🎥 Video walkthrough: watch this step on YouTube. A short recorded demo of exactly these steps.
Before you start: Make sure the client exists in polt.ai. If they don't, create the client first — you can't build a shipment for a client that isn't in the system.
1. Open the New Shipment page
You can get there two ways:
Click the green New shipment button in the top right of the Shipments dashboard, or
Click Shipments in the top nav and select Create shipment
Both options open the same form. The form is divided into sections you can navigate using the menu on the left side of the page.
2. Fill in the General section
Mode — select the shipment mode (FTL, LTL, partial truckload, intermodal, drayage, air freight, rail, specialized, etc.)
Client — start typing the client's name and select from the dropdown
Team — select your internal rep team
Sales representative — select the rep from your team who owns this customer relationship
3. Enter freight details
Click Freight details in the left-side menu and fill in:
Equipment type (e.g., Dry Van, Reefer, Flatbed)
Footage (e.g., 53 ft)
Pieces (e.g., 26)
Weight in pounds (e.g., 42,000)
Billable weight if it differs from actual weight
Declared value — the minimum value of the freight (e.g., $100,000)
Description — a short description of the commodity
Note: Skip Freight class unless you're building an LTL shipment.
4. Add commodity details (optional)
The Commodity section lets you record detailed product information (product code, dimensions, unit type, pallet count). Most FTL shipments don't require this — fill it in if your client needs it on the BOL or if you're building an LTL shipment. See How to Add a Commodity to a Shipment for the full walkthrough.
5. Set freight requirements
Click Freight requirements in the left-side menu. Check any equipment, security, or service requirements that apply to this load — common examples include track straps, load bars, tracking required, and padlock required. These flow through to the rate confirmation sent to the carrier.
The full requirements list is organized into General, Temperature control, Hazardous materials, and Tarps subsections. See Reading a Client's Freight Requirements History for what each option means.
6. Add the pickup stop
Click Stops in the left-side menu, then Add stop for the pickup location.
If the address is saved in your client's location list, select it from the dropdown. If not, click to add a new location, search the address, confirm it on the map, and save.
Then enter:
Pickup date and time
Pickup number (provided by the shipper)
Appointment notes (any special instructions for the driver)
7. Add the delivery stop
Click Add stop again for the delivery location and follow the same process. Enter the delivery date and time, the PO number, and any appointment notes (e.g., "Dock at door 21").
8. Assign the carrier
Click Carrier in the left-side menu. Start typing the carrier's name and select from the dropdown. You can also set the assignee here.
9. Enter vehicle and ELD information
Click Vehicle & ELD. By default, polt.ai driver app integration is enabled — leave this on unless you have a specific reason to turn it off. The polt.ai driver app automatically updates the shipment status based on the driver's geolocation once they install the app.
10. Enter mileage
Click Mileage & line haul. Enter the total mileage for the trip.
Important: Always enter mileage. We rely on this data to maintain our SmartWay certification.
Then enter pricing:
Customer rate — what the client is paying (e.g., $4,800)
Carrier rate — what you're paying the carrier (e.g., $4,400)
Fuel surcharge — if applicable to this client
Accessorial charges — detention, layover, lumper, etc., if applicable
11. Add reference numbers
Click Reference numbers and enter any reference numbers the client has provided.
12. Add bill of lading instructions
Click Instructions and enter any special bill of lading instructions for this shipment.
13. Save the shipment
Click Save and close in the top right.
If polt.ai shows an "issues detected" panel: the form has missing required fields.
Click any Go to error link to jump directly to the field that needs attention, fill it in, and save again. Your shipment is now created and will appear on the Shipments dashboard with an Open status.