Simplify Certificate of Origin with iCustoms Process Automation Solution
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Freya Jane
- Director of Customer's Success
In the midst of international trade, the Certificate of Origin (CO) is a crucial document. It plays a crucial function in providing final confirmation of a product’s origin as it travels across international borders. There are significant obstacles to the traditional manual method of granting these certifications. This conventional method frequently struggles with a number of issues, leading to inefficiencies, errors, and problems with respect to trade law compliance. Here enters into the play an intelligent document processing or process automation solution to rescue.
According to a Gartner study, companies lose an average of $12.9 million a year due to poor data quality. This financial strain highlights how crucial it is for the data on the certificate of origin to be accurate and may be substantial for any kind of business.
This blog will look into the tremendous potential for improvement in the issuing of COs through the use of digital process automation solutions. The goal is to streamline and improve the entire process by automating it.
Challenges of manual CO issuance
The manual issuance of Certificates of Origin (COs) has various challenges:
Errors and inefficiencies
The manual method is prone to inaccuracies and errors. Human errors during the processing or input of data may result in inaccurate information in the CO, which may cause trade transaction delays and complications.
Compliance problems
Manual issuance frequently finds it difficult to guarantee complete adherence to the complex and dynamic laws regulating global trade. Manually fulfilling these standards can be difficult and prone to error.
Lack of visibility and control
There is a lack of thorough visibility and control in the manual CO issuing procedure. It becomes impossible to track and monitor the progress of COs, which makes it tough to manage and guarantee that tasks are completed on time. This supervision gap may make trade activities less effective.
Problems caused by inaccurate certificate of origin
Here are some issues caused by incorrect Certificates of Origin:
Customs rejection
Inaccuracies such as variations in information on COs or inaccurate goods’ origin might result in customs rejection. This might cause shipment delays, storage fees, and financial penalties.
Financial loss
Customs officials can impose penalties or fines in response to inaccurate COs. Furthermore, inconsistent documentation may result in payment delays or even contract cancellations, which would put a strain on finances.
Supply chain disruption
A rejected cargo due to CO errors impacts the entire supply chain. There may be shortages or surplus inventory, which affects manufacturers, distributors, and suppliers’ ability to meet their schedules.
Legal implications
Inaccurate COs could violate certain legislation or trade agreements, giving rise to legal challenges. This could include legal fees, fines, or contract revisions, which might affect business relationships.
Tariff and duty errors
Improper tariff classification of commodities in COs results in incorrect duty charges or tariff assessments. This affects the trade’s overall cost-effectiveness, profitability, and pricing strategy.
Quality control issues
Inaccurate COs might mislead product quality or origin, resulting in customer discontent, product returns, or brand reputation loss.
Market access barriers
Inaccurate COs may prevent compliance with regulations for accessing particular markets or enjoying trade benefits under certain agreements, restricting market penetration and growth.
Reputation damage
Ongoing errors in COs have a detrimental effect on a company’s dependability and credibility, which may result in the loss of future trade prospects, commercial relationships, and market credibility.
The complexity of the supply chain
Fixing errors requires more administrative work, communication, and even renegotiations, which raises the operational costs and complexity of supply chain management.
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iCustoms: Offering process automation solution
When it comes to process automation service solutions, iCustoms stands out as a revolutionary platform designed to simplify the complex certificate of origin issuing procedure.
By utilising intelligent process automation solutions, we seek to replace the manual operations that used to be a part of CO management.
Key features
Automated data capture
iCustoms combines machine learning techniques with cutting-edge optical character recognition (OCR) technology. This combination removes the need for human input by allowing the machine to quickly and reliably extract relevant data from a variety of document forms. iCustoms effectively gathers and arranges certificates of origin-related data, whether from scanned photos, PDFs, or digital formats.
Pre-filled certificate of origins
By using its database of historical data and saved information, iCustoms uses intelligent automation to fill up CO forms ahead of time. The technology greatly accelerates the CO issuance process by automatically filling in repetitive details, like product information, origin details, and exporter details. This ensures accuracy and consistency throughout all documents.
Data compliance rule checks
iCustoms’ automated architecture incorporates real-time compliance assessments. CO data is dynamically cross-referenced by the platform with a large database of trade laws and standards. Any deviations or discrepancies are immediately notified, allowing users to correct errors before final submission, reducing compliance risks and assuring regulatory compliance.
Want to learn how you can ensure compliance? Read more!
Workflow management
iCustoms manages an automated workflow system that makes the CO issuing process smooth. The platform makes it easier for concerned stakeholders to collaborate by streamlining everything from approvals to notifications and status tracking. Along with increasing productivity, this automation offers transparency and traceability all the way through the CO issuance lifecycle, streamlining trade operations.
Data security & audit trails
iCustoms places a high priority on data and border security, putting strong encryption mechanisms in place to protect sensitive CO-related data. In addition, thorough audit trails precisely document and track every action made within the system. This thorough tracking assures accountability, transparency, and regulatory adherence, boosting the CO issuing process’s integrity.
The benefits of iCustom’s process automation solution
There are numerous significant benefits to processing Certificates of Origin (COs) using iCustom’s process automation software:
Reduced mistakes and rework
Intelligent automation reduces the need for human intervention in entering data and processing, resulting in fewer errors. Eliminating manual entry reduces the possibility of errors in COs, which in turn reduces the amount of rework and corrections.
Quicker clearance
Automating the CO issuance process optimises workflows, allowing the full process to be completed more quickly, from application submission to approval. This effectiveness speeds up processing times, which in turn speeds up customs declaration and, eventually, quickens the flow of products across borders.
Enhanced productivity
Process automation boosts overall efficiency by releasing resources that were previously allocated to human data entry and verification. Employees can concentrate on higher-value tasks and strategic operations, increasing productivity and contributing to the business’s goals.
Improved compliance
Automation solutions incorporate trade compliance checks into the CO issuing process. Real-time validation against trade legislation ensures that all relevant standards are met by COs. As a result, there is less chance of non-compliance problems, which guarantees easier transactions and lessens the possibility of fines.
Savings on costs
Automation adoption results in financial savings for companies. Error reduction, shorter processing times, enhanced productivity, and better compliance all lead to cost savings. Furthermore, there are immediate reductions in operating costs as a result of the decrease in manual labour and rework.
Takeaway
In conclusion, automation is a game-changer when it comes to streamlining the Certificate of Origin procedure in customs. This upgrade guarantees compliance with HMRC or UK government requirements while also expediting approval processes. Adopting automation promotes a more competitive market while preserving accuracy in global trade, making it easier for companies to concentrate on expansion and innovation.
Want to streamline the process of obtaining your Certificate of Origin? iCustoms offers AI-powered automated data processing solutions, i.e., iDP that can completely transform the workflow of your company. Take your business to the next level with ease!
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About iCustoms
iCustoms is an all-in-one solution helping businesses automate customs processes more efficiently. With AI-powered and machine-learning capabilities, iCustoms is designed to streamline your all customs procedures in a few minutes, cut additional costs and save time.
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