The moment a shipper says: here’s a load, can you move it?
A Load Tender is the formal offer a shipper sends to a carrier or broker to move a specific shipment. It contains everything the carrier needs to decide whether to accept the load: origin and destination, pickup and delivery windows, commodity, weight, and the rate being offered.
When the carrier accepts, the load is booked. When they decline or don’t respond, the shipper moves to the next option. The Load Tender is what kicks off the execution side of freight, it’s the handoff from planning to operations.
In FTM, load tendering happens directly from the Load record. Offers go out, responses come back, and accepted tenders convert instantly into active loads, all logged in Salesforce without manual re-entry.
What a Load Tender Includes
Shipment Identification
- Load or reference number
- Shipper name and contact
- Broker name and contact (if applicable)
- Date and time of tender
Origin Details
- Pickup facility name and address
- Requested pickup date and time window
- Special pickup instructions (dock number, appointment required, etc.)
Destination Details
- Delivery facility name and address
- Required delivery date and time window
- Special delivery instructions
Freight Details
- Commodity description
- Number of pieces / pallets
- Total weight (lbs)
- Equipment type required (dry van, reefer, flatbed, etc.)
- Hazmat indicator (Yes / No)
- Temperature requirements (if reefer)
Rate and Terms
- All-in rate offered (or rate per mile)
- Fuel surcharge treatment
- Accessorial allowances (if any)
- Payment terms reference (per Carrier Agreement)
Response Deadline
- Date and time by which the carrier must accept or decline
- Instructions for tendering back (email, portal, EDI)
How It Works Inside FTM
FTM supports both outbound tendering (broker or shipper sending to carriers) and inbound tender acceptance (carriers receiving offers through the Carrier Portal).
Outbound tender from FTM
- Open the Load record, all shipment details are already populated
- Select the carrier you want to tender to
- FTM generates the tender with all load data auto-filled
- Send via email directly from the load, or through EDI if integrated
- Carrier response (accept / decline) is logged back to the load record
Inbound tender acceptance (Carrier Portal)
- Carrier receives the tender notification
- Carrier reviews load details in the self-serve FTM Carrier Portal
- Carrier accepts or declines with one click
- Accepted tender updates the load status automatically in Salesforce
💡 No missed tenders. Because the tender goes out from the Load record and responses come back to it, your team has a complete audit trail, who was offered the load, who declined, who accepted, and when each step happened.
Load Tender vs. Rate Confirmation
These two documents are often confused but serve different stages:
| Load Tender | Rate Confirmation | |
|---|---|---|
| Direction | Shipper/Broker → Carrier (offer) | Broker → Carrier (confirmation) |
| Status | Before the load is booked | After the carrier accepts |
| Purpose | “Can you move this?” | “Here are the confirmed terms — go” |
| Legally binding | Becomes binding on acceptance | Binding at signature |
| Generated | At load creation | After tender acceptance |
The Load Tender is the offer. The Rate Confirmation is the contract.
The Load Tender in the Freight Document Lifecycle
Signed before the first load. Governs the entire relationship.
Shipper requests a price. Broker or carrier responds with a quote.
Load Tender
Shipper formally offers the load. Carrier accepts or declines.
Sent immediately after acceptance. Locks in the lane, rate, and terms.
Generated at dispatch. Travels with the driver.
Signed at delivery. Triggers invoicing.
Sent to the customer after confirmed delivery.
Ready to see FTM in action?
Book a live demo and we’ll walk you through the full document workflow: BOL, Rate Con, Invoice, and Lane Quote – directly inside the platform.
