How AI Is Automating ENS and ICS2 Filing: From Manual Data Entry to 90-Second Declarations

The process of filing an Entry Summary Declaration (ENS) presents an unexpected number of challenges for importers and exporters as it demands time-consuming labor. The import company must process shipping documents first. This involves opening the documents in order to extract necessary details from them to fill them in the customs filing system and make sure that all details of the documents are correct and complete.

But what happens when there is a large number of shipments?

It is necessary to resort to automated procedures in order to deal with the problem. New technology helps improve efficiency in terms of customs filing. Rather than just filling out forms, it automatically reads trade documents and extracts necessary data, checks its correctness, and performs the customs filing.

The Import Control System 2 (ICS2) is an advanced system that is used for the collection of advanced information about cargo in order to ensure safety and security while handling cargo.

So, what happens when AI becomes part of that workflow?

The process can move from hours of repetitive data entry toward declarations prepared in seconds.

Why ENS and ICS2 Filing Still Requires So Much Manual Work

The challenge of collecting data from multiple documents

Usually, a shipment involves numerous documents that have repeated data. For instance, an invoice shows the seller, buyer, details of the products, the value of goods, and currency. Another document (packing list) provides the information regarding the boxes.

Then the bill of lading talks about transportation. The difficulty of the matter is that necessary data is rarely presented in the same format. One document can contain the information in the table, while another one shows information in a textual form. That is why customs professionals have to analyze the data to put it into the correct system.

Manual entry creates avoidable errors

What will be the outcome if an operator mistakenly enters a character one step down in the particular system? An error in the consignee details, incorrect description of the goods, wrong reference numbers, or any other data problems can cause extra work and hinder the filing process.

According to the European Commission, ENS submissions may be turned down for insufficient quality and the Economic Operators will have to follow up on various error messages and send the right information again.

Higher shipment volumes increase the pressure

Manual operations seem to be easy if there are not too many shipments, but imagine the work of a company that processes hundreds of shipments a day. It is possible to increase the capacity by hiring more employees; however, this would create more expenses and allow more mistakes to be made in terms of data entry.

Thus, automation is getting more appealing to businesses needing to process larger volumes and remain compliant with ICS2 rules.

How AI Automates ENS and ICS2 Data Preparation

1. AI reads documents instead of relying on manual re-keying

Advanced AI technology is able to deal with various documents like invoices, Packing lists and transport documents.

Instead of employing a worker who would have to copy relevant data from the system, AI can fill the fields with structured data on its own. AI can identify the following fields:

• Shipper and consignee information
• Goods descriptions
• Information related to HS
• References for the shipment
• Transport data
• Numbers and values
• Packing information
• Other information for the declaration

The outcome is the structured dataset that can be utilized for preparing the ENS filing.

2. OCR and AI work together

Optical Character Recognition is used for transforming documents and images into machines-readable data.

After that, AI can interpret this data according to the context.

3. AI identifies missing or inconsistent information

Automation does not need to just make declarations faster. It must identify problems beforehand as well. For example, an automated process can highlight not only incomplete information or inconsistent values but also fields for further review. Thus, there is an additional check between extraction of data and submission that allows to prepare better information before obtaining customs.

From Trade Documents to a Ready-to-File Declaration

Step 1: Upload or receive shipment documents

The operation starts when the accountable shipping papers enter the workflow. Depending on the technology applied, papers can be uploaded manually or accepted through a tie-up with an existing logistics platform.

Step 2: AI extracts the required information

The AI application evaluates the entered paperwork and extracts the relevant data. Instead of a human being sifting through different pages for the data needed, the solution encodes it into a structured format. This is of vital significance for companies dealing with large quantities of advance cargo information.

Step 3: The extracted data is validated

Extraction is not sufficient. Data should be put into comparison with the requirements of the declaration. AI verification will help find missing or potentially problematic data prior to uploading.

Step 4: The declaration is prepared for submission

Once the data has been collected and verified, the system populates the appropriate fields in the ENS or ICS2 forms. This reduces the need for a lot of manual data entry by customs personnel.

For companies that handle large volumes of shipments, the time savings can be considerable.

How 90-Second ENS and ICS2 Declarations Work

1. Upload shipping documents

The first step is pretty easy. The user has to enter the shipping document, like an invoice or packing list.

2. AI handles the extraction and structuring of data

The AI will analyze the kind of document being submitted for the declaration and transform the document into structured customs data. This significantly reduces the need for cut and paste work.

3. Automated compliance checks spot any potential problems

Before the document is submitted, the entire process is going to validate the data and pick out any errors in the data that need correcting. Before submitting, the user can check all the data instead of preparing the declaration from scratch.

4. Submission of declaration

Once everything is prepared, the document can be submitted easily using the connected customs process. The droblet claims that the 90-second timeline between submission of documents and customs submission is possible thanks to the AI technology used in the ICS2 system.

Explore Droblet ICS2

What AI Changes for ICS2 Compliance

1. Rapid processing without sacrificing compliance requirements

The ability to process information quickly is one of the biggest advantages of automation. But faster processing doesn’t go hand in hand with less compliance. Using a well-structured workflow can make sure that data extraction is automated and still goes through verification by humans.

The impact of this is that employees will spend less time typing and more time working on exceptions to the rules.

2. More consistent data processing

People process data in ways different from one another. For instance, two different people may get the same document and put down their interpretations of it using different formats or styles.

Automation will, therefore, enable companies to process the same information in a uniform manner easily.

