Pre-entry document review · For mid-market and enterprise importers
Is there a company that checks every shipment document before the customs entry is filed?
Yes. Greenwich Mercantile runs a pre-entry document review: before the goods ship, the purchase order, commercial invoice, packing list, bill of lading, certificate of origin, product data and any agency data, such as FDA prior notice details for food or CPSC certificate data, are read together and checked for disagreements, and every gap goes back to the supplier. A licensed U.S. customs broker reviews and files every entry under your power of attorney: one of our partner brokers, or your existing broker working from the same record.
This page is for enterprise and mid-market importers of fashion, beauty, food and consumer goods with many suppliers, seasonal launches and retailer delivery windows that a held container can miss. Greenwich works to prevent holds caused by missing or inconsistent paperwork; CBP and partner agencies can still examine or hold any shipment.
How the review works, and what it checks.
Your team sends the purchase order and a product master export, and the supplier sends the document pack: the work runs from the files and exports you already have. Greenwich's pre-entry audit app then checks each document against the others, the SKU record and U.S. rules:
- Commercial invoice. The invoice must give the description, quantities, item prices, itemized charges, country of origin, assists not in the price, and each package's contents (19 CFR 141.86).
- Origin marking. Each article (or its container) must show the English name of its country of origin, legibly and permanently, where the ultimate purchaser will see it (19 CFR Part 134).
- Importer Security Filing. For ocean cargo, the ISF, including the country of origin and the tariff number to at least six digits, is due no later than 24 hours before the cargo is loaded aboard the vessel at the foreign port (19 CFR 149.2, 149.3).
- FDA prior notice. FDA must receive prior notice of imported food, by water at least 8 hours before arrival; food without adequate prior notice is subject to refusal and, if refused, held at the port (21 CFR 1.279, 1.283).
- CPSC certificate data. Since July 8, 2026, most regulated consumer products subject to a CPSC rule, ban or standard need certificate data eFiled with CBP at entry, in full or by reference to the CPSC Product Registry.
When documents disagree, CBP can examine or detain the goods (19 CFR 151.16) or send a Form 28 request for information, and errors found after filing must be corrected with a post summary correction before liquidation.
Who does what.
| Who | What they do |
|---|---|
| Your company | Places the purchase order and approves corrections; stays the importer of record and pays the duty. |
| Supplier | Sends the pack, corrects flagged documents and marks the goods. |
| Greenwich Mercantile | Checks the pack against the purchase order and SKU record, sends each gap to the supplier, and keeps the record for the next shipment. |
| Licensed U.S. customs broker | Reviews classification, origin and value, then files the ISF (or your forwarder does) and the entry under your power of attorney. |
Illustrative example: one shipment, three disagreements.
An importer orders 6,000 women's cotton tops at $8.00 each ($48,000), in 300 cartons, by ocean. The review flags three problems before the goods leave the factory.
| Flag | What the documents say | Fixed before departure |
|---|---|---|
| Knit or woven | Invoice: woven cotton blouse. Product master: knitted cotton jersey T-shirt. | The supplier confirms the fabric and corrects the wrong document; the broker confirms the code. |
| Origin | Invoice: where the tops were sewn. Certificate of origin: where the fabric was knitted. | The supplier reissues the certificate: under 19 CFR 102.21, a top sewn from cut pieces generally takes the origin of the country where it was wholly assembled. The label must match. |
| Cartons | Packing list: 300. Draft bill of lading: 290. | The supplier recounts at loading; the wrong document is corrected before sailing. |
Knit or woven decides the HTS chapter: Chapter 61 for knitted or crocheted apparel, 62 for apparel that is not. The documents point to different codes:
- Knitted: HTS 6109.10.00 (T-shirts and similar garments, knitted, of cotton), general rate 16.5%: $48,000 × 16.5% = $7,920.
- Woven: HTS 6206.30.30 (women's or girls' blouses and shirts, of cotton, other), general rate 15.4%: $48,000 × 15.4% = $7,392.
If the tops are knitted and the entry follows the invoice, duty is underpaid by $528 and the entry must be corrected; if they are woven and the entry follows the product master, $528 is overpaid. The difference repeats on every reorder, and the codes differ at six digits, so the ISF needs the answer too.
Rates are HTS general (MFN) rates returned by the USITC HTS on 2 October 2026. Additional duties in force on the entry date, which can depend on origin, are excluded and must be confirmed by a licensed broker. The example is illustrative, not a customer result.
What to send to start.
- A SKU export with materials, construction and current tariff codes.
- Two or three recent document packs per supplier, plus entry summaries (CBP Form 7501) if you have them.
- CPSC certificates or Product Registry references, and FDA facility and product details for food.
Questions, answered directly.
What does a pre-entry document review check?
A pre-entry document review checks that every document for a shipment, from the purchase order and invoice to the bill of lading, certificate of origin and agency data, agrees on description, construction, quantities, cartons, prices, origin and tariff code before the goods ship.
What happens when shipment documents disagree at the U.S. border?
CBP can examine the goods and decides within five business days of their presentation for examination whether to release or detain them. CBP can also send a Form 28 request for information, and errors found after filing need a post summary correction before liquidation.
Can you promise our shipments will not be held?
No. CBP and partner agencies such as FDA can examine or hold any shipment. Greenwich works to prevent holds caused by missing or inconsistent paperwork.
Who files the entry with U.S. Customs?
A licensed U.S. customs broker reviews and files every entry under your power of attorney: one of our partner brokers, or your existing broker working from the same record. Greenwich does the customs work behind each entry with AI.
Do we have to change customs brokers?
No. Your existing customs broker can file from the same document pack and SKU record that Greenwich builds; moving the filing to a Greenwich partner broker is an option, not a requirement.
Sources and limits
- 19 CFR 141.86: invoice contents
- 19 CFR Part 134: origin marking
- 19 CFR 102.21: textile and apparel origin
- 19 CFR 149.2 and 149.3: Importer Security Filing
- 19 CFR 151.16: examination and detention
- CBP Form 28: Request for Information
- CBP: Post Summary Correction
- FDA: Prior Notice of Imported Foods
- 21 CFR 1.279 and 1.283: prior notice
- CPSC: eFiling FAQ
- Federal Register: CPSC certificates rule, 90 FR 1800
- USITC HTS: 6109.10.00 and 6206.30.30
This page does not cover forced-labor (UFLPA) evidence, FDA admissibility decisions or additional duties. Sources support the stated context; they are not an endorsement of Greenwich and not a determination on your shipments.
Last reviewed: 2 October 2026.
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