> This page is for version Staging.
> For other versions, use one of these documentation indexes:
> - Prod (default): https://docs.chrt.com/prod/llms.txt
> - Staging: https://docs.chrt.com/staging/llms.txt
> - Dev: https://docs.chrt.com/dev/llms.txt

> For clean Markdown of any page, append .md to the page URL.
> For a complete documentation index, see https://docs.chrt.com/llms.txt.
> For AI client integration (Claude Code, Cursor, etc.), connect to the MCP server at https://docs.chrt.com/_mcp/server.

# Add a Customer

Use an off-platform customer record when you need to describe an external customer that is not connected as its own chrt organization. Check existing records first.

## Before you start

Confirm your active organization and the customer's company/contact details. Creating an off-platform record does not create the customer's sign-in account or invite them.

## Add the record

1. Open [Orgs](https://chrt.com/orgs) 1 in Provider mode, choose **Shippers** 2, choose **New shipper** 3, then choose **Create off-platform**.

   In the list, the **Type** column tells existing records apart: **Off Platform Shipper** 4 for an off-platform customer, **Shipper** 5 for a customer connected as its own chrt organization. The **Known Shipper** column shows **Known** or **Not a known shipper** for each shipper, and the **Company** column header filter finds one by name.

   ![The Orgs page of a provider organization with the Shippers tab open; numbers 1 to 5 point at Orgs in the sidebar, the Shippers tab, New shipper, and the Off Platform Shipper and Shipper values in the Type column](/_fern-files/_img/79567771367d7d5e47e6a52c237e152121e2728e871ca996dbcd3aa894329943.webp)

   *Orgs > Orgs in a provider organization, Shippers tab. **1** **Orgs** in the sidebar, **2** **Shippers** tab, **3** **New shipper**, **4** **Type** shows **Off Platform Shipper** (the list shortens it to Off Platform S...) for an off-platform customer, **5** **Type** shows **Shipper** for an on-platform customer.*

   **New shipper** offers **Connect on chrt** 1 and **Create off-platform** 2; choose **Create off-platform** for a customer that does not use chrt yet.

   ![The New shipper page with numbers 1 and 2 on the Connect on chrt and Create off-platform cards.](/_fern-files/_img/67187d1c3ea595941bf49fa24ed23da72d583adc900cf964e2711db22fec31bc.webp)

   *The **New shipper** page. **1** **Connect on chrt** card, **2** **Create off-platform** card.*

2. Review the new-record form's **Company Name** 1, **Business Email** 2 and available contact fields.

   ![The Add Shipper Connection form with Company Name filled in and the contact, industry and address fields empty, with numbers 1 to 3 on Company Name, Business Email and Create Connection.](/_fern-files/_img/a078174e4ca108ffdeafc4140a79197a0c20fe7c7e4b3605d773242aed7f6b4a.webp)

   *The **Create off-platform** form on **New shipper** in a provider organization, with only **Company Name** filled in. **1** **Company Name** field, **2** **Business Email** field, **3** **Create Connection** button.*

3. Enter the actual company details and review required-field errors.

4. Use **Create Connection** 3 when the form is valid.

5. Reopen the saved record and confirm it belongs to the intended organization. It shows the **Off Platform Shipper** badge 1 and **Not a known shipper** 2, with **Contact Info**, **Tax**, **Settings** and **Related** tabs 3 and an **Edit** button 4.

   ![A saved off-platform shipper record in a provider organization, with numbers 1 to 4 on the Off Platform Shipper badge, the Not a known shipper badge, the Contact Info, Tax, Settings and Related tabs and the Edit button.](/_fern-files/_img/522bc70184b91ca592d289ea7f55e0e8fb2782c9e616a895440998cce60804dd.webp)

   *The saved off-platform shipper record, reopened from **Orgs** > **Shippers**. **1** **Off Platform Shipper** badge, **2** **Not a known shipper** badge, **3** **Contact Info**, **Tax**, **Settings** and **Related** tabs, **4** **Edit** button.*

If the customer already has its own chrt organization, choose **Connect on chrt** on the **New shipper** page instead, enter its handle and select **Connect**. Avoid creating another off-platform record just because a search or refresh failed.

## Use it on an order

Select the saved customer as the shipper where the order permits it. Check the order's saved ownership after selection; a record in a list is not proof it was attached to that order.

See [Connections](/staging/docs/concepts/connections), [Create and assign an order](/staging/help/getting-started/create-and-assign-order) and [Support](/staging/support).