Background
With more than six decades in business, 30+ locations, and over 1,000 employees, this major US air cargo handler had built a large, established network โ but its back office still relied on manually reconciling incoming air waybills (AWBs) against booked shipments.
70%
less manual effort spent on AWB reconciliation
$1.75M
estimated annual savings
35 FTEs
reclaimed for higher-value work across 30+ sites
Instant
AWB-to-shipment verification via real-time APIs
Challenge: Manual AWB reconciliation couldn’t scale with cargo volume
The US air cargo handler with more than six decades in business, 30+ locations and over 1,000 employees had hit an operational bottleneck: reconciling incoming AWBs against booked shipments entirely by hand.
Staff manually entered AWB data across disparate systems and checked each PDF against the booked shipment one at a time. The work was slow, prone to human error, and scaled only by adding people, making it harder to keep pace as cargo volumes grew, especially for time-sensitive e-commerce and pharmaceutical shipments.
Solution: Document Automation โ From manual entry to a digital-first, API-driven workflow
The handler adopted PayCargo’s document automation solution to move from manual entry to a digital-first workflow. Using API connectivity and AI-powered matching, the platform checks scanned and digital AWBs against their booked shipments automatically, straight through from booking to arrival:
- AI data extraction: PayCargo reads each scanned or digital AWB and pulls the key details automatically, so staff no longer have to manually type it
- Real-time matching: Each AWB is linked to its booked shipment instantly through direct API connectivity
- Straight-through processing: Standard shipments flow from booking to arrival with no human touch
- Exception handling: Only genuine mismatches are routed to staff, freeing them from routine clerical checks
Result: 70% less manual effort spent on reconciliation
Measured results:
- 70% less manual effort spent on AWB reconciliation
- $1.75M estimated annual savings
- 35 FTEs reclaimed for higher-value work across 30+ sites
- Instant AWB-to-shipment verification via real-time APIs
Strategic Outcome:
By automating AWB reconciliation, the handler cut the manual effort behind it by 70% and reclaimed around 35 full-time roles across its network. The team now focuses on dangerous-goods safety and compliance, specialized pharmaceutical and high-margin cargo, and proactive customer analytics. With reconciliation happening at digital speed, the handler can take on more volume without adding cost.
