Supported Document Types
Upload any of the following as a PDF (native text or scanned image — the scanner applies OCR and table reconstruction automatically):- Bill of Lading (BOL) — including straight, order, and seaway bills
- Commercial invoice — including packing lists attached to the same document
- Packing list — standalone or combined with a commercial invoice
- Certificate of origin — including USMCA Annex 5-A certificates
- Customs declaration — ISF 10+2 filings, Pedimentos, Carta Porte / CFDI documents, and CBP entry summaries
Six Checks Performed
For every document you upload, the scanner runs six categories of validation:- Address integrity — Cross-validates ZIP code, city, and state against postal databases for every shipper, consignee, and notify-party address block. Catches mismatches such as a Houston address carrying a Dallas ZIP code before the truck routes to the wrong city.
- Weight and quantity reconciliation — Sums every commodity line on the BOL, commercial invoice, and packing list, then compares those totals against the declared figures across all three documents. Flags discrepancies down to the pound and unit.
- Value and HTS consistency — Checks that the extended line-item values are arithmetically correct (unit price × quantity = extended value) and that HTS codes are consistent across the commercial invoice, packing list, and customs filing. Flags codes that do not match the product description.
- Signature audit — Detects missing, incomplete, or misplaced signature blocks — carrier acceptance, shipper release, and consignee acknowledgment — that create liability gaps in the event of a cargo claim.
- HazMat compliance — Validates every hazardous material line item against 49 CFR Part 172: UN number presence, proper shipping name, hazard class, and packing group. Stops a Class 3 flammable from shipping with a blank UN identification field.
- Origin and USMCA preference field validation — Checks that country-of-origin fields are populated on all required documents and that USMCA preference criterion and qualifying basis fields are consistent across the commercial invoice, certificate of origin, and customs filing.
Scanning Workflow
Upload your document
Navigate to the Document Risk Scanner from the Chainomics sidebar, or go directly to chainomics.ai/platform/documentriskscanner. Click Upload Document, select a PDF up to 20 MB, and choose the document type (BOL, commercial invoice, packing list, etc.). Optionally assign a counterparty name and document date for your repository.
Extract and reconstruct
The scanner applies coordinate-aware PDF parsing to reconstruct tables, address blocks, and signature regions exactly as they appear on the page. For scanned images, OCR runs automatically. Extraction confidence (High or Low) is shown in your document repository.
Run the analysis
Go to the Analysis tab, select up to 10 documents, and click Run Analysis. The scanner applies document-type-specific rulesets alongside AI reasoning powered by Google Gemini. The scan typically completes in under 60 seconds.
Review ranked findings
The findings report displays all issues grouped by severity — Critical, High, Medium, Low — with the exact text quoted from the document and the regulation or standard cited for each finding. A Ms. Z briefing at the top of the report summarizes the top risks in plain English. Re-open any past report at any time from the History tab — no re-scan, no additional credits.
Finding Severity Levels
Every finding is assigned one of four severity levels. Use these to triage which issues to fix before tendering a load or submitting a customs filing.Critical
Issues that will likely cause immediate carrier refusal, a customs hold, or a CBP penalty. Examples: ZIP/city mismatch on the consignee address, missing UN number on a HazMat line item, arithmetic errors in line-item totals. Fix Critical findings before the document leaves your hands.
High
Issues that create significant liability exposure or are likely to trigger a CBP query. Examples: weight reconciliation failures between BOL and packing list, HTS code that does not match the product description, missing country-of-origin field on a commercial invoice. Resolve High findings before customs filing.
Medium
Issues that introduce ambiguity or liability gaps but may not stop a shipment immediately. Examples: missing carrier signature block, unspecified Incoterms named port, USMCA preference criterion field left blank. Review Medium findings and correct where practical.
Low
Minor inconsistencies or best-practice deviations that do not affect compliance but may cause delays or confusion. Examples: date format inconsistencies across documents, optional fields left blank. Address Low findings at your discretion.
Document Repository and History
Every uploaded document is stored in your Repository for reuse. The History tab logs all upload events and scan events with timestamps, scan duration, and finding counts. You can re-run analysis on any document at any time — Chainomics retains the original PDF and prior scan reports separately.Pairing with USMCA Eligibility
For cross-border shipments claiming USMCA preference, combine the Document Risk Scanner with the USMCA Eligibility Wizard:- Run the USMCA Eligibility Wizard to confirm the product qualifies and generate a Certificate of Origin.
- Upload the Certificate of Origin, commercial invoice, and Bill of Lading to the Document Risk Scanner.
- The scanner’s origin and USMCA preference field check validates that the preference criterion, qualifying basis, and country of origin are consistent across all three documents — giving you an audit-ready package before customs submission.
Who Uses the Document Risk Scanner
- Freight brokers — validate every BOL at tender to stop address errors and missing signatures before carrier rejection.
- Shippers — cross-validate commercial invoices and packing lists before accounts payable processes payment.
- Carriers — get a pre-departure compliance read on HazMat shipping papers before the truck rolls.
- 3PLs — apply a consistent document QA standard with severity-ranked, cited findings across every customer and lane.
- Customs brokers and trade compliance teams — catch HTS inconsistencies, missing origin fields, and value mismatches on commercial invoices and customs declarations before CBP submission.