Most courier systems use only one “notes” text box often placed at the bottom of the booking form, and many customers do not fill it. Because of this, some important delivery information is missed. When important details are missed, problems happen. A driver may call the office, the office calls the customer, and the customer calls back later. What should be a simple delivery turns into several phone calls and sometimes a failed delivery.
In general, business success depends on having the right information at the right time. This is also true for delivery services. Custom fields help solve this problem. Instead of asking customers to write anything they want in an empty box, you can ask clear questions, at the right time, in a structured way.
Here’s a quick look at how custom fields solve these problems in real delivery workflows:
With Onro, you can create different types of custom fields, such as text, lists, checkboxes, or file uploads. You can use these for orders, customers, and drivers. You can also decide when to ask for this information and where to show it.
Let’s look at how delivery companies use custom fields in practice.
1. Delivery Instructions That Actually Get Filled In
A “pale grey notes box” sitting at the bottom of the form gets skipped easily. But a clearly labelled “Delivery instructions field”, placed right after the address, gets filled in. That single change to the label and placement is enough to change the whole game. Add a “safe-drop option” and a “call before arriving” at the checkbox, and you’ve handled the majority of last-mile communication before anyone’s picked up the phone.
Helpful fields to add:
- Delivery instructions (text).
- Safe-drop location.
- Entry or gate code.
- Call before arriving (checkbox).
- Leave at the door (checkbox).
Tip: The simple change in labelling can cut down on driver phone calls noticeably. Many teams also add checkboxes for common requests so customers don’t have to type everything out.
2. Cannabis Delivery: Age Verification Before the Door
Nobody wants the driver standing on the street asking for ID while the customer rushes to find it. Getting age verification details during checkout makes the whole process much easier.
Helpful fields to add:
- ID type drop-down (driving license, passport, state ID).
- ID number.
- Date of birth.
- ID document upload.
- “Verify ID on delivery” checkbox.
By the time the driver arrives, both sides already know what to expect.
3. Pharmacy and Medical Delivery: Prescription Data that Travels with the Order
Medications are not like any other parcels. They often come with specific recipient requirements and sometimes with temperature or handling conditions attached. A prescription reference number alone cuts down most of the matching calls. A script upload means nothing has to be chased after the fact. Refrigeration and signature flags make sure the right handling happens without anyone having to keep it in their head.
Helpful fields to add:
- Prescription reference number.
- Prescribing the doctor’s name.
- Script file upload.
- Medication name.
- Refrigeration required.
- Signature required on delivery.
Having this information attached to the order from the start saves time and helps to make sure medications are getting delivered properly.
4. B2B delivery: Making Finance Teams Happy
In business orders, the person who places the order is rarely the one who pays the invoice. Without the right internal details, finance teams spend hours every month chasing information.
Helpful fields to add:
- Internal account number.
- Department or branch.
- Billing contact name and email.
- Purchase order number.
- Cost centre code.
Getting these upfront helps things run much smoother and cuts down the back-and-forth at the end of the month.
5. Driver Onboarding: One Application, Not Three Rounds of Email
Standard registration forms get the basic info. Then, a week later, someone realises they need to know whether a driver has a refrigerated vehicle. Or a food handling certificate. Or which zones they’ll actually cover. The follow-up email goes out. The driver responds slowly. A second email goes out.
Custom registration fields come to the rescue. Getting all the necessary information up front helps drivers move from application to their first job without any delays.
Fields worth collecting at driver registration:
- Cargo capacity.
- Refrigerated vehicle.
- Certification uploads(food handling, background check).
- Preferred delivery zones.
- Availability schedule (days / time slots).
- Preferred delivery type (on-demand / routes / both).
6. Flower Delivery: When Small Mistakes Actually Hurt Someone
Delivering flowers is more emotional than most people think. A doorbell at the wrong time can ruin a surprise. Leaving a funeral arrangement at the main entrance instead of the side door can make a really difficult day even harder.
Helpful fields to add:
- Gift message.
- Occasion (birthday, anniversary, wedding, funeral).
- The recipient is not aware of this delivery (checkbox).
- Leave with the neighbour if there is no answer (checkbox).
- Venue type and specific venue instructions.
That “recipient not aware” checkbox is especially powerful! It tells the driver to deliver it quietly, without making a call or drawing attention, so the surprise is not ruined.
7. E-commerce Delivery: Must-have Checks Before Loading the Van
When you have lots of orders, they all start to look the same unless you clearly mark them otherwise. Like the one that needs to be assembled upon delivery, the high-value item that shouldn’t be left in a shared hallway, or a gift whose invoice needs to be removed before handing it over.
The key is getting this information before the van is loaded. Once the driver is on the road, it’s often too late to act on it.
Helpful fields to add:
- Assembly required on delivery
- High-value item
- Fragile contents
- Gift — remove invoice
- Gift wrapping requested
- Packaging or unboxing instructions
8. Pet Supply and Veterinary Delivery
Routine pet food is a simple drop. But prescription food with vet approval is a different story. Especially when it comes to temperature-sensitive medicine for a clinic on a treatment schedule, it becomes even more critical. A mistake or delay there can actually impact an animal’s health.
The fields below cover the clinical and logistical side of these orders. The pet’s name does something different, though. It adds a personal touch and makes the delivery feel more real for everyone involved.
Helpful fields to add:
- Pet name
- Prescription pet food — vet authorization required
- Vet authorization upload
- Temperature-sensitive medication
- Deliver to the vet clinic reception
- Recurring treatment — frequency and next scheduled date
Including the pet’s name might seem small, but it makes the delivery feel more personal to the driver and the team. It reminds everyone that a living animal depends on this order.
Where to Start
Start with the use case that’s causing the most trouble right now. Add the fields needed for that. The first improvements usually show up in fewer driver calls and a lower failed delivery rate, both of which drop when the right information is captured at the right time.Everything here is configurable in Onro without engineering work.The Onro support team is a message away if you want help thinking through your setup.
