CIMS Developments

Allyn’s proprietary Global Trade Management (GTM) solution, CIMS, is a robust platform that allows clients to maintain the highest levels of compliance while maintaining top operational efficiency.  CIMS was developed in-house at Allyn specifically for the purposes of creating a best-in-class trade platform, with the goal of helping clients in day-to-day operations of trade and high-level overall compliance. We are constantly improving and adapting our system so that the ever-expanding needs of our clients can be met.

Here is a list of the most recent system enhancements for CIMS:

Broker Invoice Module

Two of the most important components of a successful global trade compliance program are managing brokers and controlling/monitoring payments. One way to ensure that you are embracing both components is to have a broker invoice audit program in place.

A broker invoice audit program allows for efficient and systematic auditing of 100% of all broker invoices, as well as rejecting any that do not meet the requirements or logic you have set up.

Allyn’s TMS system in CIMS has a best-in-class broker invoice audit module available. Brokers feed invoice data into CIMS, where it will be reviewed and analyzed via customized logic.

Allyn’s Broker Invoice Module in CIMS provides the following benefits:

1. Ensures that correct duties and taxes are paid
2. Ensures any other charges are correct, especially when brokers are making other payments on your behalf
3. Easy coding of invoices and submission to AP or any payment company
4. Visibility and access to entry data for Metrics and KPI
5. Visibility and access to entry documents, enhancing your recordkeeping compliance

Post Entry Tracker

CIMS has a module that allows clients to keep track of all post-entry actions. All manners of post-entry action can be tied to the entry and tracked in our system.  This ensures that importers never miss a deadline for filing a post entry action, and allows importers to run reports of affected associated entries for items such as reconciliation and drawback.

The following entry actions are accounted for in CIMS:

1. CBP Form 28/29
2. Reconciliation:
3. Drawback
4. Liquidated Damages
5. Post Summary Correction Prior Disclosure
6. Protest
7. Marking Notice
8. Redelivery

ACE Data Comparison

A main component of Allyn’s CIMS platform revolves around receiving customs data from brokers. This is vital for the entry audit functionality, recordkeeping functionality, dashboards, and broker invoice audit functionality. This data feed from the brokers is vital because unlike ACE data, it will also contain the part number.

The risk has always been that there may be a broker clearing freight outside of the process. With CIMS, now you can simply load an ACE report into CIMS to verify all entries are available. It will automatically reconcile all ACE entries against broker data to determine if any unauthorized broker is clearing freight outside of the normal process.  

Export Data Module

Up until now, the primary data available in CIMS was import data that was either received from the broker or downloaded from ACE.  Now CIMS can accommodate export data received from either AES filers or from ACE.

This new functionality will allow clients to:

1. Have dashboards where export data can be analyzed for strategic or monitoring purposes.
2. Audit Electronic Export Information (EEI) based on customized logic setup in the system.
3. Index export documents for CIMS recordkeeping module, allowing clients to search for export documents under a vast number of search terms.

 

If you would like more information on how ALA Touch could benefit your business please contact us at sales@allynintl.com.

Contributor: Matthew Dreckman

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About Allyn International

Allyn International is dedicated to providing high quality, customer centric services and solutions for the global marketplace. Allyn's core products include transportation management, logistics sourcing, freight forwarding, supply chain consulting, tax management and global trade compliance. Allyn clients range from small local businesses to Fortune 500 firms. Allyn conducts business in more than 20 languages and has extensive experience in both developed and emerging markets. Highly trained experts are positioned throughout North and South America, Europe and Asia. Allyn’s regional headquarters are strategically located in Fort Myers, Florida, U.S.A., Shanghai, P.R. China, Prague, Czech Republic, and Dubai, U.A.E. For more information, visit www.allynintl.com.