Customs Clearance & Clearing-Forwarding for ERPNext

Key Features

`Customs Declaration` and `Bill of Entry` DocTypes with submittable workflow states (Draft, Submitted, Assessed, Cleared) and per-line child tables

`HS Code` tariff master with duty rate, VAT/GST rate, and unit-of-measure, auto-fetched into declaration lines via client script

Server-side duty and tax computation in `hooks.py` doc events (`validate`/`on_submit`) — assessable value, ad-valorem and specific duties, never client-trusted

Clearing-agent `Clearing Job` DocType linking consignment, declarations, disbursements, and the importer being billed

Cost recovery posted as ERPNext Sales Invoices and Journal Entries so agency fees and disbursements hit the correct customer and expense ledgers

Demurrage and detention accrual via scheduler event — nightly day-count increment with per-shipping-line free-time rules and expiry alerts

Bill-of-entry document tracking with file attachments, reference numbers, and status against the customs authority

Whitelisted REST API methods (`@frappe.whitelist()`) for duty calculation and job status, consumable via the Frappe REST API with token auth

Role profiles and permission rules for `Clearing Agent`, `Customs Officer`, and `Accounts` — submit vs. post-disbursement separation

Client scripts for HS-code lookup, duty auto-fill, and pre-submit validation of mandatory declaration fields

Landed-cost integration so import duties and port charges flow into ERPNext item valuation where the agent also stocks goods

Print formats for the customs declaration and clearing-job cost sheet, with disbursement breakdown for the importer

Report Views / Query Reports for outstanding declarations, duty payable by period, and demurrage exposure by container

Configurable currency and exchange-rate handling for CIF valuation on foreign-currency consignments

Built and tested against Frappe/ERPNext v15 and v16, packaged as a standard installable Frappe app

Built to order, done for you

No DIY setup — a working app, built, installed and supported by ECOSIRE.

You order

Start with a one-time build price. We scope it with you at kickoff.

We build & install

ECOSIRE builds, configures and installs it on your ERPNext.

Go live + support

You go live in about 2–4 weeks, with a post-launch support window.

About this Product

Clearing-and-forwarding agents and import/export firms live in a world ERPNext core was never designed for. A single consignment carries an HS code, a bill of entry, a customs declaration reference, duty and VAT/GST computed against tariff schedules, port and shipping-line charges, and demurrage that accrues by the day. Native ERPNext gives you Purchase Orders, Landed Cost Vouchers, and a Chart of Accounts — but there is no Customs Declaration DocType, no HS-code tariff master, no bill-of-entry tracker, and no way to run a clearing job as a billable file with cost recovery from the importer. Agents end up managing all of this in spreadsheets and WhatsApp, and reconciling disbursements by hand at month-end.

ECOSIRE builds a proper Frappe application — a versioned app installed on your own bench, not a pile of customisations bolted onto stock DocTypes. At its core are dedicated DocTypes: Customs Declaration and Bill of Entry (with child tables for line items, each carrying an HS code, assessable value, duty rate, and computed duty/tax), an HS Code tariff master, and a Clearing Job that ties a consignment to its declarations, disbursements, and the importer being billed. Duty and tax computation runs in server scripts wired through hooks.py doc events (validate, on_submit) so every line recalculates deterministically on the server — never trusting client-side math — and posts recoverable costs and agency fees into ERPNext's accounting via Journal Entries and Sales Invoices so cost recovery lands on the customer ledger automatically.

The app is engineered the way a Frappe app should be. Client scripts drive the data-entry UX — auto-fetching duty rates when an HS code is picked, flagging incomplete declarations before submit. Whitelisted methods expose the calculation and job-status logic to the Frappe REST API so your port agents, a broker portal, or an external declaration system can integrate over HTTP with token auth. Role profiles and permission rules (Clearing Agent, Customs Officer, Accounts) scope who can submit a declaration versus who can post a disbursement. Scheduler events run the demurrage/detention accrual nightly — incrementing day counts, applying free-time rules per shipping line, and raising alerts as a container approaches its free-time expiry — so charges are captured the day they arise instead of being discovered on an invoice weeks later. It is built and tested against Frappe/ERPNext v15 and v16.

Because this is build-to-order, nothing ships as an anonymous download. We start with a scoping call to map your declaration workflow, tariff sources, ports, and the charges you recover from importers, then confirm a fixed scope. Typical delivery is 2–4 weeks from confirmed scope. You get the installable app source for your ERPNext version, installation and configuration on your bench, UAT on a staging site with a rollback plan, technical documentation, a user guide with a live training session, a git repository handover, and a post-go-live support window.

