We set the masters once and keep them current so the weekly filing does not start from a blank screen.

What gets in the way

  • Re-keying the same line every shipment. HTS, country of origin, manufacturer ID, and PGA flags typed again because the product was never stored as a master record.
  • Trade parties that change by invoice. Seller, manufacturer, and ultimate consignee addresses or IDs that are not locked in the system, so each entry carries a small inconsistency.
  • Defaults that live in someone's head. Port, bond, entry type, or SPI treatment that has to be remembered instead of applied automatically.
  • Documents that arrive as PDFs or emails. Commercial data that has to be read and entered instead of landing in the ABI system through EDI or a system connection.
  • No shipper-side link. The shipper's system (or Magaya / AceLynk on their side) has the invoice and packing data, but it never reaches the brokerage system until someone copies it.

How we set it up

Parts database

Every repeating SKU or part number is entered once with the HTS, country of origin, manufacturer ID, value method, and any PGA flags that apply. When the next shipment arrives, the line is called from the master. Changes to classification, origin, or PGA treatment are made in the master and flow forward; they are not left as one-off edits on a single entry.

Trade parties

Importer, ultimate consignee, seller, manufacturer, and shipper are maintained as master records. Addresses, MID construction, and relationship flags stay consistent across entries. New parties are added only when the commercial relationship actually changes.

Entry defaults

Customer-level and product-level defaults are set for the data that does not change from shipment to shipment: filer, bond, port of entry, entry type, and any standing SPI or special program treatment. The system applies them; the entry writer does not have to recall them.

EDI and system connections

Where the shipper can send structured data, we take it. Commercial invoice and packing-list data, or ISF data, can arrive by EDI or by a direct connection from the shipper's system. When the shipper is on Magaya (AceLynk is now Magaya Customs Compliance), the connection is between their freight platform and the brokerage ABI system so the invoice lines and quantities do not have to be re-typed.

What still gets reviewed

The system builds the entry from the masters and the inbound data. An LCB or qualified entry specialist still reviews classification on any new or changed part, confirms PGA data when it is required, and checks that the commercial values and quantities match the documents. The review is against a pre-built entry, not against a blank form.

How the weekly process runs

  1. Shipper sends the commercial data (EDI, system feed, or structured file) with the usual lead time.
  2. The system matches the parts to the master, applies the trade-party records and entry defaults, and builds the entry lines.
  3. Any new part or exception is flagged for classification or compliance review before transmission.
  4. The entry is transmitted to ACE ahead of arrival when the documents and data are in.
  5. Status messages (release, hold, PGA response) come back into the same system so the account stays visible without a separate chase.

What this is not

This is not a promise that every entry is automatic. New products, changed materials, or missing manufacturer data still require a person. It is the removal of the repeated keying and the repeated lookup for the products and parties that do not change.

If your shipments are regular and the product set is stable, the work is in the masters and the connection, not in re-building the entry every week.

Send CB Customs Brokerage LLC your current product list, party records, and document flow through the request form. We will tell you what can be moved into the system and what still needs a person on each shipment.

Operational description of how CB Customs Brokerage LLC sets up and maintains repeat entry filing for steady shippers. Actual system configuration depends on the ABI platform in use and the data the shipper can provide. This is not a description of any third-party software vendor's product features.