ACI eManifest Software User Guide (CBSA)

This article is part of the BorderConnect ACI eManifest Guide

Advance Commercial Information (ACI) is Canada Border Services Agency's (CBSA) eManifest program. It provides customs officers with electronic pre-arrival information.<ref name="multiple">https://www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/prog/manif/eccrdhi-deccerout-eng.html</ref> For highway carriers, ACI eManifest involves filing an electronic manifest at least one hour before the driver arrives at the border.

ACI eManifest entered a period of informed compliance on November 1, 2012, when highway carriers were encouraged to participate in the program. CBSA also announced that it would provide at least 45 days advance notice when the program was confirmed.<ref>https://www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/prog/aci-manif-ipec/req-exig-eng.html#tab3</ref>

On May 6, 2015, Canada Border Services Agency announced a mandatory transition timeline for highway carriers to comply with ACI eManifest. On July 10, 2015, carriers who did not comply with eManifest requirements could be issued zero-rated, non-monetary penalties under CBSA's Administrative Monetary Penalty System (AMPS). Beginning January 10, 2016, carriers who did not comply with eManifest requirements could be issued monetary AMPS penalties.<ref>https://www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/publications/dm-md/d22/d22-1-1-eng.html</ref>

BorderConnect ACI eManifest software provides a web-based solution for meeting ACI eManifest requirements, with 24/7 technical support.

ACI eManifest Requirements

One Hour Prior Notice

Under ACI eManifest regulations, highway carriers must ensure that the complete ACI eManifest, including the trip and shipments, is on file with CBSA for at least one hour before the driver arrives at the border.

Failure to meet the one-hour requirement can result in refused entry into Canada and/or an AMPS penalty. BorderConnect provides ACI eManifest Compliance features to help users review prior notice timing and reduce the risk of AMPS.

ACI Lead Sheet

When arriving at the Canadian border, the driver must present an ACI lead sheet to the customs officer. The lead sheet allows the officer to look up the ACI eManifest.

The lead sheet must include one of the following:

A barcoded Conveyance Reference Number, also known as the Trip Number.
A barcoded Cargo Control Number and a handwritten Conveyance Reference Number.
A handwritten Conveyance Reference Number on the lead sheet, presented with a separate page that has a barcoded Cargo Control Number, such as an invoice with a PARS sticker.

The officer stamps the lead sheet as proof of report. Individual shipments are no longer stamped. The carrier is responsible for keeping the stamped lead sheet as proof of report.

ACI lead sheets can be generated from within BorderConnect, either from the manifest or as a set ahead of time. Carriers may also design and produce their own lead sheets if they meet the barcode requirements listed above.

Getting Started

If you have not already done so, register for ACI with CBSA. Even if you are already set up for ACI with CBSA's eManifest Portal or another software provider, a separate registration is required to use ACI through BorderConnect.

You can generate the registration forms from a BorderConnect account under Account and Company. You can also contact BorderConnect to have the forms emailed or faxed.

Next, create profiles for drivers, trucks, and trailers that may be crossing the border. If you also use BorderConnect's ACE eManifest software, you should not need to enter additional profile data because ACE and ACI share the same driver, truck, trailer, and passenger profiles.

Refer to these profile guides:

Once ACI registration is complete and the required profiles are created, you are ready to create and submit eManifests to Customs.

ACI eManifest Instructions

Refer to the individual sections for complete instructions:

Task	Guide
Create and submit an ACI eManifest	Creating and submitting a new ACI eManifest
Generate ACI lead sheets	Generating ACI Lead Sheets
Correct a rejected ACI eManifest	Correcting rejected ACI eManifests
Update or correct an accepted manifest	Updating or correcting an accepted manifest
Understand ACI statuses	ACI eManifest Status Guide
Review compliance reports	ACI eManifest Compliance Guide
Track a manifest closely	Keeping a close eye on a particular manifest
Choose shipment types	Manifesting different types of shipments
Prepare partial ACI eManifests in two-carrier scenarios	Preparing an ACI eManifest when taking another carrier's PARS or giving away your own
Create an empty ACI eManifest	Creating an empty ACI eManifest
Check CFIA inspection status for meat shipments	Checking the CFIA Inspection status of a meat shipment