As of 4/30/2016, the web portal used to file shipments using AESDirect is no longer be available.
Exporters must use the new ACE (Automated Commercial Environment) web portal to file shipments in order to receive an ITN number for a shipment.
This topic describes the steps customers must follow in order to begin filing their shipments using the new ACE web portal when utilizing the AES filing utility from within the International Paperwork screen to initiate the filing process.
Create your Account on the ACE website.
This is as straightforward as it sounds—just go to the ACE website and create an account. It takes only a few minutes. If you’re an importer you may already have an ACE account. If so, you can login to your importer account and add the Exporter role to that account.
For help with this step, check out the U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s website http://www.cbp.gov/trade/automated. They have videos, instructions, and help links on how to setup a new account or add the exporter role to an existing account.
The new ACE portal requires that a user be logged in to the ACE Home Page before access to the AESDirect filing page can be given.
You may consider logging into your account at the start of each day and leave this page open so you will not need to login each time you want to file a new shipment from your ship application. This is not required, and if you decide this is not what you want your shippers to do then each time you select the [AES Submission] button in your Manifest application to initiate the web session with ACE, you will first be redirected to the login page and required to enter your login credentials and then need to select the [AES Submission] button again to upload your shipment information.
NOTE: The separation of web pages and the open ‘Home’ web page in order to access the AES filing web page was an intentional design on the part of the U.S. government and therefore is a requirement and must be adhered to.
To login the ACE Home page, launch Internet Explorer and open https://ace.cbp.dhs.gov/.
NOTE: using Internet Explorer as your web browser is required.
Currently you must verify that the following fields have information if you wish them to automatically pass to AES.
General Tab: 'Routed Transaction' and 'Export Code'.
Goods Tab: ECCN, License # and License Code.
Electronic Filling Tab: Port of Export, Ultimate Consignee Type and AES Filing Option.
The [AES Submission] button in your ship application International Paperwork screen will now upload the file to the new ACE filing portal to initiate a new AESDirect filing.
A new web browser will be launched and the shipment data in the uploaded file from your ship application will populate many of the required Web form fields automatically for you.
It is recommended you log in to the AES Website and minimize the screen. As you process thru out the day when you select the 'Submit Electronically', it will go to the below screen.
Below is a sample screenshot of the new AESDirect filing web page. It has four tabs to capture different pieces of information about the shipment. As with the old AESDirect legacy portal, some shipments may require additional data that is not available or maintained in your ship application data base.
The user has opportunity to review the form for accuracy and add, delete, or edit form fields before manually hitting the [Submit Filing] button (Note: this is also by design and mandated by the U.S. government. The [Submit Filing] must be executed manually by a user and cannot be automated).
After submitting the form, if there are errors or missing required information the user will be returned to the form and enabled to make corrections before hitting [Submit Filing] again. The form is intuitive and will indicate which tabs/form fields need attention. This process may be repeated until all data required in the form has been verified by ACE and submission is successful.
Below is a sample screen showing a filing that has been rejected and requires additional user intervention:
Once the filing is successful the user can expect to receive an email containing the ITN number for the shipment and/or any error/warning messages that may apply to the filing.
The ITN number will also appear on your web page once [Submit Filing] is successful. You can access this by going to the “Tools Menu” and selecting the Shipment Manager option and you will see the ITN number assigned to your shipment number if the “Status” is Accepted: