BOL vs PRO Number

The bill of lading and the PRO number are often confused because both identify a shipment, but they come from different parties at different moments. The BOL is created by the shipper (or their software) before pickup and functions as the contract of carriage, the receipt, and the record of what is being shipped.

The PRO number is assigned by the carrier when it takes possession of the freight, and it is the identifier used to track the shipment and reconcile the carrier’s invoice.

In short: use the BOL to describe and tender the shipment, and use the PRO to track it once it is moving. FreightCake links both to a single shipment record automatically.