Complete Transformation: Final Refinements & Enhancements Applied to U.S. Customs Data

27/07/2013 by Robert Thompson 0 Comments

Next along its path of transformation and enlightenment, Customs data is enhanced with a number of ancillary but related (and connectable) data. Once the company location and name has been successfully resolved, its location can be assigned to a respective county, city, MSA, CSA, CBSA, congressional district, area code, time zone or even latitude-longitude. Thereafter it can be integrated into a dynamic mapping application or be used in detailed geo related analysis and reporting. Any number of “groupings” or consolidating factors can thus be applied.

GEO MAPPING of customs data after resolution of company name iterations, disparate locations and other aberrations.

Expanded information about the vessels (ships), containers (types, sizes), container owners, ports, carriers (SCAC reference) and any number of “connectable” relevant databases can also be linked during this step of the process. The possibilities are as infinite as imagination and business requirements dictate.

Referential database utilized to enhance normalized AMS Customs data. Click to enlarge and open in a new window.

At this point, the U.S. Customs data has been imported, organized, cleaned, groomed and dressed. It is now ready for “prime time”. It’s show time in the data world. The data is now ready to move into an “exportable” mode. Therefore, it is organized (and refreshed) within a distinct database of its own.

All the processes, detailed over the last several days, tens of thousands of individual BOLs, have been completed in a number of hours. These routines run habitually every day. All databases and processes – through the creation /update of the “AMS Trade Data Export” DB – occur internally and securely (behind the veil).

Now four processes, involving six databases have been completed. Thereafter, two additional processes are initiated on a weekly basis. One integrates various client’s proprietary data with our completed Customs Data and updates the databases upon which their respective web applications sit. The second process refreshes the reporting repository from which the host of commercially available web applications draw.

The Journey of Customs Data Transformation from Raw data to Trade Intelligence. Click to enlarge.

Transformed Customs data, integrated with other statistical, company trade and economic data sources can be a powerful tool to navigate and succeed within the multi-trillion dollar international trade marketplace. A plethora of applications and services can be enhanced by the skilled utilization of Trade Intelligence.

Customs data tracks over $1 Trillion of U.S. Imports annually.

The collection of programs, procedures and referential databases with which we transform raw data into usable business intelligence we refer to as our “A.I.” (Artificial Intelligence Engine). It, along with our huge data repositories of statistical, company and transactional data collected over the years, together represent the primary assets (along with the human intelligence and experience by which to integrate, develop and deploy them) that we are offering for license, sale or joint venture consideration.