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Audit a carrier invoice

Compare invoiced shipment costs with your negotiated carrier rates, identify savings or overcharges, and turn the results into a reusable pricing model.

1. Check the rating account​

Open Carrier Accounts

Confirm the account:

  • is active and verified,
  • is marked Production rather than Test,
  • shows the Rating capability,
  • uses the contract you intend to evaluate.

Use Test credentials before a large audit. A valid connection avoids waiting for a batch to fail after upload.

2. Start a comparison​

Open Rate Compare

Choose the input that preserves the most cost detail:

  • From Invoice for a UPS or FedEx PDF or image up to 15 MB.
  • CSV Upload when you already have structured shipment and customer-cost data.
  • Paste tracking numbers for a quick operational sample.

Name the comparison with a repeatable convention, such as 2026-06 · FedEx invoice audit, and select the account to Rate Against.

3. Validate extracted shipments​

For invoice imports, review the carrier, invoice number, date, total, and every extracted line item before creating the comparison.

Check a sample across:

  • different services,
  • residential and commercial destinations,
  • multiple zones,
  • unusually heavy or large packages,
  • shipments with visible surcharges.

Correct the tracking number, service, weight, dimensions, origin, destination, or customer cost when the extracted value does not match the invoice.

4. Read the results​

Wait for the pipeline to reach Complete, then review:

ResultQuestion it answers
Original costWhat did the invoice or source data charge?
Your rateWhat would the selected account charge for the same shipment?
SavingsIs the selected contract cheaper or more expensive?
Rate CardWhich zones or services drive the difference?
OriginsAre specific warehouses or origin ZIPs underperforming?

Investigate large differences individually. Confirm package details and surcharges before treating a result as a billing error.

5. Model customer pricing​

Use Pricing Engine when you resell shipping:

  1. Set the base rate margin.
  2. Add an optional flat fee per shipment.
  3. Decide whether each surcharge is passed through, marked up, flattened, or waived.
  4. Review customer price, customer savings, and your margin together.
  5. Save the configuration as a named markup profile.

Do not optimize only for customer savings. Confirm the profile covers surcharges and preserves the target margin across zones and services.

6. Export and repeat​

Export the comparison as CSV for a quick review or Excel for the complete audit. Keep the exported report with the source invoice and record any carrier dispute or pricing change it triggered.

Repeat the same audit monthly or quarterly with the same account and profile. Consistent naming makes contract drift and surcharge growth easier to spot.

Success checklist​

  • The rating account is verified and in Production.
  • Extracted shipment details match the source invoice.
  • Large cost differences were validated individually.
  • Zone, service, origin, and surcharge patterns were reviewed.
  • The report and any pricing profile were saved.
  • Follow-up actions have an owner.