What To Look Forward to In the First EICS Update

Earlier this year, the Canadian Border Services Agency (CBSA) officially opened the Export-Import Control System (EICS), an ambitious project aimed at making customs control fully electronic.  Even in its first release, EICS has substantially improved and streamlined the process of having imports and exports approved, and there are ongoing plans to improve the system over the next few years.

The first major upgrade to EICS is due to drop in July, and it’s going to make the system even better.  Let’s take a look at the improvements.

Five Improvements in The July EICS Update

1 – A better look and user interface

The initial release of EICS was fairly bare-bones.  It was functional, but the user interface was not very streamlined.  This new update will substantially improve the interface, as well as bringing it up to Canadian governmental standards for accessibility.  This should make the EICS system even easier to use.

2 – User guides and tutorials

Along with improvements to the user experience, EICS will become easier to use thanks to a range of guides and tutorials showing users how to make use of the system. Every page will have tips on usage, and there will be full-on-demand walkthroughs of common activities.  This will make it far easier for newcomers to get up and running in the system.

3 – Improved authentication system

Another aspect of EICS receiving immediate attention is its authentication system.  This will be improved substantially to, again, bring it in line with legal standards for safety and security.  All users will get unique log-in credentials, and digital security will be tighter as well.

4 – Improved search capabilities

One issue with the first release of EICS is that its search capabilities were limited, and that was a problem when there are thousands of potential product classification codes available.  This new upgrade brings an improved search, with filtering options, so that users will be able to find the appropriate codes more quickly.

5 – Document downloading

Finally, users will have the option to download generated documents as PDF or CSV files and save them locally to their hard drive or to a cloud server.  So, they won’t have to rely on EICS system access for record-keeping.

ARGO Customs specializes in making Canadian imports and exports as simple as possible!  If you need help making the most of this new system, we can reduce your workload while ensuring your goods pass customs as quickly as possible.  Contact us to learn more!