Flexport Automated Customs Exam Hold Alerts
Every hour, WebRun checks active Flexport shipments for new customs examination or hold statuses, including intensive exams, X-ray holds, and agricultural or PGA holds. When a hold is detected, it posts an immediate alert to your compliance Slack channel with the shipment details and logs the incident in Airtable so your team can coordinate a response before costs mount.
How do I get immediate alerts when customs places a hold on one of my Flexport shipments?
WebRun checks every active Flexport shipment hourly for new customs examination and hold statuses. When a hold is detected, it logs the incident in Airtable with full shipment details and posts an immediate alert to Slack, tagging the compliance officer and broker so your team can respond before demurrage or storage charges begin to accumulate.
- Customs holds detected and team alerted within one hour of status change
- Every hold incident logged in Airtable with full details for broker coordination
- Compliance officer and port broker automatically tagged for immediate response
Built for trade compliance teams · customs brokers · import managers · logistics directors · supply chain compliance officers
What does WebRun do on every run?
The exact actions WebRun takes, in order - in plain language, so you can adjust anything.
-
WebRun signs in and gets to work
Opens
app.flexport.com/shipmentsin a real browser with your saved login - no setup, no API keys. -
1
Flexport - detect new customs exam or hold status
flexport.com
WebRun opens Flexport to detect new customs exam or hold status. - Open Flexport and check the status of all in-transit shipments that have reached or are approaching the port of entry
- Identify any shipment newly flagged with a customs exam, hold, or intensive exam status since the last check
- Capture the shipment reference, hold type, port, estimated clearance impact, and any broker notes
Done when All new hold or exam statuses since the last run are identified.
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2
Airtable - log the hold incident with shipment details
airtable.com
WebRun opens Airtable to log the hold incident with shipment details. - Create or update a record in the Customs Hold Incidents table with hold type, shipment reference, port, commodity, and timestamp
- Set status to Active and assign to the compliance owner for this port
- Log resolution updates from the team as the hold progresses
Done when The hold incident is logged in Airtable with all details and assigned for action.
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3
Slack - post an immediate compliance hold alert
slack.com
WebRun opens Slack to post an immediate compliance hold alert. - Post an immediate alert to the compliance Slack channel naming the shipment reference, port, hold type, and commodity
- Include a link to the Flexport shipment and the Airtable record
- Tag the compliance officer and customs broker responsible for the port
Done when The compliance team and broker have been alerted within the hour.
How is each run configured?
Secure by default
Connect once, stays signed in
WebRun signs in once and keeps each session in a persistent environment, so every run picks up right where it left off.
Every action is checked against this policy before it runs.
Questions, answered
What types of customs holds does it detect?
It detects any hold status flagged in Flexport, including intensive exams, X-ray exams, agricultural holds, CBP Document holds, and Partner Government Agency (PGA) holds such as FDA, USDA, or FWS.
Will it try to resolve the hold automatically?
No. WebRun alerts your team and logs the incident for coordinated action. Responding to a customs hold requires your broker to communicate with CBP and potentially provide additional documentation, which must be handled by a human.
How quickly will we be alerted?
WebRun checks Flexport every hour, so your team will typically receive the Slack alert within one hour of the hold status appearing in Flexport, well ahead of most demurrage free-time windows.
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