> 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.
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# Create Your First Shipment

## Before you start

Confirm the active shipper organization and the provider coordinating the shipment. Gather cargo details, pickup and delivery locations, timing, contacts, handling instructions, and proof requirements. A connection, order reference, or draft alone does not prove that a shipment is prepared or accepted.

## Create the shipment

1. Open [Orders](https://chrt.com/orders) and click **Create Order**. CHRT creates a draft and opens it on **Timeline**. Keep the order reference so you can return to the same draft; **Orders** lists drafts when **Draft** is included in the **Status** filter.
2. In the order header, after **by**, use **Select coordinator…** to choose the connected provider that will coordinate the shipment.
3. Build the route in **Timeline** and enter the items in **Cargo**.
4. Click **Stage order**. If CHRT shows **The order could not be staged**, read the list of unmet requirements, fix each one (**Go to Cargo** opens **Cargo**) and click **Stage order** again.

Creating and editing a draft needs an operator role or higher, and you can edit only drafts your organization created. After staging, the coordinating provider takes the order from there.

## Review the saved order

Open the order from [Orders](https://chrt.com/orders). In the shipper view, review the available **Summary**, **Timeline**, **Cargo**, and **Messages** 1. Check the status 2, journey 3, cargo 4, and coordinator 2 information shown. The map has a **Progress** / **Live** toggle 5. Ask the coordinator to correct missing details and confirm the executor and next steps.

![The Summary tab of a completed provider-created order in the shipper workspace, numbered 1 to 5: the Summary, Timeline, Cargo and Messages tabs, the Completed status with the coordinator, the Route card, the Cargo section, and the Progress and Live toggle on the map](/_fern-files/_img/3bcc663a49387b2564c9161dd26f3136cd5fbd5071bed5d316a1bd7be9d2049d.webp)

*Order **Summary** tab in the shipper workspace, for a completed order created by the provider. **1** **Summary**, **Timeline**, **Cargo** and **Messages** tabs, **2** **Completed** status and the coordinator, shown as **by CHRT (forwarder)**, **3** **Route** card, **4** **Cargo** section, **5** **Progress** / **Live** toggle on the map.*

Reload the order to check the saved result. A displayed route or status does not establish a physical handoff, cargo loading, or provider acceptance; confirm those outcomes with the coordinating team and the reported events available to you.

For financial questions, use the existing [billing reference](/staging/docs/concepts/billing-primitives).

See [Connect with a provider](/staging/help/getting-started/connect-with-provider), [Creating Shipments](/staging/shippers/creating-shipments), [Orders](/staging/docs/concepts/orders) and [Tracking](/staging/docs/concepts/tracking).