DEFAULT FIELDS

Shipper & Consignee — Recommended Default Fields per Service Type

Overview

When a Shipper or Consignee is selected on a transaction, many downstream fields can be auto-populated from stored defaults. This avoids repetitive data entry and enforces consistency.

This document recommends new fields to add to the Shipper and Consignee master doctypes. Each field is scoped to a specific service type (Air, Sea, Customs, Transport) so the same shipper/consignee can carry different defaults for different logistics flows.

Current State

Today, Shipper and Consignee carry only a handful of default fields:

Doctype	Existing Default Fields
Shipper	exporter_category, country, default_currency, default_incoterm, pick_address, shipper_primary_address, shipper_primary_contact
Consignee	customs_importer_classification, delivery_address, consignee_primary_address, consignee_primary_contact

The recommendations below fill the gaps identified by analysing every field on the Air, Sea, Customs, and Transport transaction doctypes that is a good candidate for per-shipper/consignee defaulting.

---

Shipper — Recommended Fields

General Defaults (apply across service types)

These already exist or are broadly useful beyond a single module.

Field Name	Label	Type	Options / Notes
default_notify_party	Default Notify Party	Data	Free-text name; populates notify_party on Air/Sea transactions
default_notify_party_address	Default Notify Party Address	Small Text	Address text; populates notify_party_address
default_service_level	Default Service Level	Link	Logistics Service Level

Air Freight Defaults

Fields to add under a Air Freight Defaults section/tab on Shipper.

Field Name	Label	Type	Options / Notes
air_default_sending_agent	Default Sending Agent (Air)	Link	Freight Agent
air_default_receiving_agent	Default Receiving Agent (Air)	Link	Freight Agent
air_default_broker	Default Broker (Air)	Link	Freight Agent
air_default_document_template	Default Document Template (Air)	Link	Document List Template
air_default_milestone_template	Default Milestone Template (Air)	Link	Milestone Template
air_default_tc_name	Default Terms (Air)	Link	Terms and Conditions
air_default_additional_terms	Default Additional Terms (Air)	Data	Free text
air_default_client_notes	Default Client Notes (Air)	Text Editor	Boilerplate instructions for air bookings

Sea Freight Defaults

Fields to add under a Sea Freight Defaults section/tab on Shipper.

Field Name	Label	Type	Options / Notes
sea_default_sending_agent	Default Sending Agent (Sea)	Link	Freight Agent
sea_default_receiving_agent	Default Receiving Agent (Sea)	Link	Freight Agent
sea_default_broker	Default Broker (Sea)	Link	Broker (Sea Booking) / Freight Agent (Sea Shipment)
sea_default_freight_consolidator	Default Freight Consolidator	Link	Freight Consolidator — Sea Booking only
sea_default_document_template	Default Document Template (Sea)	Link	Document List Template
sea_default_milestone_template	Default Milestone Template (Sea)	Link	Milestone Template
sea_default_tc_name	Default Terms (Sea)	Link	Terms and Conditions
sea_default_additional_terms	Default Additional Terms (Sea)	Small Text	Free text
sea_default_client_notes	Default Client Notes (Sea)	Text Editor	Boilerplate instructions for sea bookings

Customs Defaults

Fields to add under a Customs Defaults section/tab on Shipper.

Field Name	Label	Type	Options / Notes
customs_default_broker	Default Customs Broker	Link	Broker — populates customs_broker on Declaration / Declaration Order
customs_default_freight_agent	Default Freight Agent (Customs)	Link	Freight Agent
customs_default_trade_agreement	Default Trade Agreement	Data	Free text; populates trade_agreement
customs_default_marks_and_numbers	Default Marks and Numbers	Long Text	Populates marks_and_numbers
customs_default_document_template	Default Document Template (Customs)	Link	Document List Template
customs_default_milestone_template	Default Milestone Template (Customs)	Link	Milestone Template
customs_default_special_instructions	Default Special Instructions (Customs)	Long Text	Populates special_instructions

Transport Defaults

Fields to add under a Transport Defaults section/tab on Shipper.

