Quick Answer: Freight variance is the difference between what you planned to spend on shipping and what you actually paid. You only need three numbers to explain it clearly to a CFO: the total gap, how much of it was your team’s fault, and how much of it was the carrier’s fault. That is it. The Conversation Most Operations Managers Dread You walked into the CFO’s office knowing the shipping bill came in high. Again. You have a pretty good idea why. Surcharges went up. A few i