Automate 3PL billing reconciliation for storage and handling fees via API

Steps

1. Pull the 3PL's billing ledger via the WMS billing API (e.g., Extensiv billing endpoint) on a periodic basis (daily or weekly); authenticate with your access token and filter by billing period and customer ID.
2. Retrieve the itemized charge records: each record typically contains a charge type (storage, receiving, pick, pack, special handling, pallet movement), quantity, rate, and amount.
3. Cross-reference storage charges against your inventory position records from the same period; storage fees are typically calculated based on cubic footage or pallet positions occupied per day — validate that the billed units match your expected inventory levels.
4. Reconcile handling fees by matching billable events (receiving lines, outbound orders shipped) in the billing ledger against corresponding order and receipt records in your OMS/ERP; flag any line items without a matching event.
5. Identify discrepancies — overcharges, missing credits, or duplicate line items — and submit disputes to the 3PL with supporting order or receipt evidence before the invoice due date.
6. Automate the reconciliation using a scheduled job that compares 3PL billing exports to your internal records and generates a variance report; route exceptions above a defined threshold for human review.