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The Who, what, when and how of EXDOC
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Answers to some of the most commonly asked questions about Plant Exports - Horticulture & Grain
What is EXDOC?
Simply - EXDOC is electronic EXport DOCumentation.
What does EXDOC do?
EXDOC allows the electronic lodgement and issuance of export permits and authorises the printing of phytosanitary certificates and other export certification that are consistent in their appearance.
What else can EXDOC do?
EXDOC can obtain on behalf of the client an Export Declaration Number (EDN) from ACS with one single electronic message by utilising the SEW option.
What is SEW?
An acronym for Single Electronic Window.
A function of EXDOC that allows clients to communicate with AQIS (Australian Quarantine & Inspection Service), ACS (Australian Customs Service) and ABS (Australian Bureau of Statistics) in one single transaction.
When did EXDOC become available?
EXDOC for horticulture and those commodities that are regulated by the Horticulture Export Program (eg: bulbs, nursery stock, plants, cuttings, cut flowers and foliage, dried fruit, etc) became available to clients in February 2001 and has full functionality for all of these commodities.
EXDOC for grain and those commodities that are regulated by the Grain Exports Program (eg: Hay, Stockfeed, Cotton, Seeds, etc) became available to clients on the 5 October 2000 and has full functionality for all of these commodities.
Who needs access to EXDOC?
Anyone who:
- Raises, processes or receives existing export documents (Notice of Intention to Export [EX28 &/or EX222]);
- Prepares phytosanitary certificates, Certificates as to Condition, Sampling certificates, Empty Container Inspection certificates, Ship Hold Inspection certificates, etc;
- Exporters, Packers, Processing establishments, Cold Stores, Treatment establishments, Agents, Freight Forwarders, etc.
Who says I need access to EXDOC?
The Australian Government has implemented an E-business strategy to ensure all appropriate government services are available on-line by 2001, as a result of the Prime Minister’s 1997 “Investing for Growth” commitment.
EXDOC is just one of these strategies.
EXDOC will become the only means of obtaining export documentation as the manual issuance system is phased out.
How can EXDOC benefit me?
The many benefits of EXDOC include:
- The consistent preparation and printing of phytosanitary certificates and other export certification;
- A remote printing function which allows clients to print export certification at any time of the day at the location of their choice;
- Security – only you have access to your RFP and the details;
- The elimination in the need to present export certification (Phytosanitary Certificates, EX28s, Certificates as to Condition, Ship Hold Certificates) to AQIS Officers for checking for accuracy and content, signature and stamping;
- The potential to reduce staff workloads;
- The potential for faster payment for services and goods;
- The ability to view the progress of Request For Permit (RFP) transactions and messages;
- The capability to view and print historical Request For Permit (RFP) information;
- Standardisation of commodity descriptions;
- Standardisation of Additional Declarations (Endorsements).
What is an RFP?
An acronym for Request For Permit.
An RFP is an electronic equivalent of the Notice of Intention to export (EX28 & EX222) and contains equivalent information to that being provided to AQIS Officers in the ‘manual’ Notice of Intention to export.
What is an endorsement?
An endorsement is a term used in EXDOC to identify an Additional Declaration.
What is the legal platform of EXDOC?
EXDOC has been constructed and developed to comply with the:
- Australian Export Control Act 1982
- Australian Export Orders
- International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC) Phytosanitary Certification standards.
Added to this EXDOC uses the United Nations EDIFACT electronic message standard.
How do I get access to EXDOC?
- Select your third party software package from an accredited software supplier (EDI Users only);
- Complete the registration form, available from the software supplier or the Plant Exports Electronic Export Certification team, Canberra and forward to the contact details stated on the form;
- Wait for notification of your EDI user registration from the AQIS EDS section;
- Commence testing with EXDOC to familiarise yourself with the system before being able to formally use EXDOC Production (EDI Users only).
What is EDI?
An acronym for Electronic Data Interface.
What is an EDI User?
Someone (in commercial terms a company) who elects to submit and receive information electronically as opposed to manually.
What do I need to do if I require my companies name on export documentation but do not want to have access to EXDOC?
All exporters who require their name to be printed on export documentation must be registered with EXDOC.
Contact the Plant Exports Electronic Export Certification team, Canberra for the appropriate registration form.
How do I obtain my export documentation if I do not have access to EXDOC?
By employing the services of an agent to lodge an RFP with EXDOC on your behalf.
What are accredited software packages?
Accredited software packages are those that allow interface with EXDOC without corrupting government data.
What are the names of the accredited software packages and who are the third party software suppliers?
|
Software Package |
Supplier |
Address |
Telephone/Fax/E-mail |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Edisoft |
Woodwind Systems Mr Greg Kemmis (Maint & Development) |
6 Raym Rd |
Phone: (02) 9654 1728 |
|
Exportit / Meatcom |
Syscob Pty Ltd |
Unit 1 |
Phone: (03) 9731 0762 |
|
Primedocs / Dpidocs / Ozdocs |
Silicon Crafts Pty Ltd Dr Pramod Pandey R&D Manager |
Unit 4, |
Phone: (02) 9899 2000 |
|
Trident Global |
TridentGLOBAL Pty Ltd Dr Carman Rossi Managing Director |
4 Greenhill Road |
Phone: (08) 8273 0333 |
|
Tradepalette Declarations |
Crimson Logic Trade Aust Pty Ltd Mr Ishmeet Singh Mr Vivek Kulshreshtha |
4/7 Packard Ave |
Phone: (02) 9899 2000 |
| Impexdocs | ImpexDocs Quarantine Approval Software Mr Manish Desai General Manager |
38 Eastview Avenue North Ryde NSW 2113 |
Phone: (02) 9888 1020 Fax: (02) 9888 1127 Email: support@impexdocs.com.au Website: www.impexdocs.com.au/Index.aspx |
| Clear Enterprise | Clear Objective |
Unit 1, Level 1, |
Phone: (07) 3721 1900 |
| Edienterprise | Cargo Wise Edi Ms Melinda Elmowy |
Unit 3a, 72 O'Riordan St Alexandria NSW 2015 |
Phone: (02) 8001 2200 Fax: (02) 9025 1199 Email: sales@cargowise.com Website: www.cargowise.com |
|
Export Easy |
Pro Kinetics (Aust) Pty Ltd |
57 Indwe St |
Phone: (03) 9315 3844 |
How do I communicate with EXDOC?
EXDOC utilises either:
- Full Internet E-mail
- Full X400
- A combination of both systems.
Generally X400 is more expensive than Internet E-mail but is able to guarantee a higher level of service and timeliness.
For additional information (including transmission costs, time, etc) contact your software supplier.
What equipment do I need?
- Personal computer (minimum 486)
- Modem
- Laser printer (PCL4 language or above)
- Software package from an accredited software supplier
- EXDOC security paper to print export certification. (applicable to EDI Users only)
What do I do once I have access to EXDOC?
- Submit an electronic RFP to EXDOC;
- Contact the relevant contact in the Plant Exports Electronic Export Certification team, Canberra by email to advice when you have commenced the testing phase and details of the testing;
- Submit as many RFPs as you like.
(Remember the more often you use the system, the quicker you will become familiar with it and the sooner you will be promoted to EXDOC Production and cease producing manual export certification.)
- Consult with the Plant Exports Electronic Export Certification team, Canberra for assistance and clarification of any problems you are encountering.
How much does EXDOC cost?
The current AQIS EXDOC fee for the Horticulture Exports Program are published on the AQIS web at Horticulture Exports Fees and Charges.
The current AQIS EXDOC fees for the Grains Program are published on the AQIS web at Grain Export Fees and Charges.
How long does it take to get an Export Permit Number (EPN) and obtain an Export Declaration Number (EDN) [if requested] through EXDOC?
The process generally takes about 12 minutes, but sooner if available, and a return message is sent to clients as soon as the information is available.
How do I get a PIH/PIG number?
If the SEW functionality has been activated, once the inspection of the prescribed goods has taken place and the RFP has been authorised, EXDOC automatically assigns a PIH / PIG number to your RFP and transmits this number to ICS.
How much information can be included on one Phytosanitary certificate?
EXDOC is capable of including up to 99 individual lines of product on a single Phytosanitary certificate, with appropriate Endorsements, treatments, etc for each line.
