1X
Freight Operations Portal
OneIXchange Logistics Case Study
Freight-Forwarding • 2019
● Freight-Forwarding • Operations • Logistics SaaS

Automating AWB & BL Generation for Freight Forwarders with Django & React

Built and shipped a freight forwarding operations portal using Django, React, and PostgreSQL that automates AWB (Air Waybill) and BL (Bill of Lading) generation, reducing manual paperwork and errors. Commercialised the solution with Navana Logistics as an anchor customer, demonstrating strong revenue potential in the logistics SaaS vertical.

Role Senior Software Engineer
Org OneIXchange, Dhaka, Bangladesh
Industry Freight-Forwarding & Logistics

Freight forwarders live in documents: AWBs, BLs, manifests, invoices. At OneIXchange I led the engineering work on an operations portal that turned those documents into structured, automated workflows — cutting down manual data entry, reducing errors, and making it easier for teams like Navana Logistics to run day-to-day shipments.

Problem → Solution → Impact

Problem

  • Shipment data scattered across AWBs, BLs, manifests, and invoices.
  • Manual re-entry caused errors and slowed operations teams.
  • Hard to onboard new customers onto a repeatable platform.

Solution

  • Operations portal to generate, store, and track AWB/BL documents.
  • Structured workflows to replace spreadsheet-heavy handoffs.
  • Built as a SaaS product: multi-customer ready, not bespoke.

Impact

  • Less manual paperwork and fewer document errors.
  • Faster shipment processing for teams like Navana Logistics.
  • Anchor customer validated the product as repeatable SaaS.
Document handling
Before: retyped data & files After: generated & stored centrally
Operational accuracy
Before: error-prone handoffs After: guided workflows
Customer onboarding
Before: custom setups After: repeatable portal rollout
Map freight workflows

Trace how AWB/BL data moves across teams; spot the manual breaks.

Productize docs

Generate and store shipment documents with structured data capture.

Roll out to operators

Launch with anchor customers; refine flows for repeatable SaaS use.

Impact spotlight
  • Ops teams work from a single source of truth for shipments.
  • Reduced rework improves throughput and customer trust.
  • Foundation for a commercial freight SaaS platform.
Overview

Introduction

OneIXchange set out to build a modern operations portal for freight forwarders — centralising shipment information, automating key documents, and giving operations teams a single view of their air and ocean freight in motion.

As Senior Software Engineer, I drove the technical design and implementation of the core Django/React/PostgreSQL platform: data model, document workflows, and the user experience that made it usable for busy operations staff.

Background

Context

Many freight forwarders in Bangladesh still rely on a mix of spreadsheets, email threads, and legacy systems to generate key documents like AWBs and BLs. Typical pain points include:

  • Repeated data entry across multiple systems and templates.
  • Inconsistent document formats and missing fields.
  • Difficulty tracking which shipment is at which stage.

OneIXchange wanted to deliver a SaaS portal that would streamline this work and serve as a commercial product for logistics companies — with Navana Logistics as the first major customer.

Challenge

Problem

The core problem was to turn complex, compliance-heavy paperwork into guided, digital workflows that:

  • Capture all the data needed for AWBs and BLs without overwhelming users.
  • Generate standard documents that carriers and customs will accept.
  • Reduce the error rate from manual copying between systems.
  • Scale across multiple branches and shipment volumes.
Operating Environment

Constraints & Requirements

  • Domain complexity: air and sea freight documents have strict structure and terminology; mistakes are costly.
  • Mixed processes: the portal had to integrate with existing manual and semi-digital processes at freight forwarders.
  • Gradual adoption: operations teams could not stop shipping while a new system was rolled out.
  • Commercial viability: design had to support multi-customer SaaS pricing, not just a single custom deployment.
Execution

Implementation Highlights

1) Data model & shipment lifecycle

  • Designed a PostgreSQL schema to represent shipments, consignments, parties, containers, and legs (air/sea/road).
  • Modelled the lifecycle of a shipment so that status changes (booking, documentation, departure, arrival) could be tracked and audited.
  • Ensured each AWB/BL could be traced back to the underlying shipment data, reducing duplicate entry.

2) AWB & BL automation

  • Implemented Django services to populate document templates from shipment data with validation rules for required fields.
  • Built PDF outputs and print-ready views for AWBs and BLs, matching industry formats.
  • Added versioning so staff could regenerate documents when shipment details changed while preserving audit history.

3) React operations portal

  • Developed React screens for booking creation, document preparation, and tracking, optimised for data-heavy, keyboard-driven workflows.
  • Used clear step-by-step forms and inline validation to guide users through complex data entry without missing required fields.
  • Implemented search and filtering across shipments so operations teams could find relevant jobs quickly.

4) Commercialisation with Navana Logistics

  • Worked closely with Navana Logistics during pilot deployment to adapt flows to real operations patterns.
  • Helped migrate key shipment data and trained users on how to adopt the portal without disrupting daily work.
  • Captured feedback that fed into the product roadmap for additional customers.
The portal turned document preparation from a messy combination of spreadsheets and word-processor templates into a guided workflow with built-in validation and reuse of shipment data.
Outcomes

Impact & Outcomes

The operations portal delivered tangible benefits for the anchor customer and for OneIXchange as a SaaS vendor:

  • Reduced manual paperwork: AWBs and BLs generated directly from shipment data, cutting repeated data entry.
  • Fewer document errors: required-field validation and standardised templates reduced costly corrections.
  • Commercial validation: successful deployment with Navana Logistics demonstrated the product’s revenue potential with other forwarders.
Reflection

Key Learnings

  • Logistics operations software succeeds when it respects existing workflows; the goal is to guide and automate, not completely replace overnight.
  • Document-heavy domains benefit hugely from strong data models and validation — getting the schema right up front reduces downstream complexity.
  • Anchor customers like Navana Logistics are invaluable for shaping a product that can serve a broader market.
  • Pairing a stable backend (Django/PostgreSQL) with a responsive React front end makes it possible to handle complex freight data without overwhelming users.