Automated Invoice Interface
In order to do Remote Entry Processing (REP) a broker must be able to send invoice data to Customs electronically using the Automated Invoice Interface. The invoice data is sent to customs before the 7501 data is transmitted. The 7501 data has information identifying invoice lines with 7501 lines. When an Automated Invoice Interface (AII) is fully implemented a broker would get Commercial Invoice data electronically from a shipper. That data would be used to create AII records which would be transmitted to Customs. Currently most shippers/importers are unable or unwilling to provide invoice data electronically. Programs are available that allow manual entry of the invoice data or to generate AII data from the 7501 data providing the Part Number Database has been used. Files that have AII data are identified on the 2nd screen of the Log Data (F9 from the Log Screen). The Electronic Invoice Indicator is "E" if AII data is available and "R" if the file is being processed for Remote Entry. If the indicator is either E or R AII data is required to submit the 7501. The %AIIMAST screen is the starting point for all invoice data entry. Detailed shipping data (%AIISHIP) can be entered by expanding (F4) from the "SHIPPING" fields. Detailed party data (%AIINAME) can be entered by expanding from the "PARTY" fields. Invoice Detail Lines are numbered sequentially and are created by F9 from the master screen. The detail can be edited by expanding (F4) from the detail fields. There is summary data (%AIISUM) that is required. It is accessed by F8 from the master screen. Use F12 to access the Allowance/Charges screen (%AIIALLOW). F14 is used to prepare the data for upload to Customs. If more than one invoice record is found all invoices will be prepared. As a warning the count of invoices found is displayed before proceeding. The response from customs and any error messages are stored in the Download Log files. They can be viewed using the Download Log Inquiry programs. With no file number entered, F4 from the file number field will display all files previously entered (%AIIINQ). To eliminate duplicate data entry, there is a way to create the AII data from the regular file data. Prepare the entry in the normal manner (ie Log data, Part Number data, Worksheet, 7501 data). The generate option will then create the invoice data as best it can. If invoice data was previously entered you are asked if it is ok to delete the previous data before proceeding. It is essential that the Part Number database be used in entering the log data. This data is used to create the invoice detail data. To process a remote entry it is necessary to enter the port number of the Remote Exam Location. In addition the Electronic Invoice Indicator must be "R". On the 7501 Edit screen, F17 is used to access the AII data allocation screen. This screen is used to identify which AII invoice lines are associated with a particular 7501 line. The AII invoice lines can be listed individually or as Start/End combinations when consecutive AII invoice lines apply to a single 7501 line. When the 7501 data is uploaded there is a check to see that all lines of the 7501 have had AII data lines entered and that an AII record with the same invoice number exists. When the invoice data is generated automatically as described above the AII allocation data is created by matching the 12 character invoice number and the HTS number from the part number database to the invoice number and HTS number on the 7501. |
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