FDE Build Project · Import Logistics

Two import documents,
and out comes the RFP

LOGI-X is an import-logistics ordering automation agent for Dreamace (DRIMAES), which imports chargers for electric forklifts from China. Upload just the commercial invoice (CI) and packing list (PL) the manufacturer sent, and a request for proposal (RFP) to send to forwarders and an estimated logistics cost for internal approval are generated automatically.

🏢 Dreamace (import coordinator) 👥 Logistics · procurement · finance team 🧪 In inspection (pre-delivery)

2 documentsUpload CI · PL, RFP · estimate automatic

To the wonVerified against the actual import declaration

Customs official ratesFX and duty rates applied automatically

LearningConverges to reality as statements accumulate

※ Currently in inspection (built, pre-delivery). Figures are based on formula verification and automated tests.

The Challenge

You need "roughly how much" before customs clearance

The exact logistics cost isn't known until clearance is done — but to clear customs, you have to secure that money in advance. At that point, there's no exact quote.

Calculating by hand every time a CI · PL arrives

Reading goods value, volume (CBM), and weight to calculate ocean freight, VAT, clearance, and port fees by a set formula — done over and over by staff in Excel and mental math.

No basis to judge whether a quote is reasonable

With no internal benchmark to compare against, it was hard to tell whether a forwarder's cost was expensive or normal, and hard to catch overcharging.

No numbers at approval time (2 weeks out)

To keep clearance on schedule, logistics costs have to be approved in advance — but at that point the forwarder's exact quote isn't out yet.

The Solution

From reading documents to the RFP, automated

The calculation and document writing staff did by hand, replaced with a single CI · PL upload.

STEP 1

Upload CI · PL

Upload the commercial invoice and packing list the manufacturer sent.

STEP 2

Read docs · apply values

Applies FX, duty rate, and ocean unit price in order of actuals → customs → default.

STEP 3

Calculate cost · back-solve dates

Calculates dutiable value, VAT, and freight; back-solves shipping period from the delivery date.

STEP 4

Produce RFP · estimate

Forwarder-ready RFP + estimate for internal approval.

Agent A · Priority 1

Upload two documents, get an RFP and an estimate

Upload the CI · PL and a forwarder RFP plus an internal-approval logistics cost estimate are generated automatically. The formulas typed by hand disappear, and you get grounded numbers instantly — even two weeks before approval.

FX and duty rates applied automatically from Korea Customs (UNIPASS) official rates
Estimates conservatively (with headroom) to avoid a clearance cash shortfall
Back-solves shipping period from the target delivery date to propose a desired shipping date
Holds an internal benchmark to judge whether a received quote is reasonable

Upload CI · PLGoods value · volume (CBM) · weight · HS

↓

Auto-read + cost calculationCustoms official rates · formulas · shipping back-solve

↓

RFP + estimated logistics costFor forwarders · for internal approval

Upload documents → auto-calculate → RFP · estimate

Agent C · Priority 2

The more statements you upload, the closer the estimate gets to reality

Upload the forwarder's settlement statements and freight invoices that come after clearance, and it learns the actual amounts paid to sharpen the next estimate. The default it conservatively set high at first gets replaced by real values as actual transactions accumulate.

Aggregates actual payments automatically by route and volume band
Once actuals accumulate for the same band, replaces the default with the real value
Builds a comparison basis to detect overcharging
The more data accumulates, the more it converges to "actual + a small buffer"

Forwarder settlement · freight invoiceActual amounts paid after clearance

↓

Aggregate · learn actualsReal values by route × volume band

↓

Estimate accuracy improvesDefault → actual auto-replaced

An estimate that gets smarter the more you use it

※ Beyond this, Agent B (forwarder selection), which recommends which forwarder to request a quote from, is at a lower-priority PoC stage.

Seen in data

Two import documents become an RFP

A real example of the commercial invoice and packing list the manufacturer sent (input) turning into a forwarder RFP (output). (Sensitive info like counterparty identity and purchase amounts is masked.)

Packing list (PL) input example — volume, weight, dimensions, HS — ① Packing list (PL) — the physical inputs to the estimate: volume (CBM), weight, dimensions, HS, etc.

＋

Commercial invoice (CI) input example — goods value (amount masked) — ② Commercial invoice (CI) — the goods value is the basis for dutiable value and VAT calculation (amount masked).

↓ Auto-read · calculate · back-solve shipping period ↓

Request for proposal (RFP) output example — cargo info, shipping terms, shipping-period basis — ③ The **RFP** sent to forwarders — cargo info, shipping terms, and shipping-period basis + an internal benchmark for reasonableness (hidden panel)

The Impact

Clearing away manual calculation, leaving a paper trail

It's not in full delivery yet, but here's what has been built and verified so far.

BEFORE

Reading CI · PL and calculating logistics cost by hand with formulas
Entering FX and duty rates manually every time
No basis to compare quote reasonableness
Writing the forwarder RFP by hand

AFTER

Estimated logistics cost auto-calculated in one upload
Customs official FX and duty rates looked up automatically
Reasonableness judged via internal benchmark + statement learning
RFP auto-generated, including shipping-period back-solving

Formula verification

To the won

The auto-calculated dutiable value and import VAT matched the actual import declaration down to the won. All 147 automated tests also passed.

Status

Agent A completed early, in inspection

The core features (calculation, RFP, web screen, automated tests) were completed ahead of target, and Dreamace's staff inspection is underway. Agent C's pipeline is complete and waiting for settlement-statement data to accumulate.

Two import documents,and out comes the RFP