How to Upload Documents

Uploading documents to CargoLint is the first step in automating your customs data extraction. You can upload single documents or entire batches in seconds using drag-and-drop or file selection.

Before you start

• You have a CargoLint account with an active plan
• Your documents are in PDF, PNG, JPEG, or TIFF format
• Each file is no larger than 20MB
• Your documents are clearly visible (not blurry or heavily redacted)

Steps

1. Open the Documents page

From the main navigation, select Documents. You’ll see a list of your uploaded documents and an upload area at the top.

2. Upload your files

You can upload documents in two ways:

• Drag and drop: Drag one or more files directly into the upload area on the Documents page. Files are uploaded immediately.
• Click to browse: Click the upload area or the Upload button to select files from your computer using a file browser.

Documents can also arrive without opening the app at all - forward them to your organization’s private intake address and get the results back by reply. See Forwarding Documents by Email.

3. Choose a shipment

Files uploaded together are grouped as one shipment. Before the upload starts, the Group as picker asks whether the files belong to a new shipment (enter a reference such as your booking or file number) or an existing one (search by reference). Grouping documents into a shipment enables cross-document consistency checks between the invoice, packing list, bill of lading, and certificate of origin.

4. Monitor upload progress

As files upload, you’ll see a progress indicator for each document. Once complete, files appear in your Documents list with a “Processing” status.

5. Track extraction status

Your documents move through these statuses:

• Processing: CargoLint is extracting data from the document
• Pending Approval: Confidence of 78% or higher with nothing to confirm - ready for one-click approval
• Review: Confidence below 78%, or something needs your explicit confirmation (HS codes, scan quality, or a shipment finding)
• Completed: A reviewer approved the extracted data

See Document Statuses for the full list.

You can filter your Documents list to see documents at each stage.

Tip: Upload documents in batches rather than one at a time to save time. You can upload up to 10 documents simultaneously.

Tip: Use consistent naming conventions for your documents (like “Invoice-2026-03-14-Acme.pdf”) to make searching and organizing easier later.

What’s next

• Reviewing Documents - Correct extracted data in the review queue
• Working with Shipments - Manage the shipment your documents land in
• Filtering and Search - Find specific documents by type or date
• Scanning Tips - Improve extraction quality with better scans