eManifest Portal
Frequently Asked Questions: Brokers and Warehouse Operators

The eManifest Portal (Portal) is a secure data transmission option developed by the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) that allows the trade community to electronically transmit their pre-arrival cargo and conveyance information through the Internet.

Highway carriers, air carriers, freight forwarders, brokers and warehouse operators are eligible to use the Portal to transmit and/or view various Trade Documents submitted to the CBSA. In the event of a flying truck scenario, Air carriers are treated as highway carriers in the Portal and can only submit Highway Conveyance Documents to the CBSA.

To access the Portal, you must have an Internet connection, have JavaScript enabled and a Web browser (Internet Explorer 8 and above or Firefox 34 and above).  For more details about the technical requirements for using the Portal,  see the Terms and Conditions in the eManifest Portal Help and Support section.

Yes, in order to use the eManifest Portal, each user is now required to ensure that JavaScript is enabled on their computer. This requirement comes as a result of the new eManifest Portal features which require JavaScript. Refer to your web browser's help section for information on enabling JavaScript.

Your company must have a valid Client Identifier (a sub-location code for warehouse operators or an Account Security Number for brokers) and a Shared Secret issued by the CBSA to do business using the Portal. This information is needed when the authorized representative of your carrier company, known as the Account Owner, creates a Portal Business Account. Once your Business Account has been created, the Account Owner can allow additional users to access your Business Account as needed. All Portal users must use a credential to log in such as Sign-In Partner or GCKey and must create a Portal User Account. More information about credentials, eManifest Portal User Accounts and Portal Business Accounts is provided below.

These two symbols indicate that online help is available. Simply select either of the icons to view the help content.

Yes, the Portal will log you out after 20 minutes of inactivity and all unsaved data will be lost. To continue using the Portal, you will be required to log in again.

Yes. If you are using a shared computer, once you have finished using the Portal, you must log out by selecting the log out link and close your browser before leaving the computer unattended. This will prevent unauthorized access to your personal and/or commercial information by others.

If an eManifest Portal outage occurs, users should refer to the System Outage Contingency Plan page on the CBSA Web site. If a system and/or procedural problem is discovered, a user should contact the eManifest Technical Commercial Client Unit (TCCU). Contact information can be accessed through the eManifest Portal Help and Support page of the CBSA Web site.

A "credential", in the information systems context, is an attestation of identity authentication. Credentials are widely used to control an individual's access to information or services. The combination of a user ID or card number and a password is an example of a credential. The Government of Canada uses electronic credentials to allow users to communicate securely with online-enabled government services, such as the eManifest Portal. All eManifest Portal users must have a credential with either Sign-In Partner or with GCKey.

The Government of Canada is giving clients the option of using either a commercial credential service (Sign-In Partner) or a government-issued credential service (GCKey) to access online government services. To assist you in choosing your credential, below is a description of both options:

• The Sign-In Partner is a credential service offered in collaboration with participating financial institutions. This service gives you a familiar and convenient option for accessing government services by allowing you to log in to the eManifest Portal using your established online banking credential. For additional information on Sign-In Partner eligibility and advantages, click on the Sign-In Partner service from the eManifest Portal Log In page and select the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) link.
• GCKey is a service that permits you to use a unique government-issued credential that protects your communications with online government programs and services such as the eManifest Portal. For more information please visit the GCKey Web site.

In order to access the Portal using Sign-In Partner, you must already possess a credential with one of the participating financial institutions. On the eManifest Portal Log In page, select Sign-In Partner Log in. This link will guide you in entering the Portal with your existing online financial institution credentials and in creating your Portal User Account. When you select the Sign-In Partner Log in, you will also have access to additional information about Sign-In Partner's eligibility and advantages.

You must go to the Government of Canada's GCKey Web site to create a GCKey. You must then choose a user ID, password and password recovery questions. Once your GCKey registration is complete, you will be able to create your Portal User Account. For more information or to create your GCKey, please visit the GCKey Web site.

Transfer from GCKey to Sign-In Partner

You can choose one of two options to complete this transfer:

Option 1: On the eManifest Portal Log In page, select Sign-In Partner Log in. You will be guided in the process of entering the Portal using your existing online banking credential with one of the participating financial institutions. Once in the Portal, you will be directed to a page where you have the option of creating a new User Account or to transfer a User Account associated with an existing GCKey. Select Transfer GCKey and enter your current GCKey credential. A credential transfer confirmation will appear. To enter the Portal, simply log in using your new Sign-In Partner credential.