Field Name	Label	Type	Options / Notes
transport_default_document_template	Default Document Template (Transport)	Link	Document List Template
transport_default_milestone_template	Default Milestone Template (Transport)	Link	Milestone Template
transport_default_client_notes	Default Client Notes (Transport)	Text Editor	Standing pickup / handling instructions
transport_default_internal_notes	Default Internal Notes (Transport)	Text Editor	Internal standing instructions (e.g. "always use closed van")

---

Consignee — Recommended Fields

General Defaults (apply across service types)

Field Name	Label	Type	Options / Notes
default_notify_party	Default Notify Party	Data	Free-text name; populates notify_party on Air/Sea transactions
default_notify_party_address	Default Notify Party Address	Small Text	Address text
default_service_level	Default Service Level	Link	Logistics Service Level
default_incoterm	Default Incoterm	Link	Incoterm — consignee-side Incoterm preference (Shipper already has this)
default_currency	Default Currency	Link	Currency — for charge/pricing context
default_payment_terms	Default Payment Terms	Link	Payment Terms Template

Air Freight Defaults

Fields to add under an Air Freight Defaults section/tab on Consignee.

Field Name	Label	Type	Options / Notes
air_default_receiving_agent	Default Receiving Agent (Air)	Link	Freight Agent — destination agent
air_default_broker	Default Broker (Air)	Link	Freight Agent
air_default_customs_broker	Default Customs Broker (Air)	Link	Supplier — present on Air Shipment
air_default_document_template	Default Document Template (Air)	Link	Document List Template
air_default_milestone_template	Default Milestone Template (Air)	Link	Milestone Template
air_default_tc_name	Default Terms (Air)	Link	Terms and Conditions
air_default_client_notes	Default Client Notes (Air)	Text Editor	Boilerplate delivery/handling notes

Sea Freight Defaults

Fields to add under a Sea Freight Defaults section/tab on Consignee.

Field Name	Label	Type	Options / Notes
sea_default_receiving_agent	Default Receiving Agent (Sea)	Link	Freight Agent — destination agent
sea_default_broker	Default Broker (Sea)	Link	Broker / Freight Agent
sea_default_freight_consolidator	Default Freight Consolidator	Link	Freight Consolidator
sea_default_document_template	Default Document Template (Sea)	Link	Document List Template
sea_default_milestone_template	Default Milestone Template (Sea)	Link	Milestone Template
sea_default_tc_name	Default Terms (Sea)	Link	Terms and Conditions
sea_default_client_notes	Default Client Notes (Sea)	Text Editor	Boilerplate delivery/handling notes

Customs Defaults

Fields to add under a Customs Defaults section/tab on Consignee.

Field Name	Label	Type	Options / Notes
customs_default_broker	Default Customs Broker	Link	Broker — populates customs_broker
customs_default_freight_agent	Default Freight Agent (Customs)	Link	Freight Agent
customs_default_trade_agreement	Default Trade Agreement	Data	Free text
customs_default_marks_and_numbers	Default Marks and Numbers	Long Text
customs_default_payment_terms	Default Payment Terms (Customs)	Link	Payment Terms Template
customs_default_document_template	Default Document Template (Customs)	Link	Document List Template
customs_default_milestone_template	Default Milestone Template (Customs)	Link	Milestone Template
customs_default_special_instructions	Default Special Instructions (Customs)	Long Text
customs_default_country_of_origin	Default Country of Origin	Link	Country — many consignees receive from same origin

Transport Defaults

Fields to add under a Transport Defaults section/tab on Consignee.

Field Name	Label	Type	Options / Notes
transport_default_document_template	Default Document Template (Transport)	Link	Document List Template
transport_default_milestone_template	Default Milestone Template (Transport)	Link	Milestone Template
transport_default_client_notes	Default Client Notes (Transport)	Text Editor	Standing delivery instructions (e.g. "call before delivery", "dock 3 only")
transport_default_internal_notes	Default Internal Notes (Transport)	Text Editor	Internal notes (e.g. "requires tail-lift truck")

---

Suggested UI Layout

Both Shipper and Consignee should use Tab Breaks to organise the new defaults cleanly:

[Details]  [Air Freight]  [Sea Freight]  [Customs]  [Transport]  [Addresses and Contacts]

Each service-type tab contains only the defaults relevant to that service, keeping the form uncluttered.

---

Population Logic

When a shipper or consignee is selected on a transaction, the system should auto-populate empty fields from the matching service-type defaults. The recommended approach:

1. Client-side (onchange) — Use frappe.call to fetch the shipper/consignee doc and populate fields immediately in the UI for quick feedback.
2. Server-side (validate or before_save) — As a safety net, populate any still-empty defaultable fields from the master record.
3. Precedence rule — Never overwrite a field the user has already filled. Only populate when the target field is empty/null.
4. Service-type scoping — Use the service-type prefix to select the right default. For example, on an Air Booking, read from air_default_* fields; on a Sea Booking, read from sea_default_* fields.

