The trailer is at the door and the bill is still on the clipboard. Dock Tally is for that one unload: the bill of lading in your hand, the count you are writing, and the exception note if the count or the carton does not match.

The Bill is the face of the bill of lading: pro number, shipper, consignee, pieces, and weight. The Tally is the count at the door. The Exception is the short line you write when a piece is missing, crushed, or refused.

Each page finishes one document. A piece count or a weight marked as an illustrative example is a teaching number, not the freight on your dock.

Wednesday, November 4, 2026Independent paperwork desk

the-tally

The Piece Count You Just Finished

The last carton is on the dock. The tally sheet is not totaled yet. The air around you still smells like diesel and corrugated cardboard, and the driver is leaning against their cab door scrolling on their phone, waiting for you to…

April 13, 2026

the-bill

Accessorials Listed Under the Rate

Liftgate or inside delivery is written under the rate. You are still at the door. The driver leans against their rig’s step, waiting for you to…

April 8, 2026

the-bill

A Temperature Line on a Dry-Freight Bill

A temperature is written on a bill for freight that is not in a reefer. You’re mid-tally on Dock Tally, 12 shrink-wrapped pallets of sealed lab…

March 28, 2026

the-bill

Pallet Exchange Noted on the Bill

A line mentions pallets in and pallets out. You have not counted pallets yet. The lift truck idles 15 feet from the dock edge, its forks…

March 25, 2026

the-bill

The Notify-Party Line

A notify party is named. It is not the consignee line. You’re standing by the open bay door, a rain-soaked less-than-truckload pro bill of lading crumpled…

March 22, 2026

the-bill

A Straight Bill vs an Order Bill

The title of the form is one of those two. You need to see which title you are holding. The pallet jack idles at your feet,…

March 20, 2026

the-bill

Commodity Words vs the Cartons You Can See

The commodity line is a short phrase. The cartons do not look like that phrase. You set the pallets of scuffed, unlabeled corrugate to the side…

March 17, 2026

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