Option 2: If you are currently logged in to your Portal Account, select the My Profile tab. Then select the Change Credential Provider… and enter your current online banking credential information in the Sign-In Partner credential service page. A credential transfer confirmation will appear. To enter the Portal, log in using your new Sign-In Partner credential.

Transfer from Sign-In Partner to GCKey

You can choose one of two options to complete this transfer:

Option 1: On the eManifest Portal Log In page, select GCKey Log in. You will be guided in the process of creating your User ID, password and password recovery question. Upon completion, you will be directed to a page giving you the option to create a new User Account or to transfer a User Account associated with an existing Sign-In Partner. Select Transfer Sign-In Partner and enter your current Sign-In Partner credential. A credential transfer confirmation will appear. To enter the Portal, simply log in using your new GCKey credential.

Option 2: If you are currently logged in to your Portal Account, select the My Profile tab. Then select Change Credential Provider… and create your new GCKey credential. A credential transfer confirmation will appear. Going forward, in order to enter the Portal, simply log in using your new GCKey credential.

For more information about how to transfer credentials, please refer to the eManifest Portal – Quick Reference Guide.

Yes, if transferring back to the GCKey credential service you may use the same user ID and password you initially used prior to transferring to the Sign-In Partner credential service.

No. Portal users only require one credential to get access to their Portal User Account where they can access all the Business Accounts to which they are registered.

It is recommended that you do not alternate from one credential to another. Although Portal users have the option of transferring credentials at any time, it is important to select a unique credential provider because the Government of Canada service only knows you by one credential, which is the last credential you used. If you log in to the eManifest Portal with a different credential, you will have the option of transferring your account to this new credential or creating a new Portal User account.

For additional information on the credential options currently available, please visit the Cyber Authentication Renewal Initiative Frequently Asked Questions.

A Portal User Account is a standard way for all users to establish their identity in the Portal. All users of the Portal must create an eManifest Portal User Account.

Once you have logged in to the Portal with your credential and have accepted the Portal Terms and Conditions, you may create a new eManifest Portal User Account. You will be asked to provide information about yourself and your user preferences. Once you have provided this information, your User Account will be created and you will be given a User Reference Number (URN). This information can be found under My Profile in the top menu.  

A User Reference Number (URN) is a system-generated number uniquely associated with a Portal User Account. Your URN is used by Portal Business Account Owners to assign you a user role in your company's Business Account. Your URN can be used as identification if you need to contact the eManifest Technical Commercial Client Unit (TCCU) for assistance.

If you are the authorized representative for your company, you may create a Business Account and register yourself as the Account Owner (see below). If you are not the authorized representative you must provide your URN, e-mail address and family name to the person who is the Account Owner so they can add you as a user to your company's Business Account.

Once you have created your User Account, your URN will be sent to the e-mail address you provided when creating your User Account. Your URN will also be displayed on the confirmation page once your User Account is created. You will also be provided the opportunity to print a record of your User Account information, including your URN. Once logged in to the Portal, your URN will be displayed in the upper right hand corner, next to your name.

You can update your information at any time by navigating to the My Profile area located on the top menu in the Portal. Select My Profile and then select Edit. Any changes you input will be updated immediately. 

Features that are available to you are based on your role in your company's Business Account as assigned by the Account Owner. See the section below on user roles in the Portal for more information.

If you wish to permanently delete your eManifest Portal Account, you may do so by navigating to the My Profile tab in the Portal. Here, select Delete User Account… A message will appear to confirm that you do in fact want to delete the User Account. By selecting Yes, you accept to delete your User Account and all association to Business Account(s) will be disengaged. Confirmation of this deletion will be shown on the screen and sent to the e-mail indicated in the account.

A Portal Business Account is an area in the eManifest Portal dedicated to individual companies to conduct secure electronic data transmissions with the CBSA. Portal Business Accounts are managed by Account Owners who are authorized representatives of a company.

If you are the authorized representative of your company, you may create your company's Portal Business Account. By creating your Portal Business Account, you become the Account Owner. There is only one Account Owner for a Portal Business Account.

To create a Business Account in the Portal, you must first have a valid sub-location code for warehouse operators or a valid Account Security Number for brokers and must possess a CBSA-issued Shared Secret.

