LoadLog user guide
Everything you need to set up LoadLog, record your first waste transfer note, and pull the reports you need for compliance.
1. Getting set up
Set up takes a few minutes. Work through these steps once and LoadLog is ready for daily use.
1.1 Create your account
Go to the sign-up page and enter your email address and a password. You do not need a card to start.
Pick the plan that fits your site. The Free plan covers five waste transfer notes a month, which is enough to try everything before you commit. Compliance Lite, Compliance Plus and Enterprise add more users and features. You can change your plan at any time from Settings, then Billing.
1.2 Organisation settings
Open Settings, then Organisation. Fill in the details that will appear on your records.
| Field | Notes |
|---|---|
| Organisation name * | The name of your site or business. |
| Address | Line 1, line 2, city and postcode. |
| Contact email * | The address LoadLog uses for account messages. |
| Contact phone | Optional. |
| Permit number * | Your site's environmental permit number, also called its authorisation number. It can be in several formats, for example EPR/AB1234CD or PPC/A/1234567, or a waste management licence number. Enter it exactly as it appears on your permit or licence. This is not your carrier registration or your DEFRA API code. |
| Default carrier registration | Optional. When set, this pre-fills the carrier field on new notes. Carrier details are looked up when you press Lookup on the note form. |
Click Save Changes when you are done.
1.3 Connect to DEFRA
LoadLog links directly to DEFRA's Digital Waste Tracking Service. In the Organisation screen, scroll to DEFRA Integration. You set up two API codes: one for the sandbox and one for production.
Enter both API codes
Add your Sandbox API Code and your Production API Code. Each is the UUID DEFRA gave you when you registered, and looks something like 1f83215e-4b90-4785-9ab2-2614839aa2e9.
Verify each code
Click Verify Sandbox Code and Verify Production Code. LoadLog checks each one against DEFRA and confirms the link is working.
Choose your environment
Use the Environment toggle to work in the sandbox while you test. Switch to Production when you are ready to submit real loads.
If you have not registered with DEFRA's Digital Waste Tracking Service yet, LoadLog points you to the GOV.UK registration form during setup. Test everything in DEFRA's sandbox before you switch to production.
1.4 Audit log retention
In the same screen, choose how long to keep your audit log. You can keep it for 6, 12, 18 or 24 months.
1.5 Add your team
Open Settings, then Team, and click Invite User.
Enter their email address
Use the address they will sign in with.
Choose a role
There are three roles. Admin users can change settings and manage the team. Operator users can record and sign waste transfer notes. Viewer users have read-only access.
Send the invite
They get an email to finish setting up their account. You can see every user, their role and their status in the Team table.
The number of users you can add depends on your plan. If you hit the limit, LoadLog will point you to Upgrade plan.
2. Creating a waste transfer note
You can create a note from the New WTN page, or from the New WTN button on the dashboard. Fields marked with * are required.
2.1 Start a new note
The form is split into sections: Waste Items, Carrier Information, Broker / Dealer Information, Origin, and Arrival & Signature. You can expand or collapse the optional sections.
2.2 Waste items
Each note can hold one or more waste items. Click + Add Item to add another.
| Field | Notes |
|---|---|
| EWC code * | Pick from the built-in EWC code lookup. |
| Waste description * | Up to 5000 characters. |
| Physical form * | Solid, liquid, gas, powder, sludge or mixed. |
| Container type | Bulk, bag, drum, tank, skip, wheelie bin, box, bale or other. |
| Number of containers | Defaults to 1. |
| Net weight (kg) * | The weight of this item. |
| Weight is estimated | Tick if the weight is an estimate rather than a weighed value. |
| Treatment codes | Optional. Click + Add Code to add one or more. |
| Hazardous / POPs | Tick the boxes if the item contains hazardous substances or persistent organic pollutants. |
2.3 Carrier information
| Field | Notes |
|---|---|
| Carrier lookup * | Start typing the carrier name and select from the list. Choosing a carrier auto-fills the other carrier fields. Covers England-registered carriers using the Environment Agency public register. |
| Carrier registration (manual entry) | The carrier's permit number, also called their registration. Enter it here if the carrier is not in the lookup, for example a carrier registered in Scotland or Wales. |
| Carrier name (manual entry) | Optional. |
| Reason for no carrier registration * | Required if no registration is given. Options are waste transferred on site, household waste transfer, one-off collection (unregistered carrier), or marine waste transfer. |
| Vehicle registration * | The vehicle carrying the waste. |
Carrier lookup covers England-registered carriers only. For a carrier registered in Scotland or Wales, enter the number manually, or check the SEPA or NRW register.
2.4 Broker, dealer and origin (optional)
Expand Broker / Dealer Information if a broker or dealer was involved in the transfer. Expand Origin to record the waste generator's name, SIC code and address.
2.5 Arrival and signature
| Field | Notes |
|---|---|
| Waste arrival date/time * | When the load arrived on site. |
| Signed by | Sign on screen on behalf of your organisation. Click Clear Signature to start the signature again. |
2.6 Save a draft
If you are not ready to submit, click Save Draft and Return. Your note is saved as a draft and added to your WTNs list. You can come back and finish it any time.
A draft is not sent to DEFRA. It sits in your WTNs list with a Draft status until you open it and submit it. Nothing is submitted until you do.
2.7 Submit later
Open your WTNs list
Go to WTNs and set the status filter to Draft to see everything waiting on you.
Click Edit
Draft notes show View, Edit and Delete actions. Click Edit to carry on where you left off.
Finish and submit
Complete the remaining fields, add the signature, then click Save and Submit (or Submit WTN) to send it to DEFRA.
2.8 Statuses
Every note has a status, and you can filter the WTNs list by it.
- Draft: saved but not yet submitted.
- Submitted: sent to DEFRA.
- Confirmed: DEFRA has confirmed the submission.
- Rejected: DEFRA rejected it, and LoadLog tells you what to fix before you resubmit.
Before your note is sent, LoadLog pre-checks the submission and tells you about any issues it finds. If DEFRA rejects the submission for any reason, the issue is shown to you on the page so you can fix it and resubmit.
2.9 Sandbox and production
Each note records the environment it was created in: sandbox or production. Use the sandbox while you are testing, then switch to production for real loads. The WTNs list lets you filter by environment so you can tell test records apart from real ones.
3. Reporting
Everything you need for your own records and for an Environment Agency inspection is available from the WTNs list and the Audit Log.
3.1 View and search your notes
Open the WTNs list to see every note. You can search by EWC code, carrier or description, and filter by status, environment and date range.
3.2 PDF records
Every submitted note has a PDF button. Click it to download a PDF record with the waste details, signatures, timestamps and DEFRA reference number. Keep it for your records, hand it over at an inspection, or send it to anyone who needs a copy.
3.3 Audit log
Open Settings, then Audit Log, for a complete record of activity on your account. You can filter by date range, action type and entity type.
Actions that are logged include sign-ins, note creation, submissions, PDF downloads, settings changes, and user invites and role changes. Each entry shows the timestamp, the action, the user and any details such as the DEFRA reference.
3.4 Export CSV
From the Audit Log, click Export CSV to download your audit log for compliance reporting. Use the filters first if you only want a specific date range or action type.