📸 Screenshot suggestions:
Configuration > Additional Fields > Consignment — showing commercial invoice fields enabled
Configuration > Additional Fields > Packaged item — showing net weight and shipping marks enabled
Order edit form — Consignment section with commercial invoice fields visible
Order edit form — Good Item section showing net weight and shipping marks fields
Order detail page — cargo section showing the new fields populated
PDF template — example output showing commercial invoice and net weight fields
Introduction
What are customs cargo details?
Customs cargo details are the structured data fields required to prepare accurate customs declarations for cross-border shipments. In Qargo, these cover two levels:
Consignment level: commercial invoice value, currency, and reference name
Good item level: net weight, shipping marks, and commercial invoice value per item
These fields sit alongside existing operational goods data and are designed specifically to meet the information requirements of customs authorities.
Why record customs cargo details in Qargo?
Carriers operating cross-border routes — particularly between the EU, UK, and Ireland — must supply detailed cargo information when submitting customs declarations. This includes the commercial value of the shipment, net weights per goods line, and package identification marks.
What's new & how does it work?
Previously, Qargo's goods data model was optimised for operational planning. The new customs fields make it possible to capture declaration-ready cargo information within the same system, reducing manual rework and ensuring that PDF documents and API integrations carry the correct customs data.
The fields are optional Default Fields that must be enabled in Configuration > Additional Fields before they appear in the order form. Once enabled, they can be populated manually during order creation or editing, or supplied via the order import API. All fields flow automatically into PDF document templates.
Terminology
Term | Definition |
Consignment | The shipment unit within an order, grouping goods under a single movement. Commercial invoice details are recorded at this level. |
Good Item | A packaged item within the cargo section of an order. Net weight, shipping marks, and per-item invoice values are recorded at this level. |
Commercial Invoice Value | The declared total monetary value of the goods being shipped, as stated on the commercial invoice. Used by customs authorities to assess duties. |
Commercial Invoice Currency | The ISO currency code (e.g. EUR, GBP) corresponding to the declared invoice value. |
Commercial Invoice Name | The reference name or number of the commercial invoice document (e.g. "INV-2026-00123"). |
Net Weight | The weight of the goods excluding all packaging material, expressed in the same unit as the existing gross weight. |
Shipping Marks | Identifying marks or labels applied to packages to enable individual identification. Required on many customs declarations (e.g. "ADDR" when marks are unknown). |
Enabling Customs Cargo Detail Fields
All new customs cargo fields are optional and must be activated in Configuration > Additional Fields before they appear in the order form.
Consignment-level fields
NAVIGATE to CONFIGURATION > Additional Fields.
LOCATE the Consignment field group.
ENABLE the following fields by toggling them on:
Commercial invoice value — the total declared value of the consignment
Commercial invoice currency — the ISO currency code for that value
Commercial invoice name — the reference or invoice number
SAVE the configuration.
Once enabled, these fields appear in the Consignment section of the order edit form.
Good item-level fields
NAVIGATE to CONFIGURATION > Additional Fields.
LOCATE the Packaged item field group.
ENABLE the following fields:
Net weight — the goods weight excluding packaging
Shipping marks — package identification marks
Commercial invoice value — the declared value for this specific goods line
SAVE the configuration.
💬 If the Packaged item field group is not visible, contact Qargo Support or your Account Manager to confirm that the Packaging items feature flag is enabled for your tenant.
Entering Customs Details on an Order
During Order Creation
OPEN the order input form and complete the standard order fields.
LOCATE the Consignment section and ENTER the commercial invoice value, currency, and reference name for the shipment.
📚 If the commercial invoice details do not automatically appear, click '+Add consignment information' to display the additional fields.
SCROLL to the Cargo section and EXPAND a good item.
ENTER the net weight, shipping marks, and per-item commercial invoice value as applicable.
SAVE the order.
On an Existing Order
NAVIGATE to the order detail page.
CLICK Edit order to open the order form.
LOCATE the Consignment section and populate the commercial invoice fields.
EXPAND each good in the Cargo section and populate the goods-level customs fields.
SAVE the order.
Customs Details via Order Import
All customs cargo fields can be supplied when importing orders via the External API or file-based import.
Customs Details in PDF Templates and DFS
Once customs cargo fields are populated on an order, they are automatically available in:
PDF document templates: commercial invoice value, currency, net weight, and shipping marks can be included in any document template that references Consignment or Good Item fields, including:
customs declarations
CMRs
commercial invoices
No additional template configuration is required beyond enabling the fields in Additional Fields.