Weighsoft handles the submission of Digital Waste Tracking (DWT) data to DEFRA automatically. This article explains how that process works, which data fields are used, how to resend records if needed, and where to find DEFRA's own documentation.
⚠️Important: DWT is mandatory from October 2026 for waste receiving site operators in England and Wales. Scotland and Northern Ireland follow in January 2027. For setup instructions, see the DWT Setup & Settings article
How data is sent to DEFRA
Data is submitted via Weighsoft's background application service, so it does not slow the website down. The service polls every few minutes to check whether any data needs to be sent. When records are ready, it removes pending duplicates so only the latest version is submitted.
You can view all DWT records — successful, pending, and failed — at Administration > Digital Waste Tracking. By default, this page only shows failed items.
⚠️Important: DEFRA requires data to be submitted within two working days of the waste being received. For example, waste received on Monday must be submitted before midnight on Wednesday.
DEFRA credentials
To authenticate with DEFRA's API, each Weighsoft system requires three credentials entered in Administration > Settings > Digital Waste Tracking:
Organisation ID — unique to your organisation, issued by DEFRA when you register. Also called your API Code.
Client ID — the same for all Weighsoft systems:
5a6058cc-ac78-47e1-b1b3-37b5eca15cb2Secret — the same for all Weighsoft systems:
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⚠️Important: The Client ID and Secret are set by Access and must not be changed.
Only the Organisation ID is unique to your organisation.
To obtain your Organisation ID, register via the DEFRA service at waste-tracking.defra.gov.uk using your organisation's Government Gateway or GOV.UK One Login account. DEFRA will issue a unique API code for each registered organisation. Access cannot register on your behalf.
When is data submitted?
The timing of submissions depends on the type of job being processed. The sections below cover each business scenario.
Skips, Materials & Hazardous jobs
Submissions for these job types are sent at the following points:
An initial submission is sent when a job is assigned to a vehicle (using estimated weights).
An update is sent when actual weights are recorded at the weighbridge.
An update is sent when changes are saved on the outstanding tickets page.
An update is sent when a transaction is generated or edited.
Trade (Weighbridge-only) jobs
Data is sent when the job goes over the weighbridge at a disposal site. Individual trade collections are not tracked separately — the inbound vehicle load is tracked as a weighbridge event.
External Broker jobs
Accounts can be excluded from DWT by setting the Create Defra Digital Waste Tracking Id flag to false on the account. This is required for accounts marked as external brokers who should not trigger their own DEFRA submissions.
Internal Site-to-Site jobs
How the job is processed depends on the outlet's activity type:
If the outlet has an activity type of Waste IN, the job is processed like other job types.
If not, navigate to the outstanding tickets page and use the GET button next to the Waste Tracking ID field to manually trigger a submission.
DEFRA's Waste Tracking ID
Each waste collection is assigned a unique Waste Tracking ID when data is successfully submitted. This ID is stored in Weighsoft against the job and transaction. If a job is linked to a mobile device, it is re-sent to the app after the DEFRA ID is set so the driver can see the tracking reference.
Resending records to DEFRA
There are several ways to resend records if a submission fails or needs to be resubmitted:
Individual record: Navigate to Administration > Digital Waste Tracking, open the record, and use the resend option on that page.
From outstanding tickets: On the Skips, Materials, or Hazardous outstanding tickets page, click the Update button next to the relevant record.
Multiple records: On the main DWT page, select records using the checkboxes and click Resend selected.
Date range: From the main DWT page, click the burger menu (top right) and select Bulk Resend.
From transactions: Go to Administration > Transactions, select records, then click Functions > Resend to digital waste tracking.
Key data field mappings
Weighsoft determines which data to send to DEFRA using the following priority order for each key field.
DEFRA field | Primary source in Weighsoft | Notes |
Organisation ID (API Code) | Company-level DWT settings, then default company, then system-wide settings | Unique per organisation, issued by DEFRA on registration. |
EWC Code | EA Reporting Code on the EWC first, then falls back to the normal EWC code | Spaces and asterisks are stripped automatically. Additional characters such as # or () will cause failures. |
Physical Form (state) | Product State field in Lookups > Products | Must be one of: Gas, Liquid, Solid, Powder, Sludge, Mixed. |
Carrier Registration Number | Transaction supplier carrier ID, then job supplier, then system company settings | Must be in the correct format for your home nation: England/Wales: CBDUxxxxxx or CBDLxxxxxx; Scotland: WCR/R/xxxxxxx; NI: ROC UT/LT xxxxx. |
Carrier Email & Phone | Supplier email and telephone from Lookups > Suppliers > Haulier | Optional from version 5.544.6. Required on earlier versions — must be populated on the supplier record. |
Disposal/Recovery Codes (D&R) | Transaction item D&R code, falling back to Waste Activities linked to the EWC code | DEFRA only accepts main codes (D1–D12, R1–R12). Sub-codes such as D01.13 are automatically formatted to D1. |
Weight | Actual net weight from transaction; falls back to estimated weights at job creation | Always submitted in kilograms. The IsEstimate flag is set to true when actual weight is not yet available. |
DEFRA resources
DEFRA maintains a detailed FAQ and full API specification for digital waste tracking: