A Bill of Lading (BOL) is a critical legal document in logistics and transportation that serves three primary functions. It acts as a formal receipt for goods the carrier has accepted, a contract of carriage detailing the terms of transport between the shipper and carrier, and a document of title that proves ownership of the goods. A pick ticket, conversely, is an internal warehouse document used to guide employees in retrieving the correct items from inventory to fulfill a customer order. This picking process occurs before the goods are prepared for shipment and before a Bill of Lading is generated.

B. serves as a receipt from the carrier to the shipper for the goods received for transportation: This is a core function. The carrier's signature on the BOL confirms receipt of the goods in the quantity and condition noted.

C. serves as a presumption of title to goods: This is a core function. A negotiable BOL is a document of title, and its holder is entitled to possess the goods.

D. serves as a contract of carriage: This is a core function. The BOL outlines the legally binding terms and conditions for the transportation of the goods.

1. Coyle, J. J., Langley, C. J., Novack, R. A., & Gibson, B. (2016). Supply Chain Management: A Logistics Perspective (10th ed.). In Chapter 10, "Transportation Management," the text explicitly defines the three roles of the Bill of Lading: "First, it serves as a receipt for the goods... Second, the bill of lading establishes or provides evidence of the terms of the contract of carriage... Third, the bill of lading serves as a document of title" (p. 357).

2. U.S. Uniform Commercial Code (UCC). Article 7: Documents of Title. § 7-301. This legal framework establishes the liability and responsibilities of the issuer of a bill of lading, reinforcing its role as a contract and receipt. The entire article governs how the BOL functions as a document of title.

3. MIT OpenCourseWare. (2006). 1.260J / 15.770J Logistics and Supply Chain Management, Fall 2006. Lecture Notes, "Lecture 11: Transportation." The notes describe the Bill of Lading as a "receipt for goods," "contract for transportation," and "document of title," clearly distinguishing its purpose from internal warehouse operations like order picking.

4. Richards, G. (2017). Warehouse Management: A Complete Guide to Improving Efficiency and Minimizing Costs in the Modern Warehouse (3rd ed.). Kogan Page. In Chapter 7, "Order Picking," a picking list (or pick ticket) is defined as a document provided to order pickers that specifies the items and quantities to be retrieved from storage locations to fulfill orders (p. 165). This confirms its distinct, internal function.