Frequently asked questions
ParcelOps: frequently asked questions
Everything courier operators ask about ParcelOps: what it is, pricing, setup, data security, drivers, and the customer portal.
About ParcelOps
What is ParcelOps?
ParcelOps is cloud-native courier and freight management software built for South African courier companies. It runs your whole operation: waybills, collections, real-time driver tracking, route optimisation, automated invoicing, a white-label customer portal, and reporting, from any web browser, with no desktop installs.
What is courier management software?
Courier management software runs the day-to-day operations of a delivery business: capturing waybills, scheduling collections, assigning and tracking drivers, optimising routes, capturing proof of delivery, invoicing customers, and reporting. ParcelOps brings all of these into one cloud platform instead of separate tools or spreadsheets.
Who is ParcelOps for?
ParcelOps is built for independent and growing South African courier, freight, and last-mile delivery companies, from a single hub to ten or more. It suits operators moving off legacy desktop software or manual processes like Excel, WhatsApp, and paper waybills.
Is ParcelOps an alternative to legacy desktop courier software?
Yes. ParcelOps is a modern, cloud-native alternative to traditional desktop-based South African courier systems. Where legacy software is installed on-premise and often licensed per module, ParcelOps runs in any browser, includes every feature in one plan, and is billed on usage with no long-term contract.
What makes ParcelOps different from other courier software?
ParcelOps is cloud-native (nothing to install), South Africa first (POPIA-compliant, PayFast and Paystack payments, data hosted in South Africa), and all-inclusive: waybills, tracking, route optimisation, invoicing, and a customer portal in one plan. Pricing is pay-as-you-use, with unlimited users and no contracts.
Pricing & plans
How much does ParcelOps cost?
ParcelOps uses pay-as-you-use pricing: you are billed on the number of waybills you process, not per user or per module. Every feature is included, with unlimited users and drivers and no long-term contract. There is a minimum of R2,000 a month, no VAT added, in any month you process waybills, and a month with no waybills is not invoiced. Above the minimum, rates are quoted on your volume and number of hubs.
Is there a free trial?
Yes. You can start a free ParcelOps trial with no credit card required and run your courier operation on the platform before committing. Pricing afterwards is based on the waybills you process.
Getting started & migration
How long does it take to set up ParcelOps?
Most couriers are up and running in days, not months. You set up your company, hubs, and tariff rates, invite your team, and start creating waybills, typically within about an hour of onboarding. There are no lengthy implementations or consultant fees.
Can I migrate from my current courier software?
Yes. ParcelOps can assist with data migration from most legacy freight and courier management systems. Because setup is fast and the platform is browser-based, switching is far less disruptive than a traditional on-premise software rollout. Contact ParcelOps to discuss your specific migration.
Do I need to install any software?
No. ParcelOps is fully cloud-based. There is nothing to download or install, and no servers to manage. The whole platform runs in a web browser on any device, so you can access your operation from the office, a depot, or on the road.
Drivers & customers
Do drivers need to install an app?
They can: the ParcelOps Driver app is on the App Store for iPhone and on Google Play for Android. Anyone can instead open the link the office sends on WhatsApp, choose a PIN and add the app to the home screen, where it opens like any other app. Either way they sign in with their mobile number and PIN, so no email address is needed. They get the day's run on a map, navigate to the next stop, capture proof of delivery and update statuses, even without signal.
Can my customers book and track their own shipments?
Yes. ParcelOps includes a white-label customer booking portal where your customers can book collections, track parcels in real time, and download their invoices 24/7, branded as your business. It is a self-service experience that reduces phone and email load on your team.
Security, payments & compliance
Is ParcelOps POPIA compliant?
ParcelOps is built with POPIA compliance in mind from the ground up, with role-based access controls and encrypted data in transit and at rest. Each courier company's data is fully isolated in its own environment, and your data is hosted and stored in South Africa.
Where is my data hosted?
All ParcelOps data is hosted and stored in South Africa. This supports data-sovereignty expectations under POPIA for South African businesses and their customers. Features that rely on an outside service, such as WhatsApp messages and AI answers, are listed in our privacy policy.
How are payments handled?
ParcelOps integrates with PayFast and Paystack, so your customers pay invoices, statements, quotes and bookings online in rand, straight into your own account, and each payment is matched to what it paid automatically. Automated invoicing generates customer invoices at the end of each billing period, reducing manual admin.
Features
Does ParcelOps do route optimisation?
Yes. ParcelOps includes route optimisation across the South African road network, helping you sequence collections and deliveries efficiently. Combined with real-time GPS tracking of drivers and vehicles, you get visibility over every parcel from collection to final delivery.
Does ParcelOps handle invoicing?
Yes. ParcelOps automatically generates invoices at the end of each billing period based on the waybills processed, with online payment through PayFast or Paystack and automatic reconciliation. Reporting covers revenue, surcharges, driver performance, and returns, so finance and operations stay aligned.
Talk to us
Still have questions?
Start a free trial or talk to us about your courier operation.