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Welcome to Electronic Export Filing

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As the use of the Internet increases throughout the world, the way we process information is evolving. Government agencies and the private sector are transitioning to automated processes and electronic documents.

Electronic processing means less paper. Less paper reduces keying errors, labor costs, and missing information, while simultaneously generating faster responses. The idea struck FTD in 1995 when management realized export information would be less expensive to process if provided electronically before arriving to the port of export. This idea became Electronic Export Information, or EEI as we know it today. In fact, did you know that before EEI, each paper Shipper’s Export Declaration cost about $1.80 to process? Now, this same information can be submitted electronically for a processing cost of about $0.20.

Considering this significant cost reduction, the government allocated funds which allowed anyone in the U.S. to file their EEI to the designated Automated Export System, or AES, via two free filing applications: AESDirect and AESPcLink. Yes, you read right: FREE.

The benefits of collecting electronic data are so extensive that paper submissions are now obsolete, and electronic filing is mandatory. The AESDirect program applications are an example of the government’s aim to improve your filing experience. By streamlining the way export data is collected we improve the efficiency of filing for the user and improve data quality.

This blog is also another tool to improve your experience as a member of the trade community. Subscribe to Global Reach and watch for more information regarding these two applications. In future posts I’ll provide assistance in troubleshooting common errors and share tips designed to help you file your EEI correctly in less than 15 minutes! Updates regarding new features of the applications can also be found here, and I’ll describe how they work.

What questions do you have regarding the AESDirect and AESPcLink applications?

Page Last Revised - April 14, 2022
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