Haulage Software Demo Checklist: 25 Questions to Ask

A haulage software demo should answer whether the product can run your work, not whether the presenter knows its best screens. Send the supplier a short scenario in advance and keep control of the keyboard where possible.

Use these questions as a working checklist.

Jobs and planning

1. Can one job contain several collections and deliveries?
2. How are customer references, rates and time windows stored?
3. What happens when two planners edit the same job?
4. Can the system show driver, vehicle and trailer conflicts?
5. Is a route board different from optimisation and navigation?

Ask the presenter to change a time and vehicle after dispatch. Check what history remains and what the driver sees.

Driver workflow

1. Which iOS and Android versions are supported?
2. What works without signal?
3. What survives an app restart before sync?
4. How does the driver report a delivery exception?
5. Can the office tell whether an update is delivered or queued?

Use an actual fleet phone, not only the presenter's device.

Checks, defects and maintenance

1. How are vehicle and trailer checks identified and timestamped?
2. Can a defect be followed through assessment, repair and sign-off?
3. Who can edit, close or delete safety records?
4. Can one vehicle's full maintenance history be exported?
5. Does the planner extend at least six months and preserve date changes?

Request a deliberately failed check. A checklist submission alone is not the full process.

POD and invoicing

1. Is POD linked to the correct stop?
2. How are refusal, damage and shortage handled?
3. Can a completed job remain not ready to invoice?
4. What customer references and attachments enter the invoice pack?
5. Does the system integrate with accounting or only export data?

Security, support and exit

1. How are companies and roles separated?
2. What audit history and backups exist?
3. What are support hours and response targets?
4. What does the complete price include at today's fleet size and after growth?
5. How is all customer data exported at cancellation?

Do not accept “available through the API” without confirming who will build, support and pay for the integration.

Record the supplier's product boundaries

Write down every confirmed exclusion and dependency while the demo is fresh. Note whether a capability requires a higher plan, third-party account, native app update or manual export. Clear limits are not automatically negative; undisclosed limits are. Use the record when reviewing the contract and implementation scope.

Score observed outcomes

Use pass, partial and fail against each required scenario. Add notes on training effort and remaining external steps. Avoid a weighted score that allows an attractive optional feature to hide a failed safety or billing workflow.

HauliK offers a 14-day no-card trial, so the same scenarios can be tested with your own sample fleet. Start from HauliK features and verify the documented limits as carefully as the included functions.

Frequently asked questions

Should suppliers receive the checklist before the demo?

Yes. It gives them a fair opportunity to prepare while keeping every comparison consistent.

How many people should attend?

Include someone from the office and a driver or operational user. A large audience can make practical testing harder.

Should we use real data?

Use a small, controlled sample with appropriate privacy. Do not upload an entire production fleet before contractual review.

What is an immediate warning sign?

The presenter avoids exceptions, offline use, exports or a complete end-to-end workflow and returns repeatedly to the dashboard.