The Repeat Collection Problem
Most waste businesses do not collect from a different set of customers every day. They collect from the same construction site every Tuesday. They pick up the same mixed commercial waste from the same industrial estate every fortnight. The same carrier takes it to the same transfer station every time.
On paper, this means completing an identical or near-identical WTN dozens of times a year. On a basic digital system, it means typing the same producer address, the same EWC code, the same carrier registration number, over and over again.
WasteBolt quick-fill templates eliminate this. Save a completed WTN as a template and every repeat collection of the same type pre-fills in one tap — producer, carrier, consignee, waste description, EWC code, all of it. The only thing left to enter is the transfer date and the weight.
What a Quick-Fill Template Contains
A WTN template saves a snapshot of all the data fields from a completed WTN:
Part A — Producer details Business name, address, postcode, SIC code, status (Producer/Dealer/Broker), permit or licence number
Part B — Carrier details Carrier company name, address, postcode, waste carrier registration number (CBDU/CBDL), email
Part C — Consignee details Site name, address, postcode, waste facility licence or permit number, RPS numbers, email
Part D — Waste description EWC code, waste name, physical form, containment type, R or D recovery/disposal code, POPs declaration
What is not saved in the template — because it changes each collection:
- Transfer date (always entered fresh)
- Gross, tare, and net weight (always entered fresh)
- Weighbridge docket reference (always entered fresh)
- Signatures (always captured fresh)
How to Create a Template
Method 1 — Save from a completed WTN The simplest way. Complete a WTN as normal. When you mark it complete, you will see a "Save as Template" option in the WtnCompleteDialog. Name the template something descriptive — the customer name and waste type is usually the most useful format (e.g. "Smith Construction — Mixed C&D", "Jones Farm — Silage Wrap").
Method 2 — Save from a draft You do not need to complete a WTN to save it as a template. If you have filled in all the repeat fields during a draft, you can save the draft as a template from the form. The template captures whatever is in the form at that point.
Method 3 — Create a template directly From WasteBolt → WTN Templates, you can create a new template from scratch without creating a WTN first. This is useful for setting up templates before your first collection with a new customer.
How to Use a Template
When you start a new WTN from Add Waste Movement → Waste Transfer Note, a template selector appears at the top of the form — a dropdown showing your saved templates.
Select the template for the collection type you are about to record. All the saved fields populate instantly. The form jumps straight to the fields that change — transfer date, weights, and vehicle registration.
For a repeat collection with a saved template, the time from opening the form to saving a complete draft is typically under 90 seconds.
Favouriting Templates for Fast Access
Templates you use most frequently can be favourited. Favourited templates appear at the top of the template selector dropdown — you do not have to scroll through a long list to find your most common collection types.
To favourite a template: go to WasteBolt → WTN Templates → tap the star icon next to the template name.
WasteBolt also tracks usage count automatically — how many times each template has been used to create a WTN. The most-used templates are surfaced prominently in the selector even without manually favouriting them.
Templates and Seat Users (Drivers)
Templates created by the admin are available to all seat users (drivers) under that admin account. A driver completing a WTN on their phone sees the same template list as the admin.
This is particularly useful for skip hire and waste carrier operations where:
- The admin sets up templates for each customer and route
- Drivers select the appropriate template at the start of each collection
- The core data is pre-filled and correct — the driver only enters the weight and date
- Compliance data is consistent across all drivers, not dependent on individual memory
Templates vs Season Tickets — Knowing the Difference
Both templates and Season Tickets reduce paperwork on repeat collections, but they work differently:
Quick-fill templates speed up the creation of individual WTNs. Each WTN is still a separate document covering a single transfer. The template just pre-fills the form so you are not retyping the same data.
Season Tickets cover multiple transfers under a single document. One signed Season Ticket replaces the need for individual WTNs for each load between the same parties for up to 12 months.
For high-frequency regular collections between the same parties — weekly skip hire rounds from the same site, fortnightly commercial waste from the same industrial estate — a Season Ticket is more efficient than using a template to create dozens of individual WTNs.
For irregular collections between different parties — same customer but different waste type, or same waste type but different receiving site — a template is the right tool. A Season Ticket would not apply because the parties or waste type changes.
See our WTNs vs Season Tickets guide for a full breakdown of when each approach is appropriate.
Managing Your Template Library
Naming conventions matter. A template library of 30 unnamed or vaguely named templates is harder to use than a well-organised smaller library. Use a consistent format — Customer Name — Waste Type — Destination works well for most operations.
Keep templates current. If a carrier's registration number changes or a consignee's permit is renewed with a new reference, update the template. Stale template data means incorrect WTNs.
Archive rather than delete. If a customer relationship ends or a route changes, archive the template rather than deleting it. This preserves the data for reference without cluttering the active template list.
Create templates for your top 10 routes first. Rather than templating every possible collection, identify your 10 most frequent jobs and create templates for those. These will handle the majority of your WTN volume and deliver the biggest time saving.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many templates can I save? There is no hard limit on the number of templates in WasteBolt. Template storage is unlimited.
Can I share templates between multiple admin accounts? Templates are tied to the admin account that created them and are available to all seat users under that account. Templates are not shared between separate WasteBolt accounts.
What happens to WTNs created from a template if the template is updated? Existing WTNs are not affected by template updates. The WTN records the data at the time it was created. Updating a template only affects future WTNs created from that template.
Can I create templates for hazardous waste consignment notes? Yes. Hazardous consignment note templates save the same fields as standard WTN templates, plus the hazardous-specific fields — HP codes and special handling requirements — where these are consistent between collections.
Do templates pre-fill the EWC code? Yes. The EWC code is one of the most valuable fields to pre-fill from a template, since looking up or typing a 6-digit EWC code correctly every time is a common source of error. The template stores the exact EWC code and waste name from the original WTN.
Last updated: June 2026. Quick-fill templates are available on all paid WasteBolt plans via WTN Templates in the main navigation.