An account security number is a five (5)-character identifier issued by the CBSA to a customs broker who has posted security. To find out how to obtain an account security number, visit the Memorandum D17-1-8 page.

A sub-location code (Warehouse Office code) consists of a four-digit identification number where the shipment is to be warehoused for inland release. To find out additional information on sub-location codes, visit the sufferance warehouse operators' page.

A Shared Secret is a temporary access code that a business requires to create a Portal Business Account in the eManifest Portal. It is issued to businesses that request access to the Portal and must be used within 90 days of the issue date. The Shared Secret is used to authenticate and validate a client when creating an eManifest Portal Business Account. Only the CBSA and the authorized representative of the company have access to this information. To find out how to obtain your Shared Secret visit the How to Apply for a Shared Secret page.

A Shared Secret must be used to create your Business Account within 90 days of being issued by the CBSA. A user who fails to create a Business Account using the Shared Secret within that time frame, will be required to request a new Shared Secret. To find out how to obtain a new Shared Secret visit the How to Apply for a Shared Secret page.

If a Shared Secret is entered a total of five times in the Portal for the purpose of creating a Business Account and the Account Owner fails to create their Business Account each time, the Shared Secret will expire and can no longer be used. The Account Owner must then submit a request to obtain a new Shared Secret in order to create their Business Account. For the process of obtaining a new Shared Secret, visit the How to Apply for a Shared Secret page.

You will have the opportunity to create a Business Account immediately after you have created your Portal User Account. To do so, select Create Business Account, enter your Client Identifier (a sub-location code for warehouse operators or an Account Security Number for brokers), select your Business Type, enter the Shared Secret and select Submit. Enter the required information about yourself as the Account Owner and select Submit. Finally, review the business information the CBSA has on file to ensure it is up to date and select Continue if the information is accurate. Your Business Account is now created. 

For the steps to default your Portal Business Account tab to as specific Business Account every time you log in, refer to section 10.2 the eManifest Portal User Guide.

Once you have created a Portal User Account, you will be provided with a User Reference Number (URN). You must provide your URN, family name and e-mail address to your company's Account Owner. The Account Owner can then assign you a role in your company's Business Account. The Account Owner may assign you one of the three roles: Proxy Account Owner, Account User, or Account Browser. See the section on user roles below for more information.

While you are logged in to the Portal, bring your cursor over the Business Accounts tab and select the desired Business Account from the expandable list that is displayed. You can also select the Business Accounts tab and the Business Accounts page will be displayed with a list of all your Business Accounts. Simply select the Business Account you wish to access.

In the event that the Account Owner rights of a Business Account needs to be transferred to another Portal User, specific steps must be followed. The Company Contact will first need to contact the Technical Commercial Client Unit (TCCU), with the new Account Owner's URN. The TCCU will first need to validate the Company Contact's identity by asking questions related to the Business Account. Once the validation is complete, the Company Contact may then communicate their desire to modify the Account Owner of the Business Account. Once the Account Owner change is completed, an e-mail will be sent to the Account Owner as confirmation.

Yes, the CBSA recommends Portal users to log in to their eManifest Portal Business Account on a regular basis to be informed of all Portal notifications and updates. A Business Account in which no user associated to the account has logged in for a period of two years will become inactive. If that is the case, a request for a new Shared Secret must be submitted to re-activate the Business Account. For information on how to obtain a Shared Secret, see question #31.

Only the Account Owner of an eManifest Portal Business Account can delete their Business Account. To do so, navigate to the Business Accounts tab in the Portal. Here, select Modify next to the Business Account you want to delete. Now, select Delete Business Account… A message will appear to confirm that you want to delete the Business Account. By selecting Yes, you accept to delete the Business Account and all users associated to the Business Account will no longer be associated. Confirmation of this deletion will be shown on the screen and sent to the Account Owner e-mail indicated in the Business Account.

Once an Account Owner has deleted his eManifest Portal Business Account, the Business Account's status becomes Inactive. To re-activate the Business Account, the Portal user must submit a request to obtain a new Shared Secret, see question 28. Once the new Shared Secret issued, the Portal User can simply create the Business Account and once the creation process completed, the Business Account will be accessible again. Please note that when re-activating a deleted Business Account none of the previously associated data will have been saved as it's considered a new Business Account.

