A common question from people new to Digital Waste Tracking (DWT) is whether they need software at all, or whether they can just use the government service or a spreadsheet. The short answer: you will need software of some kind, because of how DEFRA built the service.
The service is API-first by design
DEFRA's Receipt of Waste service is an API, not an everyday website you log into and type records one by one. That is deliberate. It means most operators comply through their own software, which talks to the API for them, rather than touching the government service directly.
The spreadsheet route is a bridge, not a destination
DEFRA offers a temporary spreadsheet upload, expected to last until at least October 2027. It works, but it gets awkward at any real volume, and it is explicitly a stopgap rather than the long term answer.
Integrated software is the preferred route
DEFRA's own guidance points to integrated software: the record auto-sends and a tracking ID comes back, with no double keying. It is faster, less error prone, and the route DEFRA expects most operators to use.
So the real question is which software, not whether
Once you accept that you need software, the thing to check is whether your provider has passed DEFRA's testing, because that is what lets you comply by that route. See Choosing a Digital Waste Tracking provider.
Where LoadSnap fits: it is integrated, it has passed DEFRA's provider testing, and it is free to start, so you can see it working before you commit. Start free at app.loadsnap.co.uk.