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Automatic Document Categorization

Helm automatically suggests the document type for files you attach to a shipment, consolidation, declaration, and other files so you spend less time opening every attachment and picking types by hand.

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Written by Jessica Somera

What it does

Helm automatically suggests the document type for files you attach to a shipment, consolidation, declaration, and other files so you spend less time opening every attachment and picking types by hand. Helm uses the text inside the file along with signals like the filename to make the suggestion.

The suggested document type can always be changed, leaving you in control of what gets filed.

Document types automatically detected

These are the document types Helm is built to recognize. They focus on common forwarding document types. Over time we will add more types, the list below is the initial set.

  • Commercial Invoice

  • House Bill of Lading

  • Master Bill of Lading

  • Packing List

  • Proof of Delivery

  • Arrival Notice

  • ISF

  • Pre Alert

  • Booking Confirmation

  • Certificate of Origin

What happens behind the scenes

  1. Your email lands in Helm and attachments are linked to the related CargoWise file.

  2. Helm extracts readable text from each attachment.

  3. That text (and context such as the filename) is run through Helm's document classifier.

  4. When Helm is confident enough, it maps the prediction to your organization's document types and pre-selects the matching type in the upload UI.

  5. While classification is still running, you may see "Detecting document type…" next to the document type field. When it finishes, the suggested type appears automatically if a confident match was found.

If the document doesn't clearly match one of the supported types, or Helm isn't confident, no type is auto-selected. In those cases you can select the type manually, same as today.

What if the suggested type is wrong

  1. Open the document type list for that file (the same dropdown you already use when uploading).

  2. Select the correct type. Changing the selection replaces the automatic suggestion; what you submit is what gets used when the document is filed.

  3. Submit or continue your workflow as usual.

Tips

  • You can always review suggestions before you submit.

  • If nothing was suggested, pick the type manually. That's expected for unsupported document kinds or borderline cases.

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