Guide
Rate con and invoice mismatch: compare every line and revision
Brokers often pay what the invoice says. If the invoice went out under the rate con, the broker may not tell you. Revisions make it worse: a changed rate or an added stop can sit in a later version while the invoice uses the first.
Looking for the quick checklist? See the five-minute rate con vs invoice check. This guide covers why mismatches happen and how to handle revisions.
In short
- Collect every version of the rate con. Pick the latest one that both sides agreed to.
- Compare it to the invoice line by line: references, linehaul, fuel, stops, accessorials, total.
- Fix gaps before sending. If paid already, send a supplement for the difference only.
- Check this every load. It takes minutes and catches the quiet losses.
The invoice built from the wrong version
A load starts at one price. The broker adds a stop or raises the rate and sends a revision. The dispatcher signs it. Billing, working from the first email, builds the invoice from version 1.
The figure shows it. Version 2 holds the agreed numbers. The invoice copies version 1. The gap is the difference, and nobody sees it unless someone compares the two documents.
For the shorter checklist, see rate con vs invoice.
Compare line by line, including revisions
| Line | Rate con v1 | Rate con v2 (signed) | Invoice | Gap against v2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Linehaul | $2,100.00 | $2,250.00 | $2,100.00 | $150.00 |
| Added stop-off | $0.00 | $75.00 | $0.00 | $75.00 |
| Fuel surcharge | $140.00 | $140.00 | $140.00 | $0.00 |
| Total | $2,240.00 | $2,465.00 | $2,240.00 | $225.00 |
Invented numbers. 150 + 75 + 0 = 225. $2,465 - $2,240 = $225. EXAMPLE VALUES
Six steps for every load
Collect versions
Save every rate con, revision and email that changes price, stops or dates. Note who sent each and when.
Pick the governing one
Use the latest version both sides agreed to. Your agreement says which document wins if they conflict.
Match references
Load number, PO, pro number, broker name, billing address and remit-to. A mismatch here leaves the invoice unmatched.
Compare money lines
Linehaul, fuel surcharge, stop-offs, then each accessorial the rate con allows.
Compute the gap
Rate con total plus approved extras, minus invoice total. Write the result on the load.
Fix and send
Correct the invoice before sending. After payment, send a supplement.
Not sure how many past loads went out low? See which of your last 20 loads were invoiced under the rate con.
What to do when versions disagree
- Two signed versions. The later date usually governs, but check whether your agreement says so. Ask the broker to confirm in writing which one applies.
- One signed, one unsigned. Bill from the signed one and keep the unsigned copy as background.
- Change by phone only. Message the broker right away: "Confirming the rate is now [amount] with a stop-off at [place]." Ask for a revised rate con.
- Broker pays the old number. Treat it as a short pay and follow the short pay steps.
None of this is legal advice. If a dispute is large, ask a lawyer to read your agreement.
Where mismatches hide
- Old version. The invoice came from the first email, not the signed revision.
- Per-mile math. Your odometer miles replaced the miles in the rate con.
- Fuel surcharge. Missing, flat when it should follow an index, or from the wrong week.
- Added stops. A stop-off added by phone and never written into a revision.
- Accessorials. Allowed, earned and never put on the invoice.
- Rounding and typos. A few dollars off, repeated across many loads.
A plain correction message
Keep it factual. Say clearly that the new invoice replaces the old one, so nobody pays both.
Habits that stop mismatches
- Name files by load number and revision, for example [load]-v2.
- Get every price change in writing before the truck rolls.
- Make the invoice template pull from the latest revision only.
- Have a second person scan invoices over a set amount.
- Record every correction and the reason, then look for repeat causes.
Related tools and pages
- Rate con vs invoice, the short check.
- Load profit calculator to see what a gap does to margin.
- Accessorial recovery and POD checklist.
- Short pay and chargebacks when the payment is already in.
- POD and BOL errors.
Questions
Which document wins if the rate con and my agreement disagree?
Contracts usually say which controls. Read yours. We are not lawyers, so ask one if the amount is large.
The broker paid my low invoice. Can I still bill the difference?
Often yes, if your agreement allows it and you are inside any deadline. Send a supplemental invoice for the difference only, with the rate con page that supports it.
What if the revision was only an email?
Ask the broker to send an updated rate con. A price promise without a signed document is hard to enforce. Save the email either way.
How often should I run this check?
On every load before the invoice goes out. A quick pass beats a monthly clean-up.
Should I bill the broker for the gap on a load that is months old?
Check your deadline first. If the window is open, send the supplement. If it has closed, the broker may still pay, but it has no duty to under most terms.
Related: short pay, detention pay, glossary, FAQ, fuel surcharge.
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