How Indian Distribution Warehouses Are Going Paperless with Inclusive Cloud
- Aditi
- Jun 4
- 4 min read
The Indian distribution landscape is undergoing a silent revolution. From textile hubs like Surat to global supply centers shipping over 300+ orders a day, a growing number of warehouses are saying goodbye to traditional paperwork. And the driver behind this change? A digital-first approach powered by Inclusive Cloud.
In an industry where every second counts and every mistake costs, eliminating paper-based processes isn't just a sustainability move—it’s a strategic decision to boost efficiency, accuracy, and scale. This blog explores how distributors across India (and beyond) have successfully adopted paperless warehouse operations using Inclusive Cloud’s end-to-end distribution management system.
From Manual to Smart: The New Age of Distribution
Traditionally, Indian distribution warehouses have relied heavily on manual paperwork for:
Order taking via phone or WhatsApp
Generating and printing picklists
Writing down cut instructions
Physically attaching invoices
Manually updating dispatch registers
While this approach served its purpose in the pre-digital era, it comes with several pain points:
Frequent order fulfillment delays
High risk of human error
Wastage of paper and printer costs
Dependency on individual team members’ judgment
Poor real-time visibility into order status
Now, powered by Inclusive Cloud, distributors are embracing a fully digital, paperless workflow—without compromising on control or flexibility.
How Inclusive Cloud Powers Paperless Distribution
Here’s a step-by-step breakdown of how distribution companies are operating without paper using Inclusive Cloud:
1. Digital Self-Order Management by Customers
It all begins when customers—retailers, dealers, or franchise partners—place orders digitally using Inclusive Cloud’s built-in Self-Order Management Portal.
Accessible via mobile or desktop
Real-time stock visibility
Order tracking and approval workflows built-in
No need for phone calls or emails
Reduces data entry errors on the distributor’s side
This alone eliminates 70–80% of manual order booking and avoids duplicate entries into the ERP.
2. System-Based Order Approvals & Auto Allocation
Once an order is placed:
Approvers receive an auto-alert and can approve the order with a click
Inclusive Cloud’s proprietary logic auto-allocates the best available stock based on serial number, aging, rack location, and priority logic
The system ensures optimized inventory usage and faster movement
This removes manual decision-making by the store team and ensures consistency in how material is selected.
3. Digital Picklists Sent to Handheld Devices
Post allocation, the order moves into the picking stage:
The picker receives a digital picklist on their Android handheld device or tablet
The list includes:
Serial numbers
Rack locations
Quantities
Collection details
The picker doesn’t need to visit the office or collect printouts
Once pieces are scanned and picked, they are marked as picked in real-time
This cuts down foot traffic and paper dependency across large warehouses.
4. Real-Time Cutting with Sticker Generation
Picked material is sent to the cutting station, where:
A cutting operator works directly on a computer or tablet
The system pulls the order and piece data
Once fabric is cut, the system generates and prints stickers for each piece
The stickers are pasted directly on cut pieces
No more handwritten tags. No more re-checking. This improves traceability and reduces mix-ups during packing.
5. Integrated Billing Without Separate Paper Invoices
After cutting:
The order flows seamlessly to the billing module
Invoices are generated digitally
The system auto-links the cut pieces to invoice line items
Once invoiced, the material is packed with a copy of the invoice inserted directly into the parcel
This eliminates the need to send invoices separately by courier or email and ensures that every parcel goes out complete and audit-ready.
6. Real-Time Dashboard & Reports—No Printouts Needed
For managers, supervisors, and accounts teams:
All order progress—from entry to dispatch—is available on a real-time dashboard
Reports can be filtered and exported digitally (PDF/Excel)
No more printing daily dispatch registers or order books
Everything is stored in the cloud and accessible anytime, anywhere
Real Use Cases: From Surat to the World
Here are just a few ways Inclusive Cloud is helping Indian distribution companies scale paperless operations:
Surat-Based Fabric Distributors (30–50 Orders/Day)
Challenge: Manual slips and handwritten cut instructions were leading to frequent errors and returns.Solution: Inclusive Cloud deployed handheld picking + cutting screen with barcode-generated stickers.Result: Cut errors reduced by 85%, daily order processing time dropped by 40%.
Pan-India Home Furnishing Distributor (300+ Orders/Day)
Challenge: Huge paperwork trail with multiple printouts per order; managing 20+ warehouse employees manually.Solution: Fully digitized order to dispatch flow with cloud-based dashboards and WhatsApp alerts.Result: 100% paperless operation, dispatch team reduced from 22 to 14, zero missed invoices.
Export-Focused Distributor (Multi-Country Shipping)
Challenge: Maintaining multiple copies of export documents, inconsistent process across geographies.Solution: Inclusive Cloud integrated with shipping and customs APIs, added document scan attachments.Result: Streamlined documentation, consistent process for India, Middle East, and Southeast Asia exports.
Key Benefits of Going Paperless with Inclusive Cloud
Benefit | Description |
🔄 End-to-End Digital Flow | No printouts needed from order to invoice |
📲 Mobile + Handheld Integration | Easy to deploy even in semi-automated warehouses |
⏱ Faster Turnaround Time | Save 30–50% of fulfillment time by eliminating manual steps |
📦 Higher Accuracy | Reduce mix-ups, returns, and rework |
💰 Cost Savings | Save on paper, printing, courier costs, and admin labor |
🌍 Environment Friendly | Lower carbon footprint by reducing paper usage |
👥 Role-Based Systemization | Reduces reliance on human judgment and individual workflows |
🌐 Scalable Globally | Already live in India, UAE, and Australia |
Why Now is the Time to Go Paperless
The shift to paperless warehousing is not just a trend—it’s a competitive necessity. As ecommerce, B2B fulfillment, and omni-channel retail grow, the expectations for speed, traceability, and accuracy are rising. Paper processes just can’t keep up.
With Inclusive Cloud, companies gain:
Faster order-to-dispatch cycles
Real-time visibility into warehouse operations
A unified system that reduces duplication and manual errors
Confidence that their operations can scale from 10 to 300+ orders per day—seamlessly
Final Words: Paperless is the Future—and It’s Already Here
Whether you are a small distributor in Surat or a global home furnishing supplier, going paperless isn’t just about tech—it’s about transformation.
Inclusive Cloud provides a ready-to-use, warehouse-tested system that brings together:
Order automation
Handheld picking
Smart cutting
Real-time billing
Digital dashboards
All built with Indian and global supply chain workflows in mind.
So if you're still relying on printed picklists, physical slips, or couriered invoices—now is the time to digitize your warehouse and join the paperless movement.
Ready to make your warehouse paperless?
Schedule a demo with Inclusive Cloud and discover how you can digitize your distribution in under 10 days.
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