Your Free Tools of the Trade

September 19, 2012

AESDirect and AESPcLink 
The U.S. Census Bureau measures the nation's 

People, Places, and our Economy

www.census.gov

#foreigntrade

Host: Jennifer Smits

Public Affairs and Media Events Branch

Public Information Office

Presenter: Rosanna Torres

AES Marketing and Client Services

Foreign Trade Division

Today’s Speakers
Created by the Foreign Trade Division of the U.S. 

Census Bureau, this in-depth webinar series 

provides the tools necessary for a strong 

foundation in the fundamentals of exporting. 

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Fundamentals of Exporting

Your Free Tools of the Trade

AESDirect and AESPcLink 

The sixth webinar in the 8-part series

http://www.census.gov/newsroom/releases/archives/news_conferences/webinars_exporting.html
The Foreign Trade Division is the official source for U.S. 

export and import statistics and is responsible for 

issuing regulations governing the reporting of all export 

shipments from the United States.

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Foreign Trade Division
Today’s Topics

• Free Filing Tools – AESDirect vs. AESPcLink

• Registering for an Account

• Account Management

• Creating and Transmitting Shipments

• Tools in AESDirect

• How to download AESPcLink

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Free Filing Tools

AESDirect vs. AESPcLink

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AESDirect AESPcLink

Application Type Accessible from: 

www.aesdirect.gov

Downloadable

offline program 

Templates Limited to 100 per 

company

Up to 1,000 per 

installation

Server Networking Not Capable Capable

Language(s)

Available

English Spanish and English

Code Tables and 

Versions

Updates automatically Update manually
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What You Need to Register

Identification Number

(EIN or DUNs)

The Employer Identification Number or 

Duns and Bradstreet number are used to 

identify your company in AES. It will 

become your Filer ID number. To apply 

go to the IRS Online Application

Designate an Account 

Administrator

This person will manage the 

company account

Pass the Certification Quiz Gain full access to the website and 

transmit shipments to AES
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Register an Account

User Guides 

Support Center

Registration Help

Registration Form
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Account Management

User Roles

Account Administrator

User Managers

Users

• Full access to other accounts; reset/ disable user accounts

• Legally responsible for the account

• Can help reset passwords and disabled accounts

• Cannot request technical changes to the account .

• Only responsible of filing shipments
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Account Management

Account Administrators/User Managers

Reset passwords

Transfer user roles

Update profile 

information
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Forgot Your Password?

1. Set Up Your Questions 2. Click on the link

3. Answer your own question!
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Create a Shipment in AESDirect

Parties

U.S. Principal Party in 

Interest

USPPI

Ultimate Consignee

Freight Forwarder

only fill out if you are filing 

on behalf of someone else

Intermediate Consignee

Required Conditional
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Create a Shipment in AESDirect

Sections

Ultimate Consignee

Shipment Information

USPPI

Intermediate Consignee

Freight Forwarder

Equipment Details

Add Commodity Line

Transportation Details

Who is Exporting?

Who is it going to?

What is being shipped?
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Transmit Shipments

Click “Submit EEI” Verify USPPI 

Address

Receive 

Confirmation Popup
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Tools in AESDirect

• Account Summary

• Profiles

• Template Manager

• Shipment Manager
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Account Summary

Information displayed: 

• Password Expiration counter

• Company’s Name

• Filer ID

• Account Administrator

• User Managers
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Profiles

• Saves company information 

• Name

• Identification Number

• Contact Person and Address 

• Available for different sections

• USPPI

• Intermediate Consignee

• Ultimate Consignee 

• Freight Forwarder
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Template Manager

All fields will be saved 

except: 

• Shipment Reference 

Number

• Transportation 

Reference Number

• Origin State

• Departure Date 

• 1st Quantity

• 2nd Quantity

• Value

• Gross Weight

Saves a skeleton of your 

shipment
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Shipment Manager

VIDEO: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9W6QeUR1WHE&feature=share&list=PL990EC38D8CCA1C25
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Making Corrections

You can retrieve directly by 

entering the Internal Transaction 

or Shipment Reference Number

You can also retrieve 

shipments from the 

search output screen on 

after previewing the 

shipment information
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Watch Out!

• Turn-off Pop-up Blockers 

• Don’t click “Back” button

• Automatic 15 minute session 

time-outs
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Downloading AESPcLink

1. Go to http://go.usa.gov/7By and run executable 

file. An AESPcLink icon will appear on your 

desktop

2. Enter your username and password

Same as AESDirect 

3. Activate username

4. Update/download the tables

You are ready to transmit shipments to AES
 Export training videos

 Webinars

 Global Reach blog http://globalreach.blogs.census.gov

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Additional Training Tools
America’s Economy Mobile App

• www.census.gov/mobile

• 16 Key Economic 

Indicators, including 

International Trade

• Available for iPhone, 

iPad and Android 

devices
Questions?

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 Media Inquiries:

 Public Information Office: 301-763-3030

 FTD Call Center: 800-549-0595

 Option 1 – AES Assistance

 Option 2 – Commodity Classification Assistance

 Option 3 – Regulations Assistance

 Option 4 – Data Dissemination Branch

 Fax: 301-763-6638

 E-mail: AskAES@census.gov 

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For More Information
For more information or to sign up for our next webinar go to: 

http://www.census.gov/newsroom/releases/archives/news_conferences/webinars_exporting.html

 Getting it Right the First Time — How to Avoid Common Penalties: October 3, 

2012

 What is a Foreign Trade Zone and How Can It Help You?: October 17, 2012

Upcoming Webinars

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