What you get

Installable Frappe app source code built for your ERPNext version (v15 or v16)

Installation and configuration on your bench, including DocTypes, role profiles, and scheduler events

UAT on a staging site with a documented rollback plan before production go-live

Technical documentation — DocType schema, hooks, whitelisted methods, and server-script logic

User guide plus a live training session for clearing agents and accounts staff

Git repository handover with full commit history and README

Post-go-live support window for defect fixes and configuration adjustments

Configuration of HS-code tariff master and per-shipping-line demurrage free-time rules to your data

Who this is for

Clearing & forwarding agency owner

Runs consignments through customs for multiple importers and needs each shipment tracked as a billable clearing job — declarations, disbursements, and agency fees recovered on the importer's ledger instead of reconciled from spreadsheets.

Import/export operations manager

Owns the declaration-to-clearance pipeline and needs bill-of-entry status, duty payable, and container free-time expiry visible in ERPNext so nothing stalls at port and no demurrage is discovered late.

Customs / compliance officer

Needs accurate HS-code classification and server-computed, auditable duty and tax on every declaration line, with role-based control over who can submit versus assess a declaration.

Accounts / finance lead

Needs disbursements and agency fees to post automatically into ERPNext accounting as invoices and journal entries, so cost recovery from importers and month-end reconciliation are clean and traceable.

How Customs Clearance & Clearing-Forwarding for ERPNext Compares

Criterion	ECOSIRE	Custom Build	Competitor
Customs declaration & bill of entry	Dedicated `Customs Declaration` and `Bill of Entry` DocTypes with submittable workflow	Possible, but you design and maintain the schema yourself	Often generic freight/CRM DocTypes, not true customs declarations
HS-code duty & tax computation	Server-side computation in hooks against an HS-code tariff master	Must be built and validated from scratch	Basic or region-locked; rarely server-enforced
Clearing-agent job & cost recovery	`Clearing Job` links disbursements and auto-posts recovery to the importer	Buildable, but accounting wiring is your responsibility	Job tracking varies; cost recovery often manual
Demurrage & detention tracking	Nightly scheduler accrual with per-line free-time rules and expiry alerts	Requires custom scheduler events and rule logic	Seldom included
ERPNext v15/v16 fit	Built and tested against your exact bench version	Depends on your team's Frappe expertise	May lag on version compatibility
REST API & integrations	Whitelisted methods for duty and job status over the Frappe REST API	Build and secure the endpoints yourself	Limited or undocumented API surface
Delivery & support	2–4 weeks from confirmed scope, UAT, training, git handover, support window	Timeline and support depend on internal capacity	Instant install but self-serve support
Ownership	Full source and git repository handed over to you	You own it, but also own all the effort	Usually licensed, source not provided

Frequently Asked Questions about Customs Clearance & Clearing-Forwarding for ERPNext

How long does delivery take?

This is a build-to-order product, not an instant download. After a scoping call to confirm your declaration workflow, tariff sources, and charges, we fix the scope and typically deliver in 2–4 weeks. Timing depends on the number of DocTypes, integrations, and duty-computation rules in the confirmed scope.

How is this different from just customising stock ERPNext?

It's a proper installable Frappe app with dedicated DocTypes (`Customs Declaration`, `Bill of Entry`, `HS Code`, `Clearing Job`), server scripts, hooks, and scheduler events — versioned and upgrade-safe. Piling one-off customisations onto core DocTypes is fragile and hard to maintain across ERPNext upgrades; a scoped app is not.

Which ERPNext versions do you support?

The app is built and tested against Frappe/ERPNext v15 and v16. Tell us your exact bench version during scoping and we target it; the source is handed over so it stays maintainable as you upgrade.

Do you provide support and updates after go-live?

Yes. Every build includes a post-go-live support window for defect fixes and configuration adjustments. Because you receive the full git repository, your team or ECOSIRE can extend it later; longer-term support and enhancement retainers are available on request.

Can it integrate with a customs portal or external systems?

Yes. Business logic is exposed through whitelisted (`@frappe.whitelist()`) methods over the Frappe REST API with token authentication, so declarations, duty calculations, and job status can be pushed to or pulled from broker portals, port systems, or a customs gateway. Specific external integrations are scoped and quoted per your requirement.

How is duty and tax calculated — can I trust the numbers?

All duty and tax computation runs server-side in `hooks.py` doc events on `validate` and `on_submit`, against the HS-code tariff master and assessable value. Nothing relies on client-side math, so figures are deterministic, auditable, and recompute consistently every time a declaration is saved or submitted.

Will duties and disbursements flow into our accounting?

Yes. Clearing-job disbursements and agency fees post into ERPNext accounting as Sales Invoices and Journal Entries against the correct importer and expense accounts, and import duties can flow into item valuation via landed cost where you also stock goods — so cost recovery and reconciliation stay inside ERPNext.