Example (Air Booking — shipper selected)

if self.shipper and not self.sending_agent:
    shipper_doc = frappe.get_cached_doc("Shipper", self.shipper)
    self.sending_agent = shipper_doc.get("air_default_sending_agent")
    self.receiving_agent = self.receiving_agent or shipper_doc.get("air_default_receiving_agent")
    self.broker = self.broker or shipper_doc.get("air_default_broker")
    self.document_list_template = self.document_list_template or shipper_doc.get("air_default_document_template")
    self.milestone_template = self.milestone_template or shipper_doc.get("air_default_milestone_template")
    self.tc_name = self.tc_name or shipper_doc.get("air_default_tc_name")
    self.additional_terms = self.additional_terms or shipper_doc.get("air_default_additional_terms")
    self.client_notes = self.client_notes or shipper_doc.get("air_default_client_notes")
    self.notify_party = self.notify_party or shipper_doc.get("default_notify_party")
    self.notify_party_address = self.notify_party_address or shipper_doc.get("default_notify_party_address")
    self.service_level = self.service_level or shipper_doc.get("default_service_level")
    self.incoterm = self.incoterm or shipper_doc.get("default_incoterm")

---

Summary Matrix

Mapping of which transaction fields get populated from which master default, by service type.

Shipper → Transaction Field

Transaction Field	Air	Sea	Customs	Transport
sending_agent	air_default_sending_agent	sea_default_sending_agent	—	—
receiving_agent	air_default_receiving_agent	sea_default_receiving_agent	—	—
broker	air_default_broker	sea_default_broker	customs_default_broker	—
freight_agent	—	—	customs_default_freight_agent	—
freight_consolidator	—	sea_default_freight_consolidator	—	—
incoterm	default_incoterm	default_incoterm	default_incoterm	—
service_level	default_service_level	default_service_level	default_service_level	default_service_level
document_list_template	air_default_document_template	sea_default_document_template	customs_default_document_template	transport_default_document_template
milestone_template	air_default_milestone_template	sea_default_milestone_template	customs_default_milestone_template	transport_default_milestone_template
tc_name	air_default_tc_name	sea_default_tc_name	—	—
additional_terms	air_default_additional_terms	sea_default_additional_terms	—	—
notify_party	default_notify_party	default_notify_party	—	—
notify_party_address	default_notify_party_address	default_notify_party_address	—	—
client_notes	air_default_client_notes	sea_default_client_notes	—	transport_default_client_notes
internal_notes	—	—	—	transport_default_internal_notes
special_instructions	—	—	customs_default_special_instructions	—
trade_agreement	—	—	customs_default_trade_agreement	—
marks_and_numbers	—	—	customs_default_marks_and_numbers	—

Consignee → Transaction Field

Transaction Field	Air	Sea	Customs	Transport
receiving_agent	air_default_receiving_agent	sea_default_receiving_agent	—	—
broker	air_default_broker	sea_default_broker	customs_default_broker	—
customs_broker	air_default_customs_broker	—	customs_default_broker	—
freight_agent	—	—	customs_default_freight_agent	—
freight_consolidator	—	sea_default_freight_consolidator	—	—
incoterm	default_incoterm	default_incoterm	default_incoterm	—
currency	default_currency	default_currency	default_currency	—
payment_terms	—	—	customs_default_payment_terms	—
service_level	default_service_level	default_service_level	default_service_level	default_service_level
document_list_template	air_default_document_template	sea_default_document_template	customs_default_document_template	transport_default_document_template
milestone_template	air_default_milestone_template	sea_default_milestone_template	customs_default_milestone_template	transport_default_milestone_template
tc_name	air_default_tc_name	sea_default_tc_name	—	—
notify_party	default_notify_party	default_notify_party	—	—
notify_party_address	default_notify_party_address	default_notify_party_address	—	—
client_notes	air_default_client_notes	sea_default_client_notes	—	transport_default_client_notes
internal_notes	—	—	—	transport_default_internal_notes
special_instructions	—	—	customs_default_special_instructions	—
trade_agreement	—	—	customs_default_trade_agreement	—
marks_and_numbers	—	—	customs_default_marks_and_numbers	—
country_of_origin	—	—	customs_default_country_of_origin	—
customs_importer_classification	—	—	(already exists)	—