Printable checklist
Shipment Document Workflow Checklist
For forwarding and customs brokerage operations teams agreeing how shipping documents should move, from the inbox to the system that uses them. Tick an item once the team has agreed it and it’s written down.
To print, use your browser’s print command (Ctrl+P, or ⌘P on a Mac).
Describe, don’t copy. Don’t attach or write down real shipment documents, customer details or credentials on this checklist.
AIntake
Where documents arrive, and who notices.
- Every route documents arrive by is listed: shared mailboxes, portals, personal inboxes.
- Documents sent to personal inboxes are redirected to a shared route.
- Each route has an owner who checks it daily.
BFiling
One home per shipment.
- Each shipment or job has a single folder or record that documents go into.
- A naming convention is agreed for files, including document type.
- Access is limited to the teams that work on those shipments.
- Retention periods follow your record-keeping policy.
CExtraction set-up
Decide what to read before choosing how.
- The fields needed from each document type are listed, and why each is needed.
- A sample of real documents per type is set aside for testing.
- Results on the sample are measured and recorded, not assumed.
- A confidence threshold is agreed for each field that matters.
DHuman review
The step that makes extracted data usable.
- Every extracted value is checked by a person before it’s used.
- Reviewers see the original document beside the values.
- Corrections are recorded with who made them and why.
- Review has a target turnaround that the team can meet.
EExceptions
Known problems, routed to named people.
- Exception types are defined: low confidence, missing fields, mismatches between documents.
- Each type has a named owner or queue, not a shared inbox.
- Unresolved exceptions are escalated after an agreed time.
FHand-off
How approved data reaches the next system.
- Only approved values are passed on to forwarding or customs software.
- The hand-off method is agreed: integration, import file or manual entry.
- Responsibility for each declaration stays clearly with your licensed staff.
Open decisions
| Decision needed | Section | Owner | Due |
|---|---|---|---|
Shipment Document Workflow Checklist · Harborlane Freight · harborlanefreight.com/document-workflow-checklist.html. A planning aid; it isn’t customs or compliance advice. About human review and exception routing