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# Connections

> How couriers manage connections in chrt — search the directory for shippers and forwarders, read a connection's detail page, and use saved contacts for fast dispatch.

A courier's connections are the orgs you do business with — every shipper
who sends you orders, every forwarder who tenders you legs, and every
partner courier you sub-dispatch to. Connections live at one page and back
the rest of the courier flow: rate sheets attach per connection, statements
group by connection, and saved contacts on a connection feed straight into
the draft builder. This page covers the directory, the connection detail
page, and the shipper info you'll see on incoming orders.

## Before you start

* Connecting with anyone on chrt is free and doesn't commit you to any
  volume.
* See [Connections](/docs/concepts/connections) for the data model — what
  a connection is, what it carries, and how on-platform vs. off-platform
  connections differ.

## 1. Search the directory

Open [chrt.com/directory](https://chrt.com/directory) to browse every
chrt org. The directory is searchable by handle, name, and service area,
and filtered by org type.

1. Open the directory.
2. Switch to the **Shippers** or **Forwarders** view to see prospective
   customers, or stay on **All** to also see couriers (when you might want
   to set up a partnership for sub-dispatch).
3. Filter by region, service area, or handle as needed.
4. Click any org card to open its directory detail page.

## 2. Connect with a shipper or forwarder

From a directory detail page, click **Connect**. chrt sends the connection
request and the other org confirms from their side. Once confirmed, they
appear in your [Connections](https://chrt.com/connections) list and can
send you orders directly.

You can also initiate from the connections page:

1. Open
   [chrt.com/connections](https://chrt.com/connections?view=table\&findNew=true).
2. Click **Find New** if the search panel isn't already open.
3. Search by handle and click **Connect** on the result.

> **Note**
>
> Connecting doesn't auto-share rates or contacts. You'll typically set a
> default **SPP rate sheet** on the connection — see
> [Rate sheets](/couriers/rate-sheets) — so incoming orders auto-apply the
> pricing you've agreed on.

## 3. Open a connection's detail page

Click any connection in your
[Connections](https://chrt.com/connections) list to open the connection
detail page. This is the place you manage the relationship.

Sections include:

* **Profile** — name, handle, contact details, service area.
* **Saved contacts and addresses** — people and locations at the
  customer's end you drop into stops on a draft order. The bell and map
  pin icons on each contact card add the contact to ad-hoc notifications
  or pre-fill a stop's address.
* **Shared orders** — every order this connection and your org have
  collaborated on. Click through to the order page.
* **Statements** — billing this connection has open with you (and any
  ledgers).
* **Rate sheets** — the **default SPP sheet** for shippers/forwarders or
  **default PPP sheet** for partner couriers. Set this once and it
  auto-applies on every new order from them.

## 4. Read shipper info on an incoming order

When a shipper or forwarder places an order with you, the order page shows
their org info in a **shipper info** card:

* Org name and handle.
* Primary contact (name, email, phone) for ops questions.
* The connection's saved contacts at the pickup or delivery, if the shipper
  attached them.
* A link back to the connection detail page for full history.

Use the shipper info card during dispatch to call ops if a job looks wrong,
or to pre-fill any missing contact info on stops. The
[creating-orders](/couriers/creating-orders) flow walks through using saved
contacts when you build orders on behalf of an off-platform shipper.

## 5. Use saved contacts for fast stop entry

For every shipper, forwarder, or partner you work with regularly, save the
ops dispatcher and any warehouse or station addresses on their connection
detail page.

When you build a stop in the [draft builder](/couriers/creating-orders),
you can:

* Click the **map pin** on a saved contact card to drop their address into
  the stop.
* Click the **bell icon** on a saved contact card to add ad-hoc email
  notifications for that stop's events.

Saved contacts make repeat work fast — you don't retype the same warehouse
address on every job for a regular customer.

## 6. Record an off-platform shipper

Some shippers you work with aren't on chrt yet. Record them as an
**off-platform shipper** so you can still build orders that reference them
and bill them through chrt.

1. Open
   [chrt.com/connections](https://chrt.com/connections?view=table\&findNew=true).
2. Click **Add off-platform shipper**.
3. Enter the shipper's name, contact info, and any service area details
   you have.
4. Save. The off-platform shipper becomes selectable on the Order setup tab
   of a draft just like an on-platform connection.

> **Note**
>
> Off-platform shippers don't have a chrt account, so they can't see the
> order in the app or receive automatic notifications. Their billing
> statements still work — you'll send them through chrt and they'll pay
> off-platform with a reference, or via a Stripe-hosted invoice if you've
> set one up.

## How to know it worked

* The connection appears in your
  [Connections](https://chrt.com/connections) list with status
  **Connected** (or **Off-platform**, for the off-platform flow).
* The shipper or forwarder can place orders against your org from their
  side.
* Saved contacts show up in the contact picker when you build a stop.
* The default rate sheet you set on the connection preselects on incoming
  orders.

## If something looks different

* **Connection stuck in Pending.** The other side hasn't confirmed yet.
  Reach out via the contact listed on their directory profile to nudge
  them.
* **Org not in the directory.** Either they aren't on chrt yet, or their
  profile is set to private. Use the off-platform flow until they're on
  chrt.
* **Default rate sheet isn't applying on new orders.** Defaults are
  per-connection, not org-wide. Open the connection detail page and
  confirm the rate sheet is selected there.
* **A regular customer's orders are missing their saved contacts.** Saved
  contacts are pulled into stops only when **you** build the order. When
  the shipper builds it on their side, they'd use their own directory.
* Contact [hi@chrt.com](mailto:hi@chrt.com) if a known org is missing from
  search.

## Related guides

* [Creating Orders](/couriers/creating-orders) — where saved contacts and
  off-platform shippers feed into the draft builder.
* [Rate sheets](/couriers/rate-sheets) — attach default SPP and PPP rate
  sheets per connection.
* [Billing](/couriers/billing) — statements grouped per connection.
* [Connections](/docs/concepts/connections) — the data model behind every
  connection.
* [Roles](/docs/concepts/roles) — what role on each side is needed to
  manage connections.