Freight Audit and Pay (combined)

Freight audit and pay refers to the bundled process of verifying carrier invoices for accuracy and then disbursing payment – handled as one continuous workflow rather than two separate functions. The audit catches errors, the pay function ensures only approved amounts go out the door. Together, they form the financial control layer of freight management.

In practice, a freight audit and pay workflow starts when a carrier submits an invoice. The system – or provider – matches the invoice against the rate confirmation, shipment details, and contract terms. Clean invoices are auto-approved and queued for payment. Exceptions – rate mismatches, unexpected accessorial charges, weight discrepancies – are flagged for review and resolution before any money moves. Once approved, payments are consolidated and remitted to carriers on the shipper's behalf.

Running audit and pay as separate, disconnected processes creates gaps. An invoice might pass audit but sit in an AP queue for weeks, straining carrier relationships. Or a payment might go out before the audit catches an overcharge, requiring a clawback. Integrating the two ensures that the moment an invoice is validated, it flows directly into the payment pipeline – and that nothing gets paid without being checked first.

For mid-market shippers scaling their carrier networks, freight audit and pay is often the first financial process to move off spreadsheets. The combination of cost recovery from caught errors and AP labor savings makes it one of the clearest ROI wins in logistics technology.