What is a PRO / BOL Number and How to Get One

Question:

I’ve created an LTL shipping plan.

Now Amazon are asking me for the no. of pallets, their measurements and the PRO tracking no.

What’s that and from where can I get those details?

Answer:

The BOL no. identifies the specific bill for a specific shipment.

The PRO is used for identification and tracking of a specific order handed to a specific forwarder.

Let’s see how we can simplify the explanation –

The BOL no. is the tracking no. used by the forwarder up to the point the goods are picked up.

The PRO no., however, is the tracking no. between the pick-up and final delivery point.

Therefore, when Amazon ask you (as sellers) for the tracking no., you can only provide the PRO no. after the goods were picked up from the last stop and on the way to an Amazon warehouse.

A shipper cannot transfer the PRO number for a shipment that is currently in China or on its way to the USA before the goods actually arrive in the USA, have gone through palletizing before delivery, and have been handed over to the carrier for delivery to a specific Amazon warehouse.

The forwarder can receive the PRO no. from the carrier, only at this point, and then he’s able to insert it in the Amazon system.