Skip to main content

How to Create a Load

Keeping track of all the info can be a daunting task. Luckily, we are here to make it easy to enter the information and keep it in one place

Written by Irina Ignatiuc

📋 Applies to: All users

Module: Loads and Trips

Last reviewed: 2026-07 · Owner: Product

Creating a new load in Alvys sets up the shipment record, assigns the customer, and defines all pickup and delivery stops. Also called a shipment, order, or freight order.

Overview

A load is the core record in Alvys. It captures the customer, billing details, stop schedule, and equipment requirements for a single shipment. Every dispatched trip, invoice, and driver settlement traces back to a load. You can create a revenue load (billed to a customer) or a non-revenue load (an internal or deadhead move with no customer invoice).

This article walks through creating a load from start to finish using the New Load form. Synonyms: add a load, build a load, new shipment, create an order, enter freight.

Before You Start

All authenticated Alvys users can create a load; no additional permission is required.

Before beginning, confirm you have the following information on hand:

  • The customer name (or be ready to create a new customer record)

  • An order number (the customer's reference number for this shipment)

  • Equipment type required for the load

  • Pickup location, date, and time

  • Delivery location, date, and time

For non-revenue loads, a customer is not required, but you still need at least one pickup stop and one delivery stop.

Steps

1. Open the New Load form

In the left navigation, find plus icon and click New Load.

Left navigation expanded and "New Load" option highlighted

2. Select Load Entry Method

  1. Select Creation Method (Top Left):

    • New Load – Standard single-load manual entry form.

    • Bulk Upload – Opens file import tool (.xlsx format, up to 50 MB; template download included).

    • From Template – Opens saved templates to quickly duplicate recurring loads.

  2. Set Special Parameters (Top Right):

    • Check Save as Template if you want to store this load's setup for recurring routes.

    • Toggle Non-Revenue Load if this is an unbilled driver movement.

  3. Choose Data Entry Style (Main Screen):

    • AI Extraction (Left Side): Upload your Rate Confirmation file (max 4 MB)—Alvys AI will parse the document and fill out the details automatically.

    • Manual Entry (Right Side): Enter all trip and rate parameters manually.

New Load form parameters, styles and methods

3. Customer section from General details

  1. In the Customer field, type the customer name and select it from the dropdown. If the customer does not exist yet, click Add new customer in the dropdown to create a new customer record without leaving the form.

  2. In the Invoice As field, select the subsidiary that will invoice this customer. This field auto-populates the Tender As field to match.

  3. In the Billing Rate field, enter the agreed rate. Billing rate is optional; you can create the load without one and add it later.

  4. In the Order Number field, enter the customer's reference number for this shipment. If the order number you enter already exists on another load, Alvys displays a duplicate load warning. Review the warning before continuing.

  5. Optionally, additional fields: Click Show more fields to add optional parameters, including: Customer Contact, Purchase Order (PO) Number, Commodity Description & Units and Custom Customer References.

Customer Form: The section under General Details

4. Tender section from General details

  1. Tender As: Auto-populates automatically based on your Invoice As selection.

  2. Fleet: Select the appropriate fleet from the dropdown. (Note: This field is mandatory if fleets are configured in your system).

  3. Office: Select the branch or representative office managing this load.

  4. Equipment Type: Select the trailer or equipment required for the shipment (e.g., Dry Van, Reefer, Flatbed).

  5. Optionally, additional fields: Click Show more fields to add optional parameters, including: Customer Instructions, Customer sales agent and Equipment Length.

Tender Form: The section under General Details

5. Add the Pickup stop

  1. In the Stops section, click Add Pickup.

  2. Fill in the pickup stop fields:

    • Appointment Date: Required. Enter the pickup date and time.

    • Company: Required. Enter or search for the pickup location.

  3. Fill in any additional stop details (reference numbers, notes) as needed.

  4. Click on Add Stop button.

Expanded Pickup Stop Panel: Showing populated facility address, pickup date

6. Add the delivery stop

  1. In the Stops section, click Add Delivery.

  2. Fill in the delivery stop fields:

    • Appointment Date: Required. Enter the delivery date and time. The delivery date must be on or after the pickup date.

    • Company: Required. Enter or search for the delivery location.

