IPAFFS (Import of Products, Animals, Food and Feed System) is the United Kingdom platform that ensures the traceability, safety, and compliance of animals, products of animal origin, food, and feed entering Great Britain.
In the application we present, the user uploads the documents for a consignment, which are then extracted, processed, checked against commodity and establishment rules, and sent to IPAFFS for the creation of a CHED (Common Health Entry Document) notification. Progress and CHED status can be monitored from the application.
Since the IPAFFS portal does not offer an API for this workflow, a bot was created that authenticates and fills in the data just like a human operator would. Operators can review extracted fields, correct missing information, and choose whether a draft is submitted automatically.
Related: TRACES automation — the sister product for the EU TRACES platform.
Documents
Currently, veterinary / health certificates in PDF form are processed, along with structured spreadsheet templates (XLS) used by traders for different shipment types, and JSON exports where the data is already prepared. Transport details for the port of entry (means of transport, document reference, container and seal numbers, and related fields) can be supplied with the upload or completed in the application. Other document formats can be added for processing.
Document Processing
Document processing for data extraction can be hindered by several factors such as:
1. Poor quality scans
2. Deviations from certificate layouts across countries and issuers
3. Mixed or non-English content on the same certificate
4. Missing correlation between the certificate and transport or accompanying documents
To overcome these challenges, the system combines template-based parsing for structured files with AI (via Google Gemini) for PDF certificates. Extracted values are mapped onto a fixed data structure used for IPAFFS insertion. Fields that the operator provides manually (for example transport to port of entry, consignment reference, partner, or auto-submit) are preserved and not overwritten by extraction. When a necessary piece of information is missing or invalid, the operator completes it in the application before the notification is sent.
Data Preparation
Extracting information from uploaded documents alone is not enough to create a valid CHED. Additional processes include:
1. Commodity mapping and checks — Trade tariff / commodity codes from the documents are validated and mapped to the codes accepted by IPAFFS, including special cases for shorter codes where the platform allows them.
2. Establishment handling — Approved establishments of origin are matched and selected in IPAFFS using country, name, and approval number, with search behaviour aligned to IPAFFS form constraints.
3. Logical and form validations — Cross-checks on transport, destination, ambient / certified-as rules, and field length limits that mirror the IPAFFS website forms.
4. Operator review — Extracted data can be edited in the files library; changes are kept in sync so the insert uses the corrected values.
5. Resubmit and recovery — Circumstantial IPAFFS errors (for example concurrent edits or login-stage failures) can be detected and queued for automatic retry.
Submission in IPAFFS
The submission of data and creation of CHED notifications in IPAFFS is handled by a bot that automates a browser. This was necessary due to the lack of an API interface (the usual method for software systems to communicate).
The bot walks through the IPAFFS wizard: notification type, consignment details, commodities and weights, approved establishments, transport and accompanying documents, then review. For eligible low-risk flows, auto-submit can be enabled so the draft is submitted without a further manual step on the government site. The operator can still follow the status of each file (not sent, in progress, completed, error) and open the resulting CHED when available.
Status and reporting
The application tracks each file through extraction, preparation, and IPAFFS insert. A CHED status checker queries IPAFFS for the current notification status (for example draft or submitted) and updates the files library accordingly. Operators can filter and monitor consignments by reference, status, and processing state, and keep a clear view of what still needs attention.
Licensing and Partnerships
Each client receives a separate instance of this application, customized according to their specific processes and document types. We can also provide an API for any specific step of the processing flow — for example document extraction, data checks, or submission — so the automation can be connected to the client's own systems where needed.
For more details, licensing, or partnership inquiries, please contact us via the contact form or by phone.