Optimizing HTS code workflow with agentic automation in the changing tariff landscape

While headlines are filled with the geopolitical implications of tariffs, the real complexity is happening behind the scenes. Trade and compliance teams are struggling with execution—tracking, interpreting, and quickly applying every new rule and code change.

Harmonized Tariff Schedule (HTS) codes are a prime example. These global identifiers shift frequently, and when they do, reclassification needs to happen immediately. There’s no room for error, either—even a single misstep can lead to fines and reputational damage.

It’s a lot to manage, especially for teams that are already stretched thin. Fortunately, this is exactly the kind of complex, high-volume work agentic automation was built to tackle. 

In this blog, we’ll explore how the UiPath Platform™ helps teams stay on top of tariff-related changes by combining the best of AI agents, robots, and people.

The growing challenge of manually classifying HTS codes

Classifying HTS codes was already a heavy lift before the recent wave of tariff activity. Many importers rely on internal compliance teams or external brokers to manually research, assign, and verify codes. It’s painstaking work that’s magnified by the sizable volume of goods moving through the global supply chain.

Add in a volatile tariff environment, and the entire process becomes even more difficult to manage. Teams are forced to drop everything to reclassify items on short notice, often without clear guidance or sufficient time to react. That’s a recipe for costly errors that can lead to fines of up to 800% of the import’s value.

And even if teams do manage to steer clear of errors, the sheer volume of work required can lead to delays. That can mean millions of dollars in lost sales as goods linger in customs limbo, as well as potential legal disputes and permanent damage to a company’s international trade reputation.

Automate HTS code workflows to avoid the chaos

As UiPath CEO Daniel Dines said in a Wall Street Journal article published February 12, 2025, “we have started to see a limit to the computing capabilities of LLMs [with RPA]. The technology is extremely powerful, but companies are realizing it is not going to scale linearly from now on—we must design smarter ways to use what we have and bring more reliability into the picture. That’s one of the reasons agentic AI is capturing so much attention: Many enterprises now see that to fully reap the benefits of LLMs, we have to find a way to deploy them autonomously as part of enterprise workflows and systems, with security and governance built in along the way.”

UiPath agentic automation blends the best of people, robots, and AI agents to classify products in real time based on new tariff rules. Some of the benefits include:

• Reduced direct customs penalties: AI agents are more efficient than people. Their fast decisions and documented rationale limit importers’ risk of border enforcement fines.

• Fewer operational disruptions: improved long-term HTS accuracy reduces the frequency and length of costly audits and freight holds.

• Lower compliance and audit expenses: AI agents are highly configurable, giving importers full control over when and how people are involved in classification decisions.

• Enhanced reputation and market access: improved long-term HTS accuracy and quick customs filings improve business relationships.

Here’s how agentic automation simplifies the complex:

The agentic automation-powered UiPath HTS Code Classifier works together with UiPath Document Understanding™ to streamline the entire process.

Here’s how it works: first, Document Understanding processes commercial invoices from overseas vendors, extracting HTS codes, product names, and descriptions. It then automatically feeds this information into the system of record.

Next, the Classifier presents these unverified, vendor-provided HTS codes in an HTS code verifier. Then, an AI agent steps in, using the General Rules of Interpretation (GRI) to classify the imported items. Because it documents its reasoning in natural language, teams can have confidence in its verification and a clear audit trail for future reference.

Here's how agentic automation keeps a human-in-the-loop:

Just because AI agents are handling the heavy lifting doesn’t mean humans are absent from this process. They’re the overseers—if the confidence level for a particular code is below an established threshold, the agent automatically notifies a compliance team member to review its decision via the Action Center. If there is an issue, the team member can step in and fix it.

Navigate tariff changes effortlessly

From extracting data from key documents and performing multi-system lookups to accurately identifying HTS codes and completing the CBP declaration form, UiPath delivers an end-to-end solution that streamlines the entire HTS code process.

Keeping a human-in-the-loop is a real difference-maker here. Unlike traditional set-it-and-forget-it automation workflows, the UiPath HTS Code Classifier cues in trade professionals to the sources, logic, and outputs generated by AI agents. This built-in audit trail ensures your entire workflow stays transparent, compliant, and verifiable.

We know that importing goods into the United States (U.S.) can be a headache, especially with tariffs constantly in flux. UiPath agentic automation keeps you one step ahead of all these changes, so that when a team member does need to step in, they can do so immediately.

Ready to see more? Watch our 20-minute solution demo webinar on demand.