How many copies of a Phytosanitary Certificate will I receive from EXDOC?
3 copies of a Phytosanitary certificate will print at a remote print location.
Each copy will be marked ‘Original’, ‘Duplicate’, ‘Triplicate’
Where a certificate is printed in an AQIS office a fourth copy is generated and marked ‘Quadruplicate’, this copy is retained by AQIS.
What are the hours in which EXDOC is available?
The EXDOC system operates 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year.
EXDOC is attended by Plant Export Program staff Monday to Friday EST (excluding nation and state gazetted public holidays) as per regional hours of business.
Unattended operation maybe available outside these hours’ 7 days a week via the EXDOC helpdesk.
Please note that the EXDOC helpdesk can only assist with communication and EDN issues and not Program specific enquiries.
What happens in an emergency situation?
Plant Export Operations Branch acknowledges that should an emergency situation arise and it is not possible to access EXDOC, manual documentation can be raised.
When will manual documentation be withdrawn?
Industry will be advised of the exact date following consultation with the relevant peak industry consultative committees (HECC & AGICC) when manual documentation is to be withdrawn.
Where can I get more information on EXDOC?
Bev Beacham
National Systems Manager
Telephone: 02 6272 4429
Email: Bev Beacham
Who will assist me with my inquiries?
| Type of Inquiry / Problem | Contact Details |
|---|---|
|
Grain/Horticulture Program specific enquiries; |
Applicable Program Administrators / contacts |
|
Interface software error messages; Interface |
EXDOC Interface Software Supplier |
|
Unable to connect to network; Messages not |
Communication Network provider |
|
Problem EXDOC error messages; |
EXDOC Non-Meat Help Desk |
|
Horticulture Technical Issues:
|
Regional AQIS Export section |
|
Grain Technical Issues:
|
Regional AQIS Export section |
| Importing Country Requirements: |
AQIS “Phyto” web site |
How does EXDOC work?
The following is a simplistic overview of the EXDOC process:
- EXDOC receives a message from the accredited third party software.
- EXDOC validates the message.
- a. EXDOC sends back an error message if any errors are detected during the validation process.
b. EXDOC sends a message to ACS ICS if an EDN is requested.
c. EXDOC sends a validated RFP (and EDN if requested) back to the third party software. - AQIS Officer inspects the commodity.
- AQIS Officer accesses EXDOC (either directly or via a phone call to an AQIS office) and authorises the RFP.
- EXDOC generates a Phytosanitary certificate (and other requested export certification if requested).
- EXDOC sends a message to the third party software advising that the certification is ready to print.
EXDOC Process Flowchart
What control do I have over the information in my RFP?
Prior to the RFP being authorised, information can be amended in the RFP & submitted to EXDOC which includes:
- Consignee details
- Transport details
- Departure Date details
- Letter of Credit details
- Notify Party details (grain only)
- Discharge Port details
- Destination City details
- FOB details
- Quantity details
- Weight details
- Template details
- Endorsement details
- Additional Product details (where permitted)
- Shipping Mark details
- Lot Number details
- Container &/or Seal details (horticulture only)
- AHECC details
- Import Permit details
- Treatment details
- Print Location details
- Print Indicator details
- Lines deleted (horticulture only)
Prior to the RFP attaining COMP status and the print file being issued, all non-phytosanitary information can be amended in the RFP & submitted to EXDOC which includes:
- Consignee details
- Transport details
- Departure Date details
- Letter of Credit details
- Notify Party details
- Discharge Port details
- Destination City details
- FOB details
- Containier &/or Seal details (horticulture only)
What information in an RFP can I not amend once an RFP has been ‘Lodged’ with EXDOC?
- Destination Country
- Product Type details
- Pack Type details
- Supplementary Code details
- Preservation Code details
- Inspection Establishment details
- Adding lines
What do I do if I need information amended within an RFP?
For matters relating to horticulture electronic export certification:
Email advising the RFP number and details that need actioning to the relevant contact as published through Industry Advice Notice 2010/19
For matters relating to grain export certification:
Email advising the RFP number and details that need actioning to either the regional AQIS office who undertook the inspection / authorisation or Central Office, Canberra - EXDOC Phyto Grains27 Jan 2011