AI Automation for Logistics
Process 80+ documents a day without adding headcount.
Greater Chicago distribution centers handle enormous document volume — BOLs, customs forms, packing slips, PODs. Your team shouldn't spend half their day transcribing them. We build AI that reads, extracts, and routes document data automatically.
The Challenge
Where logistics & distribution businesses lose time every day.
BOL & Shipping Doc Transcription
Bills of lading arrive with every shipment — some typed, some handwritten, some printed on thermal paper that's already fading. Someone in your office keys the data into your WMS or TMS: shipper, consignee, piece count, weight, PO numbers. For 40-80 shipments a day, that's a full-time job.
Customs & Compliance Documentation
Cross-border shipments bring commercial invoices, certificates of origin, customs declarations, and phytosanitary certificates. Every document needs to be reviewed, data extracted, and filed correctly. A missed field can mean delays at the border and penalties.
Inventory Discrepancies
Receiving data doesn't match what's in the WMS. Short shipments, damaged goods, and substitutions require manual investigation — pulling BOLs, checking POs, comparing packing slips. By the time the discrepancy is resolved, the shipment is already shelved in the wrong location.
Proof of Delivery & Claims
POD documents come back from drivers in every format — signed paper copies, photos, electronic confirmations. Matching them to shipments, filing them, and retrieving them for customer claims or disputes is a manual, time-consuming process.
Our Solutions
Automation built for how logistics & distribution actually works.
Automated Document Intake
BOLs, packing slips, customs forms, and PODs are read by AI the moment they arrive — via email, scan, or photo. Data is extracted, validated, and pushed to your systems without human intervention. Your team handles exceptions, not every document.
- Reads typed, handwritten, and thermal-printed documents
- Processes email attachments, scanned copies, and mobile photos
- Handles 80+ documents per day with consistent accuracy
WMS & TMS Integration
Extracted data flows directly into your warehouse management or transportation management system. Receiving records update automatically. Shipment tracking stays current. No more double-entry between paper and screen.
- Direct integration with major WMS and TMS platforms
- Updates receiving, inventory, and shipment records in real time
- Cross-references incoming data against open POs and expected shipments
Customs Document Processing
Commercial invoices, certificates of origin, and customs declarations are read, classified, and data-extracted. Required fields are validated against shipment records. Missing information is flagged before the shipment reaches the border — not after.
- Classifies customs documents by type automatically
- Validates required fields against shipment data
- Flags incomplete or inconsistent documentation for review
POD Matching & Filing
Proof of delivery documents are automatically matched to shipments. Signatures, timestamps, and condition notes are extracted. Everything is filed digitally and searchable — so when a customer disputes a delivery, you have the answer in seconds, not hours.
- Matches PODs to shipments using AI-extracted reference numbers
- Extracts signatures, timestamps, and condition notes
- Full search across all POD records for claims resolution
How It Works
Real automation workflows for logistics & distribution.
Inbound BOL → WMS Update
- 1Driver arrives with shipment and BOL
- 2Receiving clerk scans or photographs the BOL
- 3AI extracts shipper, PO numbers, item counts, weight, and special handling
- 4System matches against expected shipments and flags discrepancies
- 5WMS is updated with receiving record — no manual data entry
Customs Documents → Compliance Check
- 1Broker or shipper emails customs documents for incoming shipment
- 2AI classifies each document (commercial invoice, COO, customs declaration)
- 3Required fields are extracted and validated against shipment records
- 4Missing or inconsistent data triggers alert to your compliance team
- 5Complete document set is filed and linked to the shipment record
POD → Shipment Closure
- 1Driver returns with signed POD or uploads photo from delivery
- 2AI extracts signature, delivery time, and any exception notes
- 3POD is matched to the original shipment using extracted reference numbers
- 4Shipment status updates to 'delivered' in your TMS
- 5Customer can be notified automatically with delivery confirmation
Real Results
Numbers that matter.
Why Node Harbor
We're your neighbors, not a remote vendor.
The western suburbs are one of the busiest logistics corridors in the Midwest. Bensenville, Des Plaines, Franklin Park, and Elk Grove Village are home to distribution centers, cross-dock facilities, freight forwarders, and 3PLs ranging from 15-person operations to 200-employee regional hubs. Every one of them deals with the same document problem: high volume, varied formats, and too much manual data entry. We're in Elk Grove Village — right in the middle of it. We've worked with distributors handling 80+ shipments a day and freight operations managing cross-border documentation. We understand that downtime costs real money and that your team needs solutions that work on day one, not month three.
FAQ
Common questions about logistics & distribution automation.
Ready to eliminate the paperwork?
30 minutes. No commitment. We'll review your current document workflows and identify the highest-impact automation opportunities for your logistics & distribution operation.
Based in Elk Grove Village, IL — serving the entire O'Hare corridor and Chicago western suburbs.