Getting paid on time: invoicing basics for dispatchers

Send exactly what the rate confirmation asks for

Every broker lists their invoicing requirements on the rate confirmation or in the carrier packet. Most want the signed proof of delivery, the rate confirmation reference, and the carrier's invoice with a matching load number. Some also require a lumper receipt or a signed accessorial approval. Send the complete set the first time - a missing document is the most common reason payment stalls.

Check where the invoice must go. Many brokers use a specific email address or an online portal, and sending it to your usual contact instead can add weeks. Write the submission address on the load file when you book, not when you invoice.

Invoice the day delivery paperwork arrives

Payment terms start when the broker receives a complete invoice, not when the truck delivers. A carrier on 30-day terms who invoices a week late has turned 30 days into 37. Make invoicing part of the delivery routine: proof of delivery arrives, paperwork is checked, invoice goes out the same day.

Match every number before sending. The invoiced amount should equal the rate confirmation total plus any written, approved accessorials. An invoice that does not match the paperwork gets set aside for review instead of paid.

• Signed proof of delivery with the correct load number.
• Invoice total matching the rate confirmation plus written approvals.
• Any required receipts, such as lumper or scale tickets.
• The broker's correct invoicing email or portal.

Track every invoice until the money lands

Keep a simple log: load number, broker, invoice date, amount, terms, and due date. When the due date passes without payment, follow up in writing with the invoice attached and ask for a payment date. Most late payments are paperwork problems, not refusals - a calm, specific follow-up solves them faster than an angry one.

If a broker repeatedly pays late or stops responding, tell the carrier before booking that broker again. The carrier decides who they haul for, and your payment log gives them the facts to decide well.