3. Better handling of high shipment volumes

As the number of shipments rise, the process of manual management becomes harder to match with the increase in shipment volume on a large scale. AI can provide firms with processing abilities that do not rely on manual handling.

Freight forwarders and carriers can greatly benefit from AI's capabilities in case is there is need to process multiple shipments within set timeframes.

AI and the Different ICS2 Transport Modes

1. Air Cargo Regulations

The deployment of ICS2 has involved air cargo activities, whereby advanced information assists in risk evaluation prior to loading and before the arrival of a shipment. The quick collection and verification of information can ease the burden of doing a lot of filings for companies involved in air cargo.

According to the European Commission, air transportation has to have a minimum of ENS data before loading and relevant pre-arrival data. European Commission: ICS2

2. Maritime cargo regulations

The process of maritime transportation may involve a complex supply chain, consisting of several parties that deliver information regarding the cargo. AI can assist in aggregating information from different documents, which allows for forming a structured dataset for entry. This capability is relevant when a business deals with high volumes of maritime shipments.

3. Road and rail shipments

ICS2 requirements are applicable to the truck and rail transportation as well. For an organization, it means not only understanding the process of submission but also ensuring the system can work in different transportation modes and business models.

Automation by AI can help to both standardize the underlying data preparation process and ensure the flexibility of the workflow.

Who Benefits Most From AI-Powered ENS and ICS2 Automation?

1. Carriers handling large shipment volumes

Shipping companies usually handle a really significant amount of shipment data. The automation of standard data filling processes means that manual efforts can decrease and the team can fill customs declarations more uniformly.

2. Freight forwarders working with many clients

Freight forwarders need to fill lots of documents/declarations at the same time. Ai can be used to extract data from different document formats and organize the flow of documents.

3. Customs brokers willing to scale their businesses

Customs brokers have a direct correlation between the volume of shipments and the amount of work. The automation of routine preparatory work can help brokers facilitate their work without involving many manual resources.

4. Importers and exporters

Importers and exporters also benefit from having more visibility into their trading obligations.

Instead of relying purely on manual work, businesses can use computer systems to create automated processes for preparing customs data.

How Businesses Can Start Automating ENS and ICS2 Filing

Start with your current filing workflow

Prior to putting automation into practice, refer to your current workflow.

Ask yourself:

• From where does shipment data come from?
• What documents are involved?
• How much information is being recorded manually?
• Where do you witness issues frequently?
• How long does one declaration take?
• What programs exchange the data?

Producing the answers to the above-highlighted questions will enable you to identify the potential of automation application.

Connect automation with existing logistics systems

AI becomes even more efficient when combined with systems that are already in use by the company. Connecting with the TMS, WMS, ERP or other logistics programs allows eliminating the need in double record keeping and aids in forming a more coherent filing process.

For instance, Droblet offers REST API and webhook functions for tying customs processes to the business systems.

Measure speed, accuracy, and exceptions

It is not enough to determine the level of automation by how quickly an application is submitted.

Monitor:

• Time taken for preparation
• Data entry manually performed
• Cases of rejection
• Quality of data
• Cases of exception
• Rate of execution of declarations
• Manual review time

These indicators will show whether automation is helping to improve operations.

How Droblet Helps Automate ENS and ICS2 Filing

Droblet utilizes advanced technologies to automate the process of filing ENS and ICS2 documents. By using this tool, users can easily upload trade documents, manage shipment details, review and validate the collected information, and submit declarations using the automated customs workflow.

As per Droblet, its ICS2 tool is compatible with formats such as PDF, CSV, XML, JPG, and PNG and gives users the option of validating and tracking the status of their declarations. Droblet's goal is to minimize labor-intensive data entry while retaining visibility of the process.

If your company is among those which spend long hours transferring shipment data from one document to another, it could be time to embrace advanced technology.

Explore Droblet's AI-powered customs platform

Conclusion

The filing of ENS and ICS2 does not need to be an arduous, document-filled task. Artificial Intelligence has the ability to collect data from trade documents, arrange cargo information, find missing parts, ensure the validity of documents, and create customs declarations. Thus, for shippers, freight forwarders, and all different actors, it means less monotonous data recording, and more time spent on customs and shipping processes.

The true significance of AI is not just the quicker preparation of declarations. The point is about the creation of a more connected workflow by which data transfer happens from shipment documents to customs declarations with fewer human actions and greater consistency. With the right automation system, one will be able to automate the process, which used to require many manual actions, to the level of declarations that are ready to go in a few seconds — including the fact that the technology that Droplet uses allows conducting ICS2 submissions within 90 seconds.

As ICS2 compliance will continue to rely on the accuracy and timeliness of information provided, businesses that will be able to automate the process wisely will successfully cope with the increase of shipment volumes without sacrificing efficiency and control.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is ICS2?

ICS2 is the EU system for collecting advance cargo information to support customs security and risk assessment.

How does AI automate ENS filing?

AI extracts shipment data from trade documents, validates it, and prepares the ENS declaration with less manual data entry.

Can AI reduce ICS2 filing errors?

Yes. AI can identify missing, inconsistent, or incorrect information before the declaration is submitted.

How fast can AI prepare an ICS2 declaration?

The processing time depends on the documents and platform. Droblet can prepare an ICS2 declaration in approximately 90 seconds.

Who can benefit from AI-powered ENS and ICS2 automation?

Carriers, freight forwarders, customs brokers, importers, and exporters can use AI to reduce manual work and improve filing efficiency.