Descartes, a leading provider of software for logistics-intensive companies, is launching new AI-based features in Descartes Image Document Management (Descartes IDM). These features are designed to help customs brokers, freight forwarders, and logistics providers prepare customs declarations more quickly and create and manage shipments.
With AI agents trained for logistics and directly integrated into Descartes’ customs and transportation management solutions, information from trade documents can be converted into data that can be used directly in customs and transportation processes. This reduces the need for manual data entry and streamlines operations.
– Entering data from commercial invoices is one of the most labor-intensive steps in the import process, especially when complex invoices contain hundreds of line items. AI agents can extract, validate, and prepare information from commercial invoices, bills of lading, packing lists, and other documents. This reduces the need for manual data entry and corrections and makes it possible to handle larger volumes in a more consistent manner, says Scott Sangster, General Manager, Logistics Service Providers at Descartes.
With the help of the Descartes Global Logistics Network (Descartes GLN™), trade documents can be processed directly within the Descartes applications that companies already use to prepare customs declarations and create shipments. This means users don’t have to switch between different systems, build their own integrations, or manually transfer information between applications. A key feature is that the solution can interpret and process multiple different documents associated with the same shipment. This provides the AI agents with the context needed to generate more complete and consistent logistics data for customs and transportation processes.
Descartes' AI-powered IDM enables customs brokers, freight forwarders, and logistics providers to:
• Reduce manual work by having AI extract, interpret, and prepare customs and logistics information from commercial invoices, bills of lading, packing lists, and other trade documents.
• Faster preparation of customs declarations and creation of shipments, since the information can be used directly without having to re-enter the same data.
• Reduce the number of discrepancies and manual corrections through more consistent handling of documents belonging to the same shipment.
• Handle larger volumes more efficiently by increasing document-processing capacity without having to increase the workforce at the same rate.
• Make it easier to incorporate AI into day-to-day operations through logistics-trained AI agents that are integrated into Descartes’ existing solutions, without the need for separate applications, complex integrations, or AI models that the customer must train themselves.
– Most customers don’t want yet another separate AI application for document management. With our solution, the AI agents are integrated into the Descartes platform that customers already use. “The goal isn’t just to read the information in a document, but to understand its logistical context and prepare the data needed for the next step in the customs and transportation process,” says Ken Wood, Executive Vice President of Product Management at Descartes.
