How do I set up and use third-party billing in FreightDesk Online?

Learn how to set up third-party billing in FreightDesk Online, either by applying one account to all shipments or by selecting accounts on a per-shipment basis.

FreightDesk Online gives you two ways to manage third-party billing. Which option you use depends on whether you want billing to always go to the same account or if you need flexibility on a shipment-by-shipment basis.

Carrier Support

The Relation To Account and Bill To Third Parties features are not available with every carrier integration. This is only supported for asset-based LTL Freight (non-3PL) carriers. An asset-based carrier is one that owns and controls its own trucks, ships, airplanes, and warehouses, to move freight for clients.

Option 1: Carrier Settings → Relation To Account

When you connect a carrier under Settings → Connected Carriers, you’ll see a field called Relation To Account.

Shipper: The account is treated as the default shipper account for all shipments.
Third Party: Every shipment created with that carrier will automatically be billed to the account entered in the carrier connection settings.

Use this option if:
You always want shipments with that carrier billed to the same account without having to select it each time.

Option 2: Directories → Bill To Third Parties

If you need flexibility, use the Directories → Bill To Third Parties feature.

Go to Directories → Bill To Third Parties and add the third-party accounts you want available for billing.
When you create an LTL shipment with a supported carrier, select the carrier from the Shipment Account (LTL Freight) dropdown.
A Bill To Third Party section will appear on the Quotes page.
Choose the account you added earlier from the dropdown.

The selected Bill To information will:

Display on the Order Details page
Print on the Bill of Lading (BOL)
Be transmitted to the carrier via its Quoting and Pickup APIs

Use this option if:
You want to decide shipment by shipment which account should be billed, rather than applying the same account to every shipment.

Summary

Carrier Settings (Relation To Account): Sets the billing relationship globally for all shipments with that carrier.
Directories → Bill To Third Parties: Lets you assign a billing account on individual shipments, giving you flexibility and visibility on the BOL.