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Modernizing Freight Brokerage Accounting with Batch Entries

Freight brokers have long followed real-time accounting practices borrowed from other industries, meticulously tracking every single line item for each load. While this may be considered a best practice, it’s not well-suited to the high-volume nature of freight brokering—especially when factoring is part of the equation

For every brokered load, traditional accounting requires logging receivables, advances, reserves, carrier payments, and more—quickly adding up to thousands of entries. It’s time-consuming, tedious, and often unnecessary.

There’s a better way: batch entry accounting. Instead of logging each transaction, you can group them at the entry type. For example, brokers can consolidate advances receivable from Denim into one entry. This simplifies the process and gives you a clearer view of cash flow. Batch processing saves time and reduces complexity.

Challenges of real-time freight factoring accounting 

A factored load has many financial events to reconcile. From invoice creation to reserve release, traditional accounting methods call for each event to be logged. While this ensures accuracy, it also creates a heavy workload.

This level of detail quickly adds up, leading to significant challenges:

  • Overwhelming Complexity: Tracking multiple line items per load leads to a staggering volume of transactions.
  • Error Risks: Manual entries increase the chances of mistakes, such as duplicates or omissions.
  • Reconciliation Bottlenecks: Month-end reconciliation—matching advances, reserves, and payments—takes excessive time and effort.
  • Resource Strain: Teams get bogged down in transactional work instead of focusing on financial planning or growth.

Traditional methods may have worked in the past, but they fall short for the high-volume demands of today’s freight broker.

A better way forward: batch entry method

Batch entry accounting simplifies the process by consolidating related transactions into single entries. For example, instead of logging every factoring advance individually, brokers can group all advances into one entry for a specific period, such as weekly or monthly.

The batching approach isn’t new—industries like retail and banking have successfully used similar methods for years. Retailers consolidate thousands of daily sales into summary entries while maintaining detailed records in their Point-of-Sale (POS) systems. Banks and credit card processors do the same for millions of daily transactions, ensuring compliance and visibility without cluttering their general ledger.

How it works

  1. Batching: Financial events are grouped by type (e.g., receivables, payables) and recorded as a single line item.
  2. Detailed Sub-Ledger: Transaction details are stored in a sub-ledger system (like Denim), making them accessible for audits or reconciliation.
  3. Streamlined Reconciliation: Consolidated entries align perfectly with sub-ledger records, speeding up the process and improving accuracy.

This proven method retains the accuracy of traditional accounting while eliminating unnecessary complexity, making it ideal for high-volume freight operations.

Benefits of batch entry accounting

Switching to batch entry accounting offers freight brokers significant benefits by addressing the inefficiencies of traditional methods while balancing efficiency and control. Modern accounting operations require this balance to thrive.

Large enterprises rely on extensive departments to manage processes, but freight brokerages must achieve the same results with scalable processes, automation, and effective controls. Batch entry accounting enables this by streamlining back-office operations and improving accuracy.

Rather than reconciling multiple versions of records across systems—like factoring companies, TMS platforms, and accounting books—batch entry accounting establishes one authoritative record. This eliminates conflicting data and saves valuable time.

Month-end closings and tax preparations demonstrate the power of this approach. Traditional methods require reconciling individual transactions, which is tedious and error-prone. Batch entries group related transactions, reducing the workload and shortening closing cycles while increasing accuracy. Consolidation also makes it easier to identify financial patterns or anomalies, allowing teams to act quickly and effectively.

The separation between summary and detail creates natural control points. Summary entries provide a clear, high-level view of business performance, while detailed records remain accessible in a sub-ledger for audits or analysis. This structure simplifies the general ledger while maintaining transparency and control.

Batch entry accounting doesn’t just save time—it transforms accounting teams into strategic partners, empowering them to focus on insights and growth rather than manual processes. This approach positions freight brokerages to operate more efficiently and succeed in a competitive market.

Ready to get started? Learn how to modernize your accounting in four easy steps

Automated batch entry with Denim’s Integrated Ledger Report  

Denim’s Integrated Ledger Report automates batch entry making the transition simple. Designed for those who want a streamlined accounting experience, this feature consolidates financial events into clean, easy-to-manage entries, eliminating the chaos of traditional methods.

Here’s how it works: Denim batches related transactions—like factoring advances, carrier payments, and reserve releases—based on your preferred timing (daily, weekly, monthly, or quarterly). These consolidated entries reduce clutter in your ledger while maintaining full transparency. Each batch includes links to sub-ledgers with transaction-level details, so you can quickly investigate discrepancies or audit records when needed.

This simplified method is perfect for freight brokers seeking a more efficient approach to accounting. All batch entries and linked details are compiled in Denim’s reporting dashboard, providing a high-level view of your financial data at a glance. With automated batch entry, you gain clarity, control, and more time to focus on growing your business.

Streamline your accounting for growth

Outdated accounting processes can hold your brokerage back. The Batch Entry Method streamlines workflows, reduces risks, and improves efficiency—making it ideal for managing high transaction volumes.

You can further enhance the benefits of this process by leveraging automation. Denim’s Integrated Ledger automates batch entry, simplifying reconciliation and making it faster and more accurate. With fewer manual steps, your team can focus on strategic initiatives that drive growth.

It’s not just about saving time—it’s about gaining clarity and scalability to stay competitive.

Get started today with Denim and experience the power of automated batch entry with our Integrated Ledger Report.

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