Supplier packing lists and invoices are now parsed the moment they arrive and compiled into a customs-ready file — HS codes, values, origin declarations — that reaches the broker before the container sails. Clearance delays are down 75%.
Typical results
30 min
Paperwork per container
100%
Files with broker pre-sailing
0
Demurrage surprises last quarter
Figures reflect typical results for this kind of automation.
The challenge
Every container meant hours of copying supplier packing lists and invoices into customs spreadsheets, guessing HS codes and hunting for missing origin declarations — usually after the ship had already left. Files reached the broker complete only 20% of the time, and eight containers a quarter sat in port racking up storage and demurrage fees.
Before and after
Containers held at customs per quarter
−75%Paperwork prep per container
−92%Files with broker before sailing
5×The automation
We built a pipeline that watches the shipping inbox, OCRs every supplier packing list and invoice, and maps each line to the catalog's HS codes, declared values and country-of-origin records. The automation assembles a customs-ready file per container, flags gaps — a missing certificate, an unmapped SKU — to the buyer on WhatsApp while the supplier can still fix them, and sends the complete pack to the customs broker automatically, weeks before arrival.
How it works
- 01
Documents arrive
Supplier packing lists and invoices land in the shipping inbox and are OCR'd instantly.
- 02
Lines mapped
Each line matches to catalog HS codes, declared values and origin records.
- 03
Gaps flagged
Missing certificates or unmapped SKUs ping the buyer on WhatsApp while suppliers can still fix them.
- 04
File compiled
A customs-ready pack per container assembles itself, formatted to the broker's template.
- 05
Broker briefed
The complete file goes to the broker automatically, weeks before the vessel arrives.
Starts from
- Supplier documents
- HS code catalog
Delivers
- Customs-ready file
- Gap alerts to buyer
- Auto-send to broker
The impact
Clearance delays typically fall by about 75%, from eight held containers a quarter to two, and every file reaches the broker before the vessel sails, up from 20%. Paperwork per container drops from six hours to 30 minutes, and surprise demurrage charges become rare.
Questions about this automation
Which documents can the automation read?
It reads supplier commercial invoices, packing lists and certificates of origin sent as PDFs, scans or spreadsheets to a shared shipping inbox. OCR and AI extraction pull out item descriptions, quantities, weights, values and supplier references, which are then matched to SKUs and HS codes in the product catalog.
What happens when a line cannot be mapped or a certificate is missing?
Any unmapped SKU, missing origin declaration or value mismatch is flagged right away to the buyer on WhatsApp, with the document and the exact gap. Because the check runs when documents arrive, there is usually still time for the supplier to send a correction before the shipment reaches port.
Does the customs broker need to change how they work?
No. The compiled file is formatted to the broker's own template, such as a spreadsheet or a set of PDFs, and sent by email or to a shared folder, so the broker gets the same structure for every container. This is a multi-step build, usually rolled out in stages.