If you’ve been following this series, you know by now that CargoWise Customs is all about one thing: efficiency built on compliance.
In Articles 1–3, we covered the importance of clean master data, walked through the declaration screen, and explored HTS code management. Now it’s time to look at one of the most practical tools CargoWise gives you for speeding up the process: Templates.
Why Templates Matter
Filing customs declarations is detail-heavy work. Every entry requires:
- Importer information
- Shipment details
- Tariff lines
- Values, fees, and supporting docs
Even with great master data, starting from scratch every time can be tedious and prone to errors. That’s where templates come in.
Templates let you copy, save, and automate recurring entry setups so that the bulk of the work is done in a few clicks.
1. Creating a Universal Copy Template
CargoWise makes it simple to turn a completed declaration into a reusable template.
Steps:
- Open a previously submitted declaration.
- Right-click and select → Universal Copy > New Copy Template.
- A new template will appear. For each field, you can decide how it should behave in future declarations:
- Do not copy → field will remain blank.
- Copy source value → pulls over the value from the source declaration.
- Empty → clears the field so it’s always blank.
- Default value for this property → uses CargoWise defaults.
- Other property for this object → pulls data from another property in the file.
- Constant value → always inserts a fixed value you define.
- Macro → applies logic to populate values automatically.
- Once you’ve configured the fields the way you want them, save the template.
Now, you can reuse that template for future entries, dramatically reducing data entry. And if your customer changes something about their declaration requirements? You simply update the template—it’s that flexible.
💡 The great news: once built, these templates scale with your team. The more repeat clients or high-volume lanes you manage, the more time you save.
2. Template Defaults vs. Live Data
One of the keys to using templates effectively is knowing what should be stored as a default and what should always come from live data.
- Good to save in template:
- Port of entry
- Entry type
- Importer of record
- Common tariff lines (HTS + description)
- Better left to live data:
- Invoice values
- Shipment-specific details (bill numbers, quantities, transport dates)
- Fees tied to actual shipment costs
💡 Templates should give you the skeleton of the entry, while live data fills in the details unique to each shipment.
3. Copy, Save, Automate
CargoWise gives you flexibility in how you apply templates:
- Copy: Take a past declaration, copy it, and adjust only what’s different.
- Save: Build a dedicated template for a client or shipment type and reuse it.
- Automate: For high-volume clients, combine templates with workflow automation so entries prepopulate as soon as a file is created.
4. Real-World Benefits
For repeat clients and high-volume trade lanes, templates:
- Cut data entry time dramatically
- Improve accuracy by reducing manual keying
- Standardize how teams file entries (everyone follows the same structure)
- Reduce training time for new staff—templates act like built-in job aids
- Scale team capacity → more files handled without adding headcount
The Takeaway
Templates in CargoWise aren’t just a convenience feature—they’re a compliance and efficiency tool.
By building smart Universal Copy Templates, you set up declarations to prefill in just the right way. Combine that with knowing when to rely on defaults versus live data, and you give your customs team the flexibility to handle more work with fewer errors.
✨ At ALL2S Consulting LLC, we help brokers and importers build smarter workflows in CargoWise—from templates and automation to master data and reporting—so customs compliance is faster, cleaner, and less risky.
📌 Coming Next (Article 5): We’ll explore managing documents and compliance in CargoWise—how to attach licenses, POAs, and certificates to make audits less painful and keep your filings airtight.
ALL2S CONSULTING LLC 