How it runs for trucking and logistics companies
Revenue is posted by month from delivered loads rather than from factor deposits, factoring is reconciled properly, fuel and miles are restated by unit and jurisdiction, equipment and loan schedules are rebuilt and every account is reconciled to the cut-over date. You get a clean start and a list of what could not be supported.
What is catch-up bookkeeping?
Catch-up bookkeeping is a one-time project that records and reconciles months or years of transactions that were never entered. The goal is a set of books where every bank, card and loan balance agrees with the statement and every period can be reported on. It ends when the backlog is current and reconciled, usually followed by ongoing monthly bookkeeping.
What we handle for trucking and logistics companies
- Delivered loads posted by month and unit from historical TMS exports
- Factoring advances, reserves and fees reconciled month by month from portal reports
- Fuel-card statements restated by unit with gallons by state for prior IFTA quarters
- Tractor and trailer purchases, loans and depreciation schedules rebuilt from lender documents
- Written list of unsupported items and open questions for your review
The KPI that matters here
Backlog months reconciled and delivered on the agreed schedule with a signed-off list of unsupported items.
Trucking compliance notes
FMCSA and federal filings
Operating authority, USDOT registration, the Unified Carrier Registration fee, IRP apportioned plates and the annual Form 2290 heavy vehicle use tax (due August 31 for most fleets) each carry a cost and a date. We keep those dates on the close calendar, record the fees against the right units and keep insurance certificates and down payments tracked. Filing stays with you or your compliance service.
IFTA fuel tax
Each quarter, miles by jurisdiction from the ELD and gallons by jurisdiction from fuel-card statements are compiled into IFTA workpapers, with the net tax due or refund calculated per state. The ledger fuel account is reconciled to the same gallons so the return and the books agree. You or your permit service submits the return.
Factoring agreements
Recourse and non-recourse factoring agreements set the advance rate, the fee schedule and when chargebacks apply. We record advances as a liability or as AR sold depending on the agreement, show fees as finance cost and reconcile the reserve account monthly so you can see what the factor is holding. We do not negotiate the agreement.
Driver settlements and worker classification
Owner-operators under lease are paid on settlement statements with deductions the lease must list, and receive a 1099 at year end; company drivers are W-2 employees with per diem treated under IRS transportation-industry rules. We prepare settlements and payroll journals from the agreements you provide and flag classification questions for your counsel. We do not decide who is a contractor.
Trucking software we work in
- QuickBooks Online
- Xero
- Gusto
- Bill.com
- TMS exports (McLeod, Trimble TMW, Tailwind, Truckstop)
- Motive and Samsara ELD reports
- Factoring portals (RTS, OTR Solutions, TAFS, Triumph)
- Fuel cards (WEX, EFS, Comdata)
- All 50 platforms
More for trucking and logistics companies
Other services for trucking
Catch-up bookkeeping in other industries
Frequently asked questions
What records do you need to rebuild trucking books?
TMS delivered-load or invoice history by month, factoring portal reports, fuel-card statements, ELD or IFTA mileage summaries, bank, credit-card and loan statements, equipment purchase and finance documents, repair invoices or shop statements, settlement statements and payroll registers, plus prior tax returns. If the TMS and factoring history are intact we can usually rebuild the rest. Missing months are flagged, not estimated silently.
Can you rebuild prior IFTA quarters during a catch-up?
We can restate fuel gallons by jurisdiction from card statements and miles by jurisdiction from ELD summaries for each back quarter and compare them with what was filed. Where the filed return differs, we prepare the workpapers your permit service or accountant needs to decide on an amendment. We do not file or amend returns ourselves.
How long does a trucking catch-up take?
It depends on the number of back months, units, bank accounts and whether you factor, and on how quickly TMS and factoring history can be pulled. A single-entity carrier with a year of backlog and complete statements is usually a few weeks of work. We quote after reviewing the file and work to an agreed schedule, then move you onto a monthly close.
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