	Result
CN-78901234	`HL-4521`	FashionHub India	Auto-assigned
CN-78901235	`HL-7301`	TechGear Pvt Ltd	Auto-assigned
CN-78901236	`HL-4521`	FashionHub India	Auto-assigned
CN-78901237	`HL-8904`	HomeEssentials Co	Auto-assigned
CN-78901238	`HL-7301`	TechGear Pvt Ltd	Auto-assigned

Every consignment in the DSR already carries the CPDP client's HL code. The system reads it, matches it to the correct client profile, and auto-assigns — no manual work.

Common questions about CPDP billing automation

What if a CPDP client has multiple HL codes?

Some large CPDP clients may have multiple HL codes (e.g., one per warehouse or region). You can save multiple HL codes against a single client profile. The system will match consignments from any of those HL codes to the same client. No duplication, no confusion.

What if the DSR does not have HL codes?

If your DSR export does not include HL codes (some older DTDC formats omit them), you can still assign consignments manually using Search, Range, or CSV upload. However, we recommend requesting your DTDC branch to include HL codes in the DSR export — it is a standard field and should be available. Once enabled, automation works seamlessly.

Can I still manually add or remove consignments after auto-assignment?

Yes. Auto-assignment is a starting point, not a lock. After the system pre-selects consignments based on HL code, you can review the list, add any missed consignments, or remove any that should not be on this invoice. You always have full control.

How much time does CPDP automation actually save?

Here is a realistic comparison for a Franchise with 6 CPDP clients and 400 consignments per month:

Task	Manual (per cycle)	With Automation
Sorting consignments by client	3-4 hours	Under 1 minute
Applying weight slabs	1-2 hours	Automatic
Creating invoices (6 clients)	1-2 hours	10-12 minutes
Error checking and corrections	1-2 hours	Minimal
Total time per billing cycle	6-10 hours	Under 15 minutes

Summary: CPDP billing on autopilot

1. HL codes are the key — each CPDP client has a unique HL code that appears in every DSR row for their consignments.
2. One-time client setup — save each client's HL code, GST details, and pricing slabs once.
3. Upload DSR, auto-assign — the system reads HL codes and matches consignments to the correct client automatically.
4. Generate and done — one click creates a GST invoice with consignment annexure for each client.
5. From 6-10 hours of manual work to under 15 minutes per billing cycle. That is what CPDP automation delivers.

Ready to automate your CPDP billing? Start a free trial of Courier Billing or sign in. Want a step-by-step invoicing guide? Read how to create an invoice.