Books for carriers and dispatchers
Trucking accounting software with the books built in
In most small trucking companies the loads live in one place and the books in another, so someone types every invoice and receipt twice. In LaneTally the books are part of the same tool, so they fill in from the work you already do.
No sign-up. No credit card. Fake data, just look around.
LaneTally is in beta. The demo uses example data, and anything you type in it stays in your browser. Join the waiting list — founding members get early access. Items marked Coming at launch are not working yet.
Information only. LaneTally helps you keep organized records. It is not tax or legal advice and it does not file anything for you. Check with your accountant.
How the books fill themselves in
You do not type entries for things that already happened in LaneTally. These go into the books by themselves:
- A freight invoice marked paid (money in).
- A driver's weekly pay statement marked paid (driver pay).
- A driver's receipt that you approve (fuel, tolls, scale, repairs and more), with the photo attached.
- A dispatcher's weekly fee invoice marked paid, booked as "Dispatch fees".
You can still add your own entries for things like insurance or a truck payment. Every change keeps who made it and when.
Factoring, short pays and chargebacks booked the right way
If the carrier uses a factoring company, the full freight is booked as income and the factoring fee as an expense, so together they equal the deposit. A factoring chargeback can be recorded on the paid invoice.
When a broker pays less than the rate, you record the short pay with its reason (paid less, extra charge refused, late fine, damage claim, quick pay fee or other). Only the money that really came in goes in the books.
Every entry matched to a Schedule C line
Each category is matched to a Schedule C line, for example "Line 9: Car and truck expenses". That makes it easier for you and your accountant to see where each dollar would go. Your accountant decides what fits your company.
Receipts from drivers, approved by you
Drivers take a photo of the receipt in the app and pick what it was for and how it was paid. It shows up on your Home and in "Receipts from drivers". You review it, type in the amount and approve it. The same photo cannot be sent twice. Reading the receipt photo with AI is Coming at launch. For the expense categories and cost per mile, see trucking expense tracking.
Bank statements without double counting
You can upload a bank statement and approve each line. Nothing posts until you approve it. Bank lines that match entries already in the books are linked, so nothing is counted twice. Sorting the lines with AI and a live link to your bank are Coming at launch.
A year packet for your accountant
The "For my accountant" card has a Check my records first button. It lists what to fix: missing categories, expenses of $75 or more without a receipt, possible doubles and more. Then it makes:
- A Year packet PDF to hand to your accountant.
- An "Everything for my accountant" zip with the Schedule C lines, a yearly pay summary per contractor (information only, not a 1099), IFTA by quarter and every expense.
These are summaries for your accountant, not official tax forms.
Send your books to QuickBooks, Xero or Wave
If your accountant already uses a program, you can send the books as a file: QuickBooks Online, QuickBooks Desktop (an .iif file), or a CSV for Xero, Wave and others. You can also download all your LaneTally data in one Excel file any time.
Dispatchers can do their carriers' books
Many dispatchers offer bookkeeping and payroll as an extra service. In LaneTally the carrier owner decides. On their Books page and their Driver pay page there is a switch: "Let my dispatcher do my books and pay". Off means their books and payroll stay private to the owner. On means the dispatcher can do the owner's books, weekly driver statements, the yearly pay summary and the accountant packet, from the same loads. The owner can turn it off at any time. What the dispatcher charges for that service is up to the dispatcher.
A dispatcher also has separate books for the dispatch business itself, kept apart from carrier money. See truck dispatch software.
See your numbers, not just your entries
Finance shows money in, money out, profit and profit per mile by week, month or year. Cost per mile divides all your costs by all your miles, loaded and empty. For drivers, see driver pay and settlements; for fuel tax records, see IFTA reporting.
Questions people ask
Does LaneTally replace my accountant?
No. LaneTally keeps your records organized and makes a year packet for your accountant. It does not give tax advice and does not file tax returns. Check with your accountant.
Can I send my books to QuickBooks?
Yes. You can send your books as a file for QuickBooks Online or QuickBooks Desktop (.iif), or as a CSV for Xero, Wave and other programs.
Does LaneTally connect to my bank?
Not yet. Today you upload a bank statement and approve each line. A live link to the bank is coming at launch.
Can my dispatcher see my books?
Only if you turn on the switch that lets your dispatcher do your books and pay. With it off, your books and payroll stay private to you, and you can turn it off at any time.
Is it made for owner-operators or for fleets?
Both. A one-truck owner-operator and a small fleet use the same books. A fleet can add an office or bookkeeper user who sees invoices, books, receipts, driver pay and IFTA.