  3. Fill in any additional stop details as needed.

  4. Click on Add Stop button.

Expanded Delivery Stop Panel: Showing populated facility address, delivery date and time window

7. Create the load

  1. Editing Stops: Click any stop card to modify location, dates, or contact information.

  2. Adding & Changing Stop Types: Add additional stops as needed, or adjust a stop's type using the selector in the top-right corner of the stop card.

  3. Reordering Stops: Drag stop cards up or down to adjust multiple stops of the same type. (Note: Sequenced stops must remain in valid chronological order).

  4. Saving the Load: Click Create Load in the top-right corner. If the button cannot be selected, check the screen for red error flags or missing required fields.

Completed Load Form: All required fields are filled out, enabling the Create Load button in the top right corner.

Result

The load is created and saved in Open status. You can now assign a carrier, add documents, build a trip, and dispatch the load.

Newly created load in Open status, showing the load record page after creation

Variations

Non-revenue load

A non-revenue load does not generate a customer invoice. To create one:

  1. Turn on the Non-Revenue toggle at the top of the New Load form before clicking Next.

  2. The Customer field is not required and may be left blank.

  3. The Office field is optional for non-revenue loads.

  4. The Invoice As field label changes to Subsidiary when Non-Revenue is on. Select the appropriate subsidiary if applicable.

  5. Complete at least one pickup stop and one delivery stop, then click Create Load.

Creating a new customer during load creation

If the customer does not yet exist in Alvys:

  1. Type the new customer name in the Customer field.

  2. Click Add new customer in the dropdown.

  3. Complete the new customer form without leaving the New Load page.

  4. The new customer populates the Customer field automatically after creation.

Troubleshooting

Create Load button remains inactive (greyed out)

The Create Load button does not become active until all required fields are complete. Confirm a Customer is selected (revenue loads only) and that the Invoice As field (or Subsidiary for non-revenue loads) has a selection. Confirm the Office field is filled in (required for revenue loads; optional for non-revenue loads), the Order Number field is not empty and does not contain only spaces, and an Equipment Type is selected. Confirm a pickup stop is present with both an Appointment Date and a Company filled in, and that a delivery stop is present with the same. Confirm the delivery date is on or after the pickup date, stops are in chronological order, and the first stop is a pickup type while the last stop is a delivery type. If all of these are complete and the button is still inactive, contact Alvys support.

Duplicate load warning appears on the order number

The order number you entered already exists on another load in the system. Either confirm you intend to create a second load with the same order number, or go back and enter the correct order number before creating the load. If a duplicate load is created by mistake, use the in-app Cancel option to remove it. Duplicates can also occur due to RC uploads, not just manual entry. For assistance with cancellation, contact Alvys support.

FAQs

Q: Do I need special permission to create a load?

A: No. All authenticated Alvys users can create a load. No additional role or permission is required.

Q: Can I save a load as a draft before it is complete?

A: No. The New Load form does not have a draft or save-as-draft option. Either complete all required fields and click Create Load, or discard the form and start over.

Q: What is the order number?

A: The order number is the customer's reference number for this shipment; it is also called a customer reference number or customer PO number. It must not be blank and must contain at least one non-space character.

Q: Can I create a load without a billing rate?

A: Yes. The billing rate field is optional. You can create the load and add the billing rate later by editing the load.

Q: What if I selected the wrong customer?

A: After the load is created, open the load, click Edit, and update the Customer field. You cannot change the customer from within the New Load form after clicking Create Load.

Q: What does the Non-Revenue toggle do?

A: Turning on the Non-Revenue toggle marks the load as an internal or non-billable move. No customer invoice is generated. The Customer and Office fields become optional, and the Invoice As field label changes to Subsidiary.

Q: Can I edit load details after the load is created?

A: Most fields can be updated by opening the load and clicking Edit. Some fields become locked once the load advances to Delivered or later statuses — for example, stop locations cannot be changed after delivery. To change the customer on a Released load, see How to Switch the Customer on a Released Load. For stop changes after delivery, contact Alvys Support.

Q: Is there a way to save a load as a template for reuse?

A: Yes — use Clone Load. Cloning a completed load creates a new load with the same customer, route, and equipment type, so you can reuse a common lane without re-entering all the details. See Cloning a Load for steps.

Q: What should I do if I accidentally created a duplicate load?

A: If a duplicate load is created by mistake, use the in-app Cancel option to remove it. Deletion is generally restricted to training scenarios, but exceptions may be made in special cases. Contact Alvys support for further assistance if needed.

Go Deeper

Related Articles
Did this answer your question?