There are four user roles in the Portal: Account Owner, Proxy Account Owner, Account User, and Account Browser.

The following table summarizes available features by user role:

As an Account Owner (or Proxy Account Owner), you may add additional users to your Business Account. The user you wish to add must have already created a Portal User Account and must provide their User Reference Number (URN), family name and e-mail address to you. Once this is done, you must navigate to the User Access tab and then select Add User. You must enter the user's URN, family name, and e-mail address and assign them a role in the Business Account. You may change the role as well as the status of a user at any time via the User Access tab.

When associating a Business Account to a new URN, the statuses of all users who have transferred credentials are defaulted to Suspended. As an Account Owner, you must enter your Business Account and under the User Access tab, reactivate the user status of all the Portal users associated to that Business Account. To do so, you must select one user at a time under the User Access tab and must assign a user role (Proxy Account Owner, Account User and Account Browser) to each one of them. Only then will users be able to access the Business Account information. Portal users who did not transfer from the Access Key service to another credential service before December 31, 2012, need to be re-added to the Business Account. To do so, the user will need to provide a new URN (as they will have created a new User Account), their family name and e-mail address.

You must be the Account Owner (or Proxy Account Owner) to remove other users from your Business Account. First, you must navigate to the User Access tab and select the user you would like to remove. Next, select Remove and the user will be removed from your Business Account.

You must be the Account Owner (or Proxy Account Owner) to suspend other users in your Business Account. First, you must navigate to the User Access tab and then select the user you would like suspend. Next, select Edit, Suspend as the "User Status"and then Save. The user will then be suspended in the Business Account. Suspended users can no longer access your Business Account.

To reactivate a suspended user, navigate to the User Access tab, select the suspended user's family name, and select Edit. Select Active as the "User Status" and then Save to reactivate the user in your Business Account.

There is no limit to the number of users you may add to your Portal Business Account.

Brokers

As Account Owner, you may update your business information while creating a Business Account or at any time while logged in to the Portal.

When creating your Business Account, if you notice your company information is inaccurate, select Request Update then provide the updated information. Updates will not take effect immediately. An e-mail will be sent to you once the CBSA has made the changes.  

To update business information while in the Portal, you must navigate to Business Accounts, select Modify next to the Business Account you wish to edit, navigate to the Business Information sub-tab, select Request Update and then provide the updated information. Updates will not take effect immediately. An e-mail will be sent to you once the CBSA has made the changes. 

Warehouse Operators

For information on how a warehouse operator can advise the CBSA of any business information changes, please visit the sufferance warehouse operators' page.

A Secondary Notice is an electronic copy of a Trade Document submitted to the CBSA, by a Trade Chain Partner, which has been sent to your account security number (brokers) or sub-location code (warehouse operators). These Secondary Notices are also referred to as Manifest Forwards.

A Manifest Forward is an electronic notice sent to a specified Trade Chain Partner (e.g. carrier, freight forwarder, broker and warehouse operator) that contains the data of a House bill submitted to the CBSA by a freight forwarder.

If another Trade Chain Partner sent to your account security number (brokers) or sub-location code (warehouse operators) a House bill Manifest Forward, you will be able to retrieve this document in your Portal Business Account. Select Secondary Notices, a list of all House bill Manifest Forwards sent to you will appear.

Under the Secondary Notices tab, locate the House bill Manifest Forward you wish to delete within the list. Then, in the row of that House bill Manifest Forward, select Delete under the Action column on the far right of the screen. A deletion confirmation will appear, select Yes to confirm that you want to proceed with the deletion of the selected Secondary Notice. Your Secondary Notice is now deleted. Please note that once deleted, all users with access to the Business Account will be unable to view this Secondary Notice.

Useful Links are similar to bookmarks or favourites in your Web browser. They can be created by users in your Business Account or by the CBSA.

Links provided by the CBSA will always appear at the top of the Useful Links.

System Messages are bulletins created and published by the CBSA for trade chain partners to learn about important information related to the Portal or their activities with the CBSA. These bulletins are not related to the status of a Submitted Trade Document.

No. Refer to Warehouse Arrival Certification Message (WACM) Questions and Answers for information about the transmission of arrival messages.

More information explaining various aspects of the eManifest Portal is available through the eManifest Portal Help and Support page on the CBSA Web site.

Contact information is available in the eManifest Portal section of the CBSA Web site.