ACE Shipment CSV Upload Feature (ACE Manifest)

This article is part of the BorderConnect ACE Manifest Guide and the BorderConnect Software User Guide

The ACE Shipment CSV Upload Feature lets users upload a large number of shipments into an ACE Manifest from a CSV file instead of entering each shipment manually. It is commonly used for trips with many Section 321 shipments, but it can also be used for other supported ACE shipment types when the file follows the required format.

BorderConnect also offers the File Import Wizard for importing account data such as drivers, trucks, and profiles. This page covers the trip-specific CSV shipment upload inside an ACE Manifest.

Video Tutorials

How to import shipments into an ACE eManifest.

Enabling Import Buttons

Selecting Company Settings from the Account menu.

Companies have ACE shipment import buttons disabled by default. To enable them:

1. In BorderConnect, open Account and select Company Settings.
2. In Company Settings, find Display ACE Import Buttons under eManifest Preferences.
3. Set Display ACE Import Buttons to Yes.
4. Click Save.

CSV File Format

Enabling ACE import buttons from Company Settings.

Download the official ACE shipment CSV template before preparing your import file.

The column headers in the template must remain intact. Do not rename, remove, or reorder the headers, because BorderConnect uses them to map the uploaded data.

When saving the file from a spreadsheet program, save it in CSV format. Other spreadsheet formats cannot be used for this feature.

Field Specifications

Shipment Identifiers

Field	Requirements
SCN (Shipment Control Number)	Unique carrier-assigned identifier for the shipment. Starts with the carrier's 4-letter SCAC code followed by a unique reference number. Must be alphanumeric, with no spaces or special characters. Letters must be uppercase. Minimum length: 8 characters. Maximum length: 16 characters. To let BorderConnect generate SCNs sequentially, enter the SCAC followed by AUTOFILL, for example ZZZZAUTOFILL. If AUTOFILL is used, every shipment in the file must use AUTOFILL. Do not mix autofill and manual SCNs in the same CSV file.
Shipment Type	The U.S. Customs clearance type for the shipment. Must use one of the exact coded values in the Shipment Type Values table below. Values are case-sensitive.
Province Of Loading	The Canadian province or Mexican state where the shipment was picked up by the carrier. Use the 2-letter Canadian province code or 3-letter Mexican state code. Codes must be uppercase. Example: use BC for British Columbia or GRO for Guerrero.

Shipment Type Values

Shipment type	CSV value
PAPS	PAPS
Section 321	SECTION_321
Section 321 with FDA Considerations	SECTION_321_FDA
QP In-Bond	QP_IN_BOND
Intangibles	INTANGIBLES
Free of Duty (Customs Form 7523)	ATTACHED_CF7523
Returned American Products (Customs Form 3311)	ATTACHED_CF3311
Personal Shipment (Customs Form 3299)	ATTACHED_CF3299

Shipper Fields

Field	Requirements
Name	1 to 60 characters.
Address	Street number and street name, 1 to 55 characters.
City	1 to 30 characters.
State	Canadian province or Mexican state code. Use the 2-letter Canadian province code or 3-letter Mexican state code. Codes must be uppercase.
Zip	Canadian postal codes must use A1A1A1 or A1A 1A1. Mexican postal codes must use 12345. Letters must be uppercase.

Consignee Fields

Field	Requirements
Name	1 to 60 characters.
Address	Street number and street name, 1 to 55 characters.
City	1 to 30 characters.
State	U.S. state code. Use the 2-letter state code in uppercase.
Zip	U.S. ZIP code in 12345 or 12345-6789 format.

Commodity Fields

Field	Requirements
Description	Plain language description of the goods. Should give the officer a clear idea of what is being shipped. Generic descriptions such as "freight of all kinds" are not allowed by customs. 1 to 45 characters.
Value	Value of the commodity in U.S. dollars. Numeric only, with one decimal allowed. Do not include dollar signs, commas, or other punctuation. Required for Section 321 and Section 321 with FDA Considerations. Maximum value for Section 321 and Section 321 with FDA Considerations: 800. BorderConnect rounds to the nearest whole number, or up to 1 if the value is less than 1, before transmitting to customs.
Quantity	Quantity of the lowest external packaging unit. Example: if the shipment is 100 pieces packed in 5 boxes on 1 skid, enter 5 because boxes are the lowest external packaging unit. Numeric whole numbers only. Decimal values are not allowed.
Quantity Unit	Package type for the commodity. Use a 3-letter package type code from the Package Type Codes table below. Values are case-sensitive.
Weight	Gross weight of the commodity. Numeric whole numbers only. Decimal values are not allowed. Round to the nearest whole number.
Weight Unit	For pounds, use L, LB, LBS, or LBR. For kilograms, use K, KG, or KGM.
Country of Origin	Country where the commodity was manufactured, grown, or otherwise produced. Required for Section 321 and Section 321 with FDA Considerations. Use the 2-letter country code in uppercase. The full list of acceptable country codes can be downloaded here.

Package Type Codes

Package type	Value	Package type	Value
Bag	BAG	Carton	CTN
Heads of Beef	HED	Roll	ROL
Bale	BLE	Case	CAS
Keg	KEG	Sack	SAK
Barrel	BBL	Cask	CSK
Lift Van	LVN	Sheet	SHT
Basket	BSK	Chest	CHS
Liquid Bulk	LBK	Sides of Beef	SID
Bin	BIN	Coil	COL
Logs	LOG	Skid	SKD
Bing Chest	BIC	Container Bulk Cargo	CBC
Lugs	LUG	Tank	TNK
Box	BOX	Cord	COR
Package	PKG	Tin	TIN
Bucket	BKT	Crate	CRT
Pail	PAL	Tote Bin	TBN
Bundle	BDL	Cylinder	CYL
Parcel	PCL	Tube	TBE
Can	CAN	Drum	DRM
Pieces	PCS	Unit	UNT
Can Case	CCS	Dry Bulk	DBK
Private Vehicle	POV	Van Pack	VPK
Carboy	CBY	Gallon	GAL
Quarters of Beef	QTR	Vehicle	VEH
Carcass	CAR	Hamper	HMP
Reel	REL	Wooden Case	WDC

Importing Shipments

Once the CSV file is populated correctly and ACE import buttons are enabled, open an existing ACE Manifest or start a new ACE Manifest.

1. Click Choose File and select the CSV file from your computer.
2. Click Save.
3. BorderConnect will return you to the ACE Manifest Details Page.
4. Review the notice at the top of the page to confirm whether the upload was successful or whether import errors need to be corrected.

The upload control may refer to JSON files, but CSV files are also accepted by this feature.

Uploading ACE shipments from a CSV file.

Importing 10,000 Or More Shipments To a Single ACE Manifest

By default, users can upload up to 9,999 shipments into a single ACE Manifest. For larger imports, create multiple ACE Manifests, upload no more than 9,999 shipments into each one, and use Link Shipments to Trip to move the additional shipments back to the original manifest.

1. Create the first ACE Manifest, enter the trip details, and upload the first CSV or JSON shipment file. Use Save and View Trip Details. Large shipment uploads can take time to process.
2. Create a second ACE Manifest. Use the same trip number with a suffix such as B. Enable Show All Fields, then use Link Shipments to Trip to select the original trip.
3. Enter the remaining trip details on the second manifest, upload the next CSV or JSON shipment file, and use Save and View Trip Details. If more shipments are needed, repeat this process with another suffix such as C.
4. Send the first ACE Manifest to CBP by opening the original manifest and selecting Send Complete Manifest from Send to CBP. Large manifests can take longer than usual to process and may take up to 20 minutes to be accepted.
5. After the first ACE Manifest is on file with CBP, open the second manifest and select Link Shipments to Trip from Send to CBP. This transmits the second manifest and links its shipments to the original trip.

The Link Shipments to Trip field.

Sending linked shipments to CBP.

If the ACE Manifests only contain Section 321 shipments, no entry numbers will be provided. Three blue bars will remain the status until the driver arrives at the border. CBP will see all linked shipments on the original ACE Manifest, so the driver should use the lead sheet for the original trip.

Video Tutorials

How to import more than 10,000 shipments into an ACE eManifest.

Common Import Errors

The examples below show common CSV upload errors and the correction to make before trying the import again.

Shipment Control Number Errors

Can't perform import since AUTOFILL shipment numbers are combined with explicitly stated shipment control numbers.

Some Shipment Control Numbers are using the SCAC plus AUTOFILL and some are not. To use autofill, all Shipment Control Numbers must be filled in as SCAC plus AUTOFILL.

This error can also happen when blank rows exist at the bottom of the CSV file. Use a plain text editor to check for rows containing only commas and remove them.

SCAC Code [AAA5] is invalid. Must be 4 alphanumeric characters. [AAA5459071]

The SCAC has the wrong number of characters. The SCAC should be four letters.

Shipment Control Number is invalid, it must be 8-16 alphanumeric characters with no spaces and letters must be uppercase. [AAAA545907321321321131]

The Shipment Control Number has too many characters. SCNs must be 8 to 16 characters.

Shipment Type Errors

Shipment Type [SECTION 321] is invalid [AAAA5459071]

The Shipment Type value is incorrect. For Section 321, use SECTION_321. Double-check the Shipment Type Values table and upload the file again.

Shipper Errors

Province of Loading code [BX] unrecognized. [AAAA5459071]
OR
Province of Loading code [British Columbia] unrecognized. [AAAA5459071]

The Province of Loading is not recognized. Use the province code, such as BC, ON, MB, or NS, instead of the full province name.

Shipper Name [Demo Business Incorporated CO Steven Stevenson Incorporated of Vancouver bla bla] invalid. Must be between 1 and 60 characters, with no accents or other invalid characters. [AAAA5459091]

The Shipper Name has too many characters. It must be 1 to 60 characters.

Shipper Canadian Postal Code [VSS 1A1] invalid. [AAAA5459219]

The shipper postal code is invalid. Canadian postal codes must follow the letter-number-letter number-letter-number format.

Consignee Errors

Consignee State [California] is invalid or does not match with country [US]. [AAAA5459219]

The consignee state is not recognized. Use the 2-letter state code, such as CA, NY, WA, or FL.

Consignee U.S. Zip Code [4321] invalid. [AAAA5459219]

The consignee ZIP code is invalid. ZIP codes must be five digits or ten characters including the dash, for example 45180-6789.

Spreadsheet programs may strip leading zeroes from fields. For example, 04321 may be saved as 4321, which is not valid for upload. In some spreadsheet programs, saving the value as ="04321" preserves the leading zero.

Commodity Errors

Unknown packaging unit [box]. [AAAA5459219]

The package type is in the wrong format. Package type values are case-sensitive. For box, use BOX.

Shipment commodity weight is invalid. It must be numeric [0.63]

Commodity weight must be a whole number. Round to the nearest whole number, or up to 1 if the weight is less than 1.

Commodity weight unit [POUNDS] is invalid. [AAAA5459219]

The weight unit is incorrect. For pounds, use LB, L, LBS, or LBR.

See also

• ACE Manifest Details Page
• ACE Manifest Status Guide
• Section 321 (CBP Shipment Type)
• File Import Wizard