1. Overview
The Customs feature in TOPS allows you to manage and track customs-related activities across Material Orders (MO) and Transport Orders (TO).
By enabling customs handling, you can:
Track customs milestones (e.g., declaration, release)
Add customs-specific stops or locations
Monitor key customs data directly in your workflows
Set alerts for critical events
2. Activating Customs Handling
How it works
Customs handling is activated at the Material Order level.
Steps
Open your Material Order
Enable the “Customs handling required” option
Save the Material Order
What happens next
The customs requirement is automatically applied to all related Transport Orders
Relevant customs fields become visible and editable
3. Customs Data in Transport Orders
Once enabled, the following fields are available in the Transport Order:
Customs Declaration Submitted Date
Goods Released Date
ATA / ATC References
These fields reflect the latest status of the customs process.
Example Use Case
A shipment from Germany to Switzerland requires export clearance:
You enable customs on the Material Order
The Transport Order now shows:
Declaration submitted: April 29
Goods released: April 30
Your operations team can track readiness for border crossing
4. Adding Customs Stops or Locations
You have two ways to include customs locations:
Option 1: Add a Customs Stop
Use this when customs activity needs to be actively tracked.
Steps:
Go to the Stops section
Add a new stop
Select “Customs” as stop type
Best for:
Tracking customs clearance as a milestone
Monitoring delays at borders
Option 2: Add Customs Location Only
Use this when you only need location information without tracking milestones.
Steps:
Open the Customs section in the Transport Order
Enter the customs location details
Best for:
Informational purposes
When no operational tracking is required
Key Difference
Feature | Customs Stop | Customs Location Only |
Milestone tracking | ✅ Yes | ❌ No |
Visibility in timeline | ✅ Yes | ❌ No |
Simple location storage | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes |
5. Understanding Dates
All date fields in customs stops and sections represent:
👉 Scheduled dates (planned timing of customs activities)
Example
Scheduled customs clearance: May 5, 10:00
Actual completion may differ depending on real-world delays
6. Monitoring Customs in the Overview Grid
TOPS provides a grid view where you can quickly track:
Customs status
Key dates
Reference numbers
Use Case
A logistics coordinator managing 50+ shipments can:
Quickly identify which shipments are:
Pending declaration
Released
Delayed at customs
7. Setting Alerts
You can configure alerts to stay informed about critical customs events.
Examples of Alerts
Customs declaration not submitted on time
Goods not released as scheduled
Missing customs references
Use Case
A control tower team sets an alert:
If Goods Released Date > Planned Date
→ Trigger escalation to operations team
8. End-to-End Example
Scenario: Export Shipment to the UK
Create a Material Order
Enable Customs handling required
Generate the Transport Order
In the Transport Order:
Add a Customs Stop at the port
Enter:
Declaration submitted: June 1
Goods released: June 2
Reference numbers
Optional:
Set an alert if release is delayed
Outcome:
Full visibility of customs process
Trackable milestones
Proactive issue management
9. Best Practices
✅ Enable customs at Material Order level early
✅ Use Customs Stops when tracking is important
✅ Use Locations only for lightweight scenarios
✅ Keep dates updated for accurate visibility
✅ Configure alerts for proactive monitoring