Quick-Fill Templates: Create WTNs in Seconds
If your team creates the same Waste Transfer Notes week after week — same producer, same carrier, same waste stream — why type it all again? Quick-Fill Templates let you save repeating details once, then populate entire WTN forms with one selection. Less typing, fewer errors, faster compliance.
What Are Quick-Fill Templates?
Quick-Fill Templates are saved presets that automatically populate the most common fields when you start a new digital Waste Transfer Note. Instead of re-entering the same producer name, address, EWC code, carrier details and vehicle registration every time, you select a template from a dropdown — and the form fills itself in under a second.
Templates are particularly powerful for skip hire companies, waste carriers with repeat routes, and producers sending the same waste stream on a regular schedule. The larger your operation and the more repeat work you do, the more time they save.
Who benefits most?
Who Can Create & Use Templates
Template management is restricted to account administrators to maintain data quality and prevent accidental changes. All seat users can benefit from templates their admin has set up.
| Action | Admin | Seat (Team Member) |
|---|---|---|
| Create new template | — | |
| Edit template name / fields | — | |
| Mark template as favourite | — | |
| Duplicate a template | — | |
| Deactivate a template | — | |
| Delete a template | — | |
| View all active templates | ||
| Use template when creating a WTN | ||
| Override pre-filled fields on new WTN |
What Can Be Pre-Filled
Templates can store data across six categories. You choose which sections to pre-fill — only populate fields that are consistent across collections. Variable data like quantity or date is always entered fresh on each WTN.
Fields You Can Pre-Fill in a Template
- Business name
- Address & postcode
- SIC code
- Contact name & phone
- Carrier company name
- Waste carrier licence no.
- Contact email
- Default vehicle reg
- Site name & address
- Environmental permit no.
- RPS number (Scot/NI)
- Contact details
- EWC code
- Waste description
- Physical form
- Container type & R/D code
- Vehicle registration
- Collection notes
- Special instructions
- Default quantity unit
- Hazardous toggle
- HP codes
- POPs information
- Special handling notes
You don't need to fill every section — only pre-fill what stays consistent. Leave quantity blank if it varies each visit, for example.
Creating Your First Template
Setup takes under 3 minutes. Once done, every team member benefits immediately.
Navigate to Quick-Fill Templates
From the app dashboard, go to Extra Tools → Quick-Fill Templates. This section is only visible to primary account administrators. If you don't see it, check that your account has admin privileges.
Navigation Path
Admin only. The Quick-Fill Templates menu is only visible to primary account administrators. Team members (seats) can use templates but cannot access this menu.
Click 'New Template'
Hit the 'New Template' button. You'll be prompted for a template name and optional description. The name is what your team will see in the dropdown when creating WTNs — make it descriptive and unambiguous.
Use a consistent naming format: [Frequency] [Size/Type] [Waste] — [Customer]. E.g. 'Weekly 8yd Mixed — Acme Site A'. This makes scanning the dropdown fast even with 20+ templates.
New Template — Form Fields
Fill the Sections You Want Pre-Populated
Work through each section of the template form. Only fill in fields that will be the same on every WTN created from this template. Leave variable fields (like quantity or specific dates) blank — these will be entered fresh each time.
A well-scoped template fills ~80% of the WTN automatically while leaving the 20% that varies (weight, date, any one-off notes) for the user to complete. Over-filling can create false data if fields are accepted without review.
If you pre-fill an EWC code, make sure it matches the actual waste being collected. An incorrect EWC code on a completed WTN cannot be changed and creates a compliance risk.
Toggle Hazardous Flag (if applicable)
If the template covers a hazardous waste stream, switch the Hazardous toggle on. This unlocks additional fields for HP codes, POPs details, and special handling instructions — ensuring nothing legally required is skipped when your team uses the template.
Do not use a non-hazardous template for hazardous loads. The legal requirements differ significantly: hazardous loads require a Consignment Note, not a standard WTN. WasteBolt will guide this distinction, but always verify EWC code hazardous status.
Star Favourites & Save
Mark your most-used templates as favourites — they'll appear at the top of the dropdown list for faster selection. Then save. The template is immediately available to all users in your account.
Set up your top 5–10 most common jobs as starred favourites first. Your team will thank you — those will appear above all others in the dropdown without needing to scroll or search.
Using a Template to Create a WTN
When any user starts a new Waste Transfer Note, a 'Quick-Fill Template' dropdown appears at the top of the form. Selecting a template instantly populates all saved fields. The user then reviews everything, fills in any remaining variable fields, and proceeds to complete and sign as normal.
Templates only populate the initial form — users can override any pre-filled field before completing the WTN. This is intentional: the template is a starting point, not a locked record.
Creating a WTN — Quick-Fill Dropdown
Time Savings in Practice
The time difference per WTN looks small — but it compounds fast at scale. Here's a real comparison for a typical skip hire operator with 20 daily collections:
Time Per WTN — With vs Without Templates
Best Practices & Tips
Naming Convention
Recommended Naming Format
Additional Tips
Deactivating vs Deleting Templates
As your business evolves — customers change, vehicles are replaced, waste streams shift — you'll need to retire old templates. Understanding when to deactivate versus delete protects your audit trail.
Deactivate vs Delete — What to Use
Hides the template from the dropdown. All WTNs created from it remain fully intact with their audit trail. You can reactivate at any time.
Permanently removes the template. Existing WTNs are unaffected but the template can never be recovered. Use sparingly.
When in doubt, deactivate rather than delete. Deleting a template cannot be undone, and if a previous WTN references the template name in notes it may cause confusion at audit.