diff --git a/distribution_fe/app/(dashboard)/operations/loading/new/page.tsx b/distribution_fe/app/(dashboard)/operations/loading/new/page.tsx
index 5953b47..c3ebb7e 100644
--- a/distribution_fe/app/(dashboard)/operations/loading/new/page.tsx
+++ b/distribution_fe/app/(dashboard)/operations/loading/new/page.tsx
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@ import { Button } from '@/components/ui/button'
 import { FieldGroup } from '@/components/ui/field'
 import { Separator } from '@/components/ui/separator'
 import { toast } from '@/components/ui/toast'
+import { cn } from '@/lib/utils'
 import {
   shopPos as shopPosApi,
   regions as regionsApi,
@@ -53,6 +54,39 @@ import type { LoadingSheetItemInput } from '@/lib/api/operations'
 
 const ALL = '__all__'
 
+const STEPS = [
+  {
+    n: 1,
+    label: 'Route & Warehouse',
+    title: 'Where is this load coming from?',
+    help: "Pick the route this ride will deliver (optional if you're only adding items manually below) and the warehouse every item will be dispatched from.",
+  },
+  {
+    n: 2,
+    label: 'Ride & Assignment',
+    title: 'Which vehicle, and who is populating this sheet?',
+    help: 'Choose the open ride whose vehicle gets loaded, and who is creating this sheet.',
+  },
+  {
+    n: 3,
+    label: 'Items',
+    title: 'What should be loaded from Shop POs?',
+    help: "Expand a shop to tick items and set quantities. If the main warehouse doesn't have enough stock, use \"Take remaining from another warehouse\" to top up the rest.",
+  },
+  {
+    n: 4,
+    label: 'Additional Items',
+    title: "Anything to load that's not on a PO?",
+    help: "Optional — add extra stock for the vehicle that isn't tied to any shop order.",
+  },
+  {
+    n: 5,
+    label: 'Review & Confirm',
+    title: 'Double-check before saving',
+    help: 'This is everything that will be saved to the sheet. Fix anything short before confirming later on the loading sheet list.',
+  },
+] as const
+
 interface ExtraAllocation {
   warehouseId: string
   quantity: number
@@ -115,6 +149,8 @@ function LoadingSheetForm() {
   const [rideId, setRideId] = useState('')
   const [populatedByUserId, setPopulatedByUserId] = useState('')
 
+  const [step, setStep] = useState<1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5>(1)
+
   const [viewStoreId, setViewStoreId] = useState('')
   const [itemsList, setItemsList] = useState<ItemSummaryResponse[]>([])
   const [manualItems, setManualItems] = useState<ManualItem[]>([])
@@ -441,6 +477,34 @@ function LoadingSheetForm() {
     updateExtras(line, line.extras.filter((_, i) => i !== index))
   }
 
+  function goNext() {
+    if (step === 1) {
+      if (!warehouseId) {
+        toast.add({ title: 'Select a warehouse first', type: 'error' })
+        return
+      }
+      setStep(2)
+      return
+    }
+    if (step === 2) {
+      if (!rideId) {
+        toast.add({ title: 'Select a ride to load the vehicle', type: 'error' })
+        return
+      }
+      if (!populatedByUserId) {
+        toast.add({ title: 'Select who is populating this sheet', type: 'error' })
+        return
+      }
+      setStep(3)
+      return
+    }
+    if (step < 5) setStep((s) => (s + 1) as typeof step)
+  }
+
+  function goBack() {
+    setStep((s) => Math.max(1, s - 1) as typeof step)
+  }
+
   async function handleSubmit() {
     if (!routeId && manualItems.length === 0) {
       toast.add({ title: 'Select a route first', type: 'error' })
@@ -541,13 +605,43 @@ function LoadingSheetForm() {
         </Button>
         <div>
           <h1 className="text-2xl font-semibold text-foreground">{isEdit ? 'Edit Loading Sheet' : 'New Loading Sheet'}</h1>
-          <p className="text-sm text-muted-foreground">
-            Select a route first. Confirmed Shop POs for that route&apos;s shops will then be
-            available to pick items from. Pick the ride to load last.
-          </p>
+          <p className="text-sm text-muted-foreground">Work through the steps below to build the loading sheet.</p>
         </div>
       </div>
 
+      {/* Step indicator */}
+      <div className="flex flex-wrap items-center gap-2 text-xs">
+        {STEPS.map((s, idx) => (
+          <div key={s.n} className="flex items-center gap-2">
+            <button
+              type="button"
+              disabled={s.n > step}
+              onClick={() => s.n < step && setStep(s.n)}
+              className={cn(
+                'flex h-6 w-6 items-center justify-center rounded-full border font-semibold transition-colors',
+                step === s.n
+                  ? 'border-primary bg-primary text-primary-foreground'
+                  : step > s.n
+                  ? 'border-primary/40 bg-primary/10 text-primary hover:bg-primary/20'
+                  : 'border-muted-foreground/30 text-muted-foreground',
+                s.n < step && 'cursor-pointer'
+              )}
+            >
+              {step > s.n ? '✓' : s.n}
+            </button>
+            <span className={cn(step === s.n ? 'font-medium text-foreground' : 'text-muted-foreground')}>{s.label}</span>
+            {idx < STEPS.length - 1 && <div className="mx-1 h-px w-8 bg-border" />}
+          </div>
+        ))}
+      </div>
+
+      {/* Step title & guidance */}
+      <div className="rounded-lg bg-muted/40 px-3 py-2">
+        <p className="text-sm font-medium">{STEPS[step - 1].title}</p>
+        <p className="mt-0.5 text-xs text-muted-foreground">{STEPS[step - 1].help}</p>
+      </div>
+
+      {step === 1 && (
       <div className="rounded-2xl border p-6">
         <h3 className="mb-4 text-sm font-medium text-foreground">Route &amp; Warehouse</h3>
         <FieldGroup>
@@ -616,7 +710,9 @@ function LoadingSheetForm() {
           </div>
         </FieldGroup>
       </div>
+      )}
 
+      {step === 3 && (
       <div className="rounded-2xl border p-6">
         <div className="mb-4">
           <h3 className="text-sm font-medium text-foreground">Items</h3>
@@ -824,7 +920,9 @@ function LoadingSheetForm() {
           </DialogContent>
         </Dialog>
       </div>
+      )}
 
+      {step === 4 && (
       <div className="rounded-2xl border p-6">
         <div className="mb-4 flex items-center justify-between gap-4">
           <div>
@@ -897,7 +995,9 @@ function LoadingSheetForm() {
           </div>
         )}
       </div>
+      )}
 
+      {step === 2 && (
       <div className="rounded-2xl border p-6">
         <h3 className="mb-4 text-sm font-medium text-foreground">Ride &amp; Assignment</h3>
         <FieldGroup>
@@ -935,7 +1035,9 @@ function LoadingSheetForm() {
           </div>
         </FieldGroup>
       </div>
+      )}
 
+      {step === 5 && (
       <div>
         <div className="w-full rounded-2xl border p-6">
           <h3 className="text-sm font-medium text-foreground">Loading Sheet Summary</h3>
@@ -969,15 +1071,31 @@ function LoadingSheetForm() {
             <p className="text-sm font-medium text-foreground">Total Quantity</p>
             <p className="text-xl font-semibold text-foreground">{totalQuantity}</p>
           </div>
+        </div>
+      </div>
+      )}
 
-          <div className="mt-6 flex justify-end gap-2">
-            <Button type="button" variant="outline" onClick={() => router.push('/operations/loading')}>
-              Cancel
+      <div className="flex items-center justify-between rounded-2xl border bg-muted/20 p-4">
+        <div>
+          {step > 1 && (
+            <Button type="button" variant="outline" onClick={goBack}>
+              Back
             </Button>
+          )}
+        </div>
+        <div className="flex gap-2">
+          <Button type="button" variant="ghost" onClick={() => router.push('/operations/loading')}>
+            Cancel
+          </Button>
+          {step < 5 ? (
+            <Button type="button" onClick={goNext}>
+              {step === 1 ? 'Next: Ride & Assignment' : step === 4 ? `Next: Review${(selectedRows.length + manualItems.length) > 0 ? ` (${totalQuantity})` : ''}` : 'Next'}
+            </Button>
+          ) : (
             <Button type="button" disabled={submitting} onClick={handleSubmit}>
               {submitting ? 'Saving…' : isEdit ? 'Save Changes' : 'Create Loading Sheet'}
             </Button>
-          </div>
+          )}
         </div>
       </div>
     </div>