EXIMOps - Product Requirements Document (PRD)

1. Executive Summary & Vision

Product Overview

EXIMOps is a comprehensive Trade Middleware Infrastructure and Service Orchestration Platform. It sits between Clients (Importers/Exporters) and Agents (Logistics/Customs/Transport), orchestrating services for global trade execution, compliance, settlements, collaboration, intelligence, and risk management. It is designed not just as a freight booking tool, but as a complete Trade Operating System.

Core Mission & Philosophy

The core mission is to enable Indian businesses to bring their products, creativity, and capabilities to the world. EXIMOps solves the fundamental problems in international trade: poor requirement definition, communication gaps, fragmented stakeholders, lack of accountability, and missing financial/operational intelligence through structured orchestration.

2. User Personas

1. Client (Importer/Exporter): Initiates trade operations, seeks competitive bids (Marketplace mode) or utilizes their existing trusted agents (BYOA mode), tracks shipments, manages documents, and handles financial settlements.
2. Agent (CHA, Freight Forwarder, Transporter): Receives RFQs, submits detailed service-line bids, executes awarded jobs, updates milestones, and manages disbursements and receivables.
3. Vendor (Compliance, Packing, Warehousing): Receives specific work orders (e.g., certifications, packing), updates completion status, and raises invoices.
4. Platform Admin: Manages user/agent verification, monitors platform statistics, tracks revenue, and handles dispute resolution.

3. Core System Architecture Hierarchy

1. Marketplace Layer: Agent procurement via RFQ creation, supporting Prime Agency and Collaborative bidding modes.
2. Collaboration Management System (CMS): Multi-Agent Service Orchestration Engine treating shipments as graphs of services with dedicated owners and SLAs.
3. Operations Management Layer: Execution management across all logistics and compliance verticals.
4. Document Intelligence System: Central repository with versioning, OCR capabilities, and intelligent pre-transport document validation.
5. Settlement Engine: Financial control handling automated invoices, bidirectional adjustments (Debit/Credit Notes), out-of-pocket disbursements, and pre-fund wallets.
6. Intelligence & Compliance Engines: Includes EXIM Intelligence (risk/decision support), RoDTEP Ledger Validation, Export Benefit Identification, and Quality Inspection Orchestration.
7. Gamification System: Performance infrastructure scoring both clients and agents (tiers, ratings).

4. Functional Requirements

4.1. Client Workflows

Marketplace Mode (Procurement focus)

• RFQ Creation (7-Step Wizard):
  • Details: Shipment basics, Origin/Destination (multi-leg, ICD/CFS), Product details (HS Code, DG/Perishable flags), Incoterms.
  • Services: Core services (pickup, clearance, freight) & Compliance add-ons (COO, BIS, EPR).
• Bid Comparison: "Freight Kayak" style side-by-side comparison, auto-ranking (Fastest, Balanced, Cost-Effective), and ability to accept bids to auto-generate Jobs.

Bring Your Own Agent (BYOA) Mode (Operational focus)

• Agent Onboarding: 3-step invitation wizard for clients to onboard their trusted agents, capturing services offered and certifications.
• Smart Document Parser: OCR simulation to extract tracking numbers, routing, and product details directly from uploaded AWBs/BLs/Invoices.
• Manual Job Creation: Direct assignment of services to pre-selected agents without bidding.
• SLA Dashboard: Advanced analytics tracking on-time delivery %, document accuracy, and lane performance.

4.2. Agent Workflows

• RFQ Reception & Bid Builder: Ability to view incoming RFQs, select Prime or Collaborative mode, and submit granular bids (line-by-line costs, specific ETAs, validity windows).
• Job Execution: Manage assigned tasks, update milestones, upload completion documents, and communicate with clients via linked chat.
• Agent Profile & Gamification: Tier system (Bronze to Platinum) based on on-time delivery, bid accuracy, and total jobs. Display certifications and capabilities.

4.3. Shipment Execution & Tracking (OMS)

• Visual Shipment Timeline: Real-time tracking of milestones (Packing, Origin Pickup, Customs, Transit, Delivery).
• Milestone Details: Each step displays the assigned agent, required documents, status indicators, and updated ETAs.
• Job Completion Workflow: Requires agent handover confirmation and client receipt authorization, backed by state machine validation.

4.4. Document Management & Intelligence

• Intelligent Pre-Transport Check: Dynamic checklist generation based on Product Description and HS Code. Categorizes documents into Critical, Mandatory, Recommended, and splits responsibilities (Client vs. Agent).
• Document Repository Platform (DRP): Centralized storage, version control, and status tracking for all trade documents (Commercial Invoices, BLs, BOEs, IGMs).
• Automated Validation: Blocks shipment progression if "Critical" documents are missing.

4.5. Settlement & Financial Engine

• Automated Invoicing: Auto-generates itemized invoices upon authorized job completion, applying relevant taxes (e.g., GST).
• Financial Adjustments:
  • Bidirectional flow for Debit Notes (claims) and Credit Notes (refunds).
  • Approval workflows (Draft -> Submit -> Review -> Settle/Dispute).
• Disbursements Tracking: Records agent out-of-pocket expenses (Port charges, Customs duties) for client reimbursement.
• Pre-fund Wallets: Manage advance deposits, auto-deducting for invoices and disbursements.
• Payment Gateway Integration: Interface for processing settlements securely.

4.6. Vendor Workflows

• Work Order Management: Receive orders for specific tasks (Packing, Compliance, Warehousing), accept/reject workflow, and progress tracking.
• Vendor Invoicing: Raise invoices against completed work orders.

5. Non-Functional Requirements

• Technology Stack: React (18.3.1), TypeScript, Tailwind CSS, Zustand (State Management), Recharts.
• Architecture: Modular component design, state-based routing.
• User Experience: Real-time toast notifications, phase progress bars, interactive charts, and role-switcher for seamless demo/testing.
• Data Models: Robust TypeScript interfaces mapping to Jobs, Bids, RFQs, Users, Agents, Adjustments, and Disbursements.
• Future Backend Readiness: Designed for PostgreSQL (Prisma), REST APIs, and WebSockets.

6. Strategic Priority Roadmap

• P1: Service-oriented CMS, Bidding System 2.0, Shipment Service Graph, Document Intelligence. (Currently Implemented in Prototype)
• P2: Complete Settlements Engine, RoDTEP Validation, Export Benefit Engine. (Currently Implemented in Prototype)
• P3: Quality Inspection Node, Risk Engine, Intelligence Dashboards.
• P4: Trade Middleware Connectors (ICEGATE, DGFT), Banking & Insurance Layers.
• P5: AI Recommendations, Predictive Intelligence, Autonomous Trade Workflