Help & Tutorial

How to use Palletizr CAPE

Palletizr CAPE is a complete system of record for IEEPA tariff refund recovery. This guide walks you through every step — from importing ACE entry data to closing a fully paid claim with a downloadable audit pack.

Open dashboard Product overview

The 5-step workflow

Every CAPE refund claim in Palletizr follows the same lifecycle. Each step must be completed in sequence — Palletizr enforces the ordering so nothing slips through.

1
Import ACE Data
Paste or upload your ACE entry CSV. Palletizr parses every row and immediately evaluates each entry against the CBP Phase 1 eligibility rules.
2
Evaluate Eligibility
Each entry is classified as Ready for CAPE, Deferred (warehouse/suspended), Needs Review (missing data), or Blocked (hard Phase 1 exclusion). Re-run any time rules are updated.
3
Build the CAPE Package
Generate the exact CBP-template CSV (≤ 9,999 entries). Palletizr records a SHA-256 hash and rules version in a signed manifest so the export is tamper-evident.
4
File Through ACE Portal
The broker uploads the CSV in their own attended ACE session — no credentials are stored in Palletizr. Record the CAPE outcome (accepted / accepted-with-errors / rejected) here.
5
Monitor & Close
Track the 90-day CBP refund window with color-coded countdowns. Record ACH payments, mark netting or rejection outcomes, and download the full audit pack ZIP when the claim closes.

Import ACE Data

Navigate to Dashboard → Entries → Import ACE Data. You can import data in three ways:

Paste CSV

Copy your ACE export and paste it directly into the text area. Click "Import entries" to parse and evaluate in one step.

Upload CSV file

Use the file picker to upload a .csv file from your desktop. The same parse-and-evaluate pipeline runs automatically.

Merge from 7501

Upload a CBP Form 7501 PDF. Palletizr extracts entry numbers, HTS codes, and duty amounts using OCR — review the confidence scores before committing.

What happens after import

Each row is validated for required fields. Parse errors are shown inline — the valid rows are still imported.
Every entry is immediately evaluated by the IEEPA Phase 1 rules engine and stored with a decision and rules version.
The Entries page updates with decision counts and the full paginated list.
Entries already in an active filing package are flagged as Packaged and excluded from new exports.

CSV column reference

Your CSV must include a header row with these column names (order does not matter). Boolean columns accept true / false. Leave optional columns blank if unknown.

Column	Required	Description
`entry_number`	✓	CBP entry number (e.g. 27T-25-1234567)
`liquidation_status`	✓	unliquidated · liquidated · reliquidated · suspended · extended · under_review · unknown
`liquidation_date`	—	ISO date (YYYY-MM-DD). Required when status is liquidated or reliquidated.
`protest_deadline_date`	—	ISO date. The 180-day protest window deadline.
`ieepa_duty_cents`	✓	IEEPA duty assessed in cents (integer). Must be positive.
`paid_duty_cents`	—	Total duty paid in cents. Used for refund estimation.
`ace_filing_present`	✓	true if the entry is filed in ACE.
`ace_has_liquidation_status`	✓	true if ACE shows a liquidation status for this entry.
`entry_summary_status`	✓	Must be accepted to pass Phase 1.
`cbp_control_status`	✓	Must be cbp. Any other value blocks the entry.
`entry_type`	✓	CBP entry type code (01, 11, etc.). Types 08, 09, 23, 47 are blocked.
`cape_filer_role`	✓	ior (importer of record) or broker_of_record.
`broker_filer_code`	—	Registered broker filer code. Required when cape_filer_role is broker_of_record.
`reconciliation_flag`	✓	true blocks the entry (flagged for reconciliation).
`drawback_flag`	✓	true blocks the entry (on a drawback claim).
`open_protest_flag`	✓	true blocks the entry (open protest).
`suspended_protest_flag`	✓	true blocks the entry (suspended protest).
`court_injunction_flag`	✓	true blocks the entry (court injunction).
`trade_control_flag`	✓	true blocks the entry (in trade control).
`ad_cvd_pending_liquidation_flag`	✓	true blocks the entry (AD/CVD pending liquidation with doc instructions).
`statement_processing_complete`	✓	true if statement processing is complete.
`warehouse_entry_flag`	✓	true defers refund to liquidation (accepted_refund_later).
`warehouse_withdrawal_flag`	✓	true defers refund to liquidation (accepted_refund_later).
`ieepa_hts_present`	✓	true if an IEEPA-subject HTS code is on the entry.
`ieepa_hts_goods_value_cents`	✓	Must be 0 (zero). Positive or negative values block the entry.
`prior_cape_declaration_status`	—	If a prior CAPE declaration was submitted, its status. accepted / accepted_with_errors block re-filing.
`htsus`	—	Primary HTS code for reporting purposes.
`port_of_entry`	—	CBP port code (e.g. 2704).
`entry_date`	—	ISO date of entry (YYYY-MM-DD).
`entry_type_desc`	—	Human-readable entry type label (ignored in eligibility).

Evaluate Eligibility

Navigate to Dashboard → Entries. The stat strip at the top shows a live count of each decision bucket. Use Re-evaluate all entries to re-run the rules engine after a rules version update or data correction.

Eligibility decisions

Ready for CAPE

All Phase 1 checks pass. This entry can be included in a CAPE export and filed immediately.

processable_now

Deferred

CAPE will accept this entry, but CBP will pay the refund at liquidation (warehouse entry or suspended status).

accepted_refund_later

Needs Review

One or more required CBP fields are missing or unverifiable from ACE data. Correct the data and re-import.

needs_review

Blocked

A hard Phase 1 exclusion rule applies (open protest, drawback, AD/CVD pending, entry type ineligible, etc.). These cannot be filed.

blocked_phase1

Drilling into a single entry

Click any entry number in the table to open the Entry Detail page. It shows every eligibility check — whether it passed, failed, or is missing — along with a history of all past evaluations and which rules version produced each decision.

Build the CAPE Package

On the Entries page, click Export CAPE CSV. This button is active only when there are unpackaged entries with a processable_now or accepted_refund_later decision.

What the export does

Generates a CBP-template CSV with the exact "Entry Number" column structure required by ACE Portal.
Enforces the 9,999-entry batch limit — larger sets are automatically split.
Records a SHA-256 hash of each batch CSV in a signed manifest.
Creates a refund claim in Draft status and links the entries to a filing package.

What it does not do

Does not log into ACE Portal or upload anything on your behalf — the broker does that in their own session.
Does not store ACE passwords, session cookies, or MFA secrets.
Does not re-include entries already in an active filing package (duplicate-submission guard).

Portal drift gate

Palletizr monitors the CBP CAPE CSV template URL by SHA-256 hash. If the template format changes unexpectedly, new exports are frozen and a high-severity alert appears in the Admin panel. Exports resume only after an admin confirms the new template matches CBP requirements.

File in ACE Portal

The broker uploads the exported CSV to ACE Portal in their own attended session. After filing, return to Palletizr to record the outcome on the claim detail page.

Promoting the claim to Filed

Open the claim (Dashboard → Claims → claim name), scroll to the Advance Status section, and select Filed — pending refund. You must provide:

ACE CAPE Declaration ID — the upload job number returned by ACE Portal.
Attestation text — the filer's name, title, and confirmation statement.
Evidence documents (optional but recommended) — screenshot of the ACE confirmation page.

Accepted

The CAPE declaration was accepted by ACE Portal. The claim advances to "Filed — pending refund" and the 90-day window starts.

Accepted with errors

Some entries were rejected. Use the one-click "Correction Export" to repackage only the rejected entries into a new filing package.

Rejected

The entire declaration was rejected. Investigate the ACE error code, correct the data, and rebuild the CAPE package.

Monitor & Close

After filing, Palletizr tracks the 90-day CBP refund window automatically. The Claims page and Reports page both show color-coded countdown badges.

✓ 52 days left

More than 14 days remain in the refund window.

⏱ 8 days left

Amber — fewer than 14 days remain. Follow up with CBP.

⚠ 3d overdue

Red — past the 90-day window. Escalate immediately.

Closing a claim

Once CBP pays the refund, record the payment (see below), then advance the claim to refund_posted or closed. A closed claim is read-only and its audit pack is available for download.

If the ACH payment is returned by the bank, mark the claim ach_rejected and work with CBP to reissue. If CBP nets the refund against an outstanding duty bill, use refund_netted with a netting note.

Claim lifecycle reference

A claim moves through these statuses in order. Palletizr enforces valid transitions and shows only the allowed next steps at each stage.

Status	Label	What it means
`draft`	Draft	Created automatically when you export a CAPE CSV. Review the filing package before promoting.
`ready_for_filing`	Ready for filing	Approved by the broker or compliance officer. The CAPE package can now be uploaded to ACE Portal.
`filed_pending_refund`	Filed — pending refund	ACE CAPE declaration submitted. The 90-day CBP refund clock starts from the filing date.
`refund_delayed`	Refund delayed	The 90-day window has passed with no payment received. Overdue badge is shown in red.
`ach_rejected`	ACH rejected	CBP attempted to pay but the ACH transfer was returned by the receiving bank.
`refund_netted`	Refund netted	CBP applied the refund as a credit against an outstanding duty bill instead of paying out.
`refund_posted`	Refund posted	Refund received. One or more payment records have been entered.
`closed`	Closed	Claim fully resolved and archived. Audit pack ZIP is available for download.
`rejected`	Rejected	The CAPE declaration was rejected by ACE Portal. The claim can be re-drafted after correcting the entries.

Recording payments

On the claim detail page, use the Record Payment form to log each refund receipt. A claim can have multiple payments (e.g., partial payments or supplemental amounts).

REV-603

Standard IEEPA refund by ACH — most common form type.

REV-613

Supplemental refund or interest payment.

REV-615

Refund of additional duties assessed under IEEPA.

ES-701 / ES-702

Entry summary refund forms used for specific entry types.

ACH

Generic ACH payment record when a specific CBP form is not applicable.

Check / Other

Paper check or other non-electronic payment. Add a note in the memo field.

Required payment fields

Form type (see above)
Payment amount in dollars (must be positive)
Payment date
Reference number (ACH trace ID, check number, or CBP document number)
Optional memo for context

Audit pack ZIP

Every claim can produce a self-contained audit pack ZIP — available from the claim detail page. The ZIP includes everything needed to demonstrate compliance to an auditor or CBP inquiry without requiring access to Palletizr.

audit-chain.json

Hash-chained JSON of every status change, export, payment, and CAPE outcome — tamper-evident.

memo.md

Markdown summary of the claim: timeline, filing packages, outcomes, and payments in human-readable form.

evidence-index.json

References to all evidence documents (ACE screenshots, CBP letters) uploaded during the claim lifecycle.

MANIFEST.json

SHA-256 hash of each file in the ZIP, rules version, and package metadata — allows independent verification.

Hash-chained audit log

Every action in Palletizr — status transitions, CSV exports, payment records, CAPE outcome entries — appends a tamper-evident event to the audit chain. Each event includes the SHA-256 hash of the previous event, making it impossible to modify or delete a record without breaking the chain. The audit log is append-only at the database level; even administrators cannot delete entries.

Reports & CFO Summary

Navigate to Dashboard → Reports for a live view of all claims and refund windows. Use CFO Summary ↓ on the Claims page to download a spreadsheet-ready CSV with the full financial picture.

Refund window tracker

All filed claims sorted by urgency. Color-coded countdown shows green (> 14 days), amber (≤ 14 days), or red (overdue).

CFO summary CSV

Importer-level rollup: claims by status, total estimated vs. received refunds, overdue flags, and payment breakdown by form type.

Claim audit pack

Per-claim ZIP download from the claim detail page. Provides a standalone compliance record with hash-chained events.

Frequently asked questions

Does Palletizr log into ACE Portal on my behalf?+

No. The broker uploads the CAPE CSV in their own attended ACE session. Palletizr never stores ACE passwords, session cookies, or MFA secrets. The data boundary is clear: Palletizr handles the filing package, manifest, outcomes, and payments — ACE handles authentication and acceptance.

What is the 9,999-entry limit?+

CBP's CAPE CSV template accepts a maximum of 9,999 entries per declaration. Palletizr enforces this limit at export time. If you have more eligible entries, they are automatically split across multiple filing packages.

Can I re-file entries that were rejected?+

Yes. For an accepted-with-errors outcome, use the Correction Export button on the filing package — it rebuilds a new CAPE CSV from only the rejected entries, preventing duplicate submissions. For a fully rejected declaration, mark the claim rejected, correct the underlying entry data, and re-export.

What does 'accepted_refund_later' mean?+

CBP will accept the CAPE filing for these entries, but the actual refund will be paid at liquidation rather than immediately. This happens for warehouse entries and entries with suspended or extended liquidation status.

How is my data protected?+

PII columns (email, signer IP) are encrypted at rest with AES-256-GCM. The audit log is append-only at the database level — no row can be modified or deleted. Every export CSV is hashed with SHA-256 and recorded in a signed manifest.

Can I import the same entry twice?+

Yes. Re-importing an existing entry number updates that entry's data and queues it for re-evaluation. The previous eligibility evaluations are preserved in history. Entries already in an active filing package are excluded from new exports regardless.

What is 'needs_review' and how do I fix it?+

needs_review means one or more required CBP fields are missing or unverifiable from your ACE export. Open the Entry Detail page to see exactly which checks failed as 'unknown'. Correct the data in your ACE export, re-import the row, and the entry will be re-evaluated automatically.

How do I know if the CBP template has changed?+

Palletizr monitors the CBP CAPE CSV template URL by SHA-256 hash. If the format changes, a high-severity alert appears in the Admin panel and new exports are frozen. Re-enable exports from the Admin page after confirming the new template is correct.

Ready to start?

Open the dashboard to import your first ACE entry CSV and run your first eligibility evaluation.

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