Free Freight Invoice Template (Excel)
What's in the freight invoice template
The Freight Invoice sheet starts with carrier, shipper, consignee, and invoice number, then a Shipment block for the BOL number, origin-destination lane, weight, and miles.
Below that is the rate section: fill in one billing basis — rate per mile or rate per hundredweight — and leave the other at zero. A surcharges and accessorials section holds a fuel surcharge percentage, detention, liftgate or lumper fees, and any other accessorial charges.
A second sheet, the Invoice Register, lists every invoice — invoice number, BOL number, customer, date, amount, and status (Sent, Paid, Overdue, or Disputed) — so you can see outstanding and paid freight invoices in one place.
Calculating freight rate: per mile or per hundredweight
Base freight calculates as miles x rate per mile plus weight divided by 100 x rate per hundredweight. In practice you fill in only one of the two rate fields and leave the other at zero, so the total reflects whichever billing method you actually use for that shipment.
This template doesn't assign a freight class automatically — you handle classification and rate-basis decisions yourself; the sheet just does the arithmetic once you've picked a basis.
Fuel surcharge and accessorial charges
The fuel surcharge calculates as a percentage of the base freight, added on top automatically once you enter the percentage. Detention, liftgate/lumper, and other accessorial charges are entered as flat dollar amounts and added into the invoice total alongside the base freight and fuel surcharge.
The invoice total sums base freight, fuel surcharge, and every accessorial charge, so changing a single input — say, the fuel surcharge percentage — updates the total instantly without re-adding anything by hand.
Why this beats a blank spreadsheet
Building a mile-or-cwt rate toggle, a fuel surcharge formula, and an accessorials rollup from scratch means re-checking the math on every load. This template already has that structure in place — you fill in the shipment details and rates, and the total is guaranteed to be right.
Because it's Excel and Google Sheets, a small carrier or broker can issue a freight invoice without logging into transportation management software built for much larger fleets.
How to use it
- Fill in carrier, shipper, and consignee, plus the shipment block (BOL #, lane, weight, miles).
- Choose per-mile or per-cwt billing — fill in one rate and leave the other at zero.
- Enter the fuel surcharge % and any accessorials — the invoice total calculates automatically.
- Track invoices in the register with payment status.
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Small Business Bookkeeping & Tax Dashboard
Once freight invoices are out, the paid Bookkeeping template ($19) helps you track what actually comes in and out of the business, categorize it for Schedule C, and get a tax-ready dashboard.
See the full versionFrequently asked questions
Can I use this freight invoice template in Google Sheets?
Yes. Upload the downloaded file to Google Drive, then open it and choose File > Save as Google Sheets. All the totals keep working.
Is this template really free?
Yes. You give an email address to download it, and then it's yours to use with no further cost.
Can I bill by both rate per mile and rate per hundredweight on the same invoice?
The template adds both if you fill in both fields, so for a normal invoice fill in only the basis you're actually billing on and leave the other rate at zero.
Does it determine the freight class for me?
No — freight classification is something you determine yourself before filling in the invoice. The template calculates the dollar amounts once you've entered weight, miles, and your rate.
How is the fuel surcharge calculated?
As a percentage of the base freight amount (miles x rate/mile, or weight/100 x rate/cwt), added on top automatically once you enter the surcharge percentage.
What's the usage license?
Personal use or use within one business. It's not meant to be resold or redistributed as a template product.