How to create a Waste Note

WEEE MANAGER
HOW TO CREATE A WASTE NOTE
========================================

Who this is for: office / admin users.
A waste note is the job ticket for a collection. Create one when a client
needs waste collecting. After it is created it sits in Active Notes as
Pending until you assign it to a driver.


BEFORE YOU START
----------------
Make sure these records already exist in the system. If any are missing,
add them first or the form will not let you save.

  1. The client (Operations > Clients)
  2. At least one collection location (Operations > Locations)
     This is where the waste will be taken to, not the client's site.
  3. At least one vehicle (Operations > Fleet)
  4. The waste types you expect to collect (Operations > Waste Types)
     Each type needs an EWC code.

Optional, only if you need them:
  - A broker, if a broker arranged the work
  - An active waste collection bin, if you are collecting from a bin
    already on site
  - Notes on the client record, if you want to copy them onto the job
    for the driver


HOW TO OPEN THE FORM
--------------------
  1. Log in.
  2. In the top menu, click Operations.
  3. Under Waste Management, click Active Notes.
  4. Click the blue Create New button (top right).

     If the list is empty you will also see a Create New Waste Note
     button in the middle of the page. Either button opens the same form.

You should now see a page titled "Create Waste Note".


STEP 1  CHOOSE THE COLLECTION TYPE
----------------------------------
At the top of the form, use the dropdown:

    What type of waste collection is this?

Pick one:

  A. Collect from Existing Bin
     Use this when the client already has an active bin in the system
     and you are going to empty it.

  B. Setup New Waste Bin Collection
     Use this when you are delivering a new bin and creating the first
     collection job at the same time. This also creates the bin record.

  C. Standard Waste Collection (No Bin)
     Use this for a normal collection from the client's address, with
     no bin involved.

The rest of the form stays hidden until you choose one of these.
Follow the matching section below, then continue from Step 2.


  OPTION A  Collect from an existing bin
  --------------------------------------
  1. Choose Collect from Existing Bin.
     The dropdown shows how many active bins are in the system,
     for example: Collect from Existing Bin (12 active bins).

  2. Under Select Existing Waste Bin, open Active Waste Collection Bins.

  3. Pick the bin. Each option looks like:

         Client Name - Address  (Delivered: DD/MM/YYYY)

     Only active bins are listed. If none appear, the bin has not been
     set up yet, or it is not marked active. Use Option B or C instead,
     or add the bin under Operations > Waste Collection Bins first.

  4. Check Selected Bin Details (the blue box). It should show the
     client name, collection address, and delivery date.

  The client is filled in automatically from the bin. You do not choose
  the client yourself on this option.


  OPTION B  Set up a new waste bin
  --------------------------------
  1. Choose Setup New Waste Bin Collection.

  2. Select Client from the list.

  3. Enter Bin Delivery Date (the date the bin will be or was delivered).
     This field is required.

     The system then:
       - creates an active bin for that client
       - sets the renewal date 6 months after delivery
       - sets the first reminder 5 months after delivery
         (1 month before the 6-month renewal)

  4. If the bin is not at the client's usual address, tick:

         Collection address different from client address?

     Then fill in all three fields:
       - Collection Address
       - City
       - Postcode

     If you do not tick this, the bin uses the client's own address.


  OPTION C  Standard collection (no bin)
  --------------------------------------
  1. Choose Standard Waste Collection (No Bin).

  2. In the Client dropdown, pick the client.
     Each client shows how many bins they have, for example:

         Acme Ltd (2 bins)

     That count is for information only. This option does not use a bin.


STEP 2  FILL IN THE JOB DETAILS
-------------------------------
These fields appear after you choose a collection type.

  Client
    Required for a standard collection. For an existing bin it is set
    for you. For a new bin, use the client field in the new-bin section.

  Broker (Optional)
    Choose a broker if one arranged this work. Leave as None if not.

  Collection Location  (required)
    Choose the site the waste will be taken to (your facility or
    transfer station), not the client's pickup address.
    Pickup comes from the client (or the bin address if you used a bin).

  Vehicle  (required)
    Choose the vehicle. Options look like:

         Make - Model (AB12 CDE)

  Collection Date
    Optional. Enter the planned collection date if you know it.
    You can leave this blank and set it later.


STEP 3  ADD DRIVER NOTES  (optional)
------------------------------------
Use Notes for Driver for anything the driver needs on site, such as
access codes, parking, hazards, or who to ask for.

  - Limit is 2,000 characters. The counter under the box turns red
    after 1,800.
  - These notes show on the driver's job screen.

If the client already has notes on their record, an Import Notes from
Client list appears after you select the client (or bin).

  1. Tick the notes you want.
  2. Click Add Selected Notes.

     Or just tick them and click Create Waste Note at the end. Any
     ticked notes are added automatically when you save.

Imported notes are added under a line that says:

    --- Imported from Client Notes ---


STEP 4  ADD THE WASTE ITEMS  (required)
---------------------------------------
You must add at least one waste type or the form will not save.

  1. In the first row, open Waste Item and choose a type.
     Each option looks like:

         Description (EWC: 20 01 36)

  2. To add another type, click Add Another Item and choose again.
  3. To remove a row, click the red bin icon on that row.

You only pick the waste types at this stage. Quantity is set to 1
behind the scenes. Actual weights and received amounts are entered
later, when the driver confirms the collection and when the waste
is processed.


STEP 5  MAKE IT RECURRING  (optional)
-------------------------------------
Only do this if the same collection should repeat on a schedule
(for example every week or every month).

  1. Tick Make this a recurring waste note.
  2. Fill in Recurrence Schedule:

       Frequency     Daily, Weekly, Monthly, or Yearly. Required.
       Repeat Every  How often, as a number (1 to 365). Default is 1.
                     Example: Weekly + 2 = every 2 weeks.
       Repeat On     Weekly only. Tick the days (Monday to Sunday).
       Day of Month  Monthly only. Pick 1st to 31st.
       Start Date    Required. If you already entered a Collection Date,
                     this is copied across when you tick the box.
       End           Choose one:
                       On Date            enter an End Date (must be
                                          after the start date)
                       After Occurrences  enter how many jobs, 1 to 100
                                          (the box starts at 10)
                       Never              keeps creating jobs, up to a
                                          system limit of 100

  3. Check the blue summary at the bottom of the schedule so it matches
     what you meant, for example:

         Repeats every week on Monday, starting 01/09/2026 until 01/12/2026

What gets created:
  - One parent waste note, plus extra notes for each later date.
  - Every note in the series gets its own ID, the same client, location,
    vehicle, driver notes, waste types, and bin (if you used one).
  - Extra notes start as Pending.

To manage the series later, use Recurring Series on the Active Notes page.


STEP 6  SAVE
------------
  1. Click the blue Create Waste Note button at the bottom right.
  2. If anything is missing, a red box appears at the top listing
     what to fix. Correct those fields and click the button again.
  3. On success you are taken back to Active Notes.

     One-off job:
         Waste Note created successfully with ID: ACMELT/23086

     Recurring series:
         Recurring waste note series created successfully! Generated 12 waste notes.

The ID is built from:
  - the first 6 letters and numbers of the client name (capitals, no spaces)
  - a slash
  - today's date as day, month, and the last digit of the year

Example: client "Acme Ltd", created on 23 August 2026 → ACMELT/23086
The date in the ID is the day you create the note, not the collection date.
If that ID is already used, the system adds -1, -2, and so on
(ACMELT/23086-1, ACMELT/23086-2).


WHAT HAPPENS NEXT
-----------------
The new note is Pending on Active Notes. It is not yet a live job
for a driver.

Typical next steps (separate tasks):
  1. Open the note and assign it to a staff member / driver.
  2. The driver completes the collection on site (photos, signature,
     confirmation).
  3. The waste is processed, then the note is completed.

You can also open the note from Active Notes to check, edit, or delete
it before it is assigned.


QUICK CHECKLIST
---------------
  [ ] Collection type chosen
  [ ] Client chosen (or filled in from the bin)
  [ ] If new bin: delivery date entered, extra address completed if needed
  [ ] Collection location chosen (where the waste is taken)
  [ ] Vehicle chosen
  [ ] At least one waste item chosen
  [ ] Driver notes added if the driver needs them
  [ ] Recurring schedule completed if it should repeat
  [ ] Create Waste Note clicked, green success message shown


COMMON PROBLEMS
---------------
The rest of the form does not appear
    You have not chosen a collection type yet. Use the first dropdown.

"Please correct the following errors"
    The red list tells you what is missing. The usual ones are:
      - Client
      - Collection Location
      - Vehicle
      - At least one waste item
      - Bin (if you chose Collect from Existing Bin)
      - Bin Delivery Date (if you chose Setup New Waste Bin Collection)
      - Address, city and postcode (if you ticked a different address)
      - Frequency and Start Date (if you ticked recurring)

No bins in the list
    There are no active bins. Set one up first under
    Operations > Waste Collection Bins, or use Setup New Waste Bin
    Collection / Standard Waste Collection instead.

No clients, locations, vehicles, or waste types in the lists
    Those records have not been added yet. Create them under Operations,
    then come back to this form.

I picked the wrong collection type
    Change the first dropdown. The form resets the bin and client
    fields, so you will need to fill those in again.

The client field is greyed out
    That is normal for bin collections. The client comes from the bin
    (existing bin) or from the new-bin client list (new bin).

Imported client notes did not appear in Driver Notes
    Tick the notes, then click Add Selected Notes, and check the
    Notes for Driver box. If you only tick them, they are still added
    when you click Create Waste Note.


OTHER WAYS A WASTE NOTE CAN BE CREATED
--------------------------------------
This guide covers creating a note yourself from Active Notes.

A waste note can also be created when you approve a Collection Request
(Operations > Collection Requests). That is a different process: the
client asked for a collection, and approving it turns the request into
a waste note.


========================================
Guide: Create a Waste Note
System: WEEE Manager
Last checked against the Create Waste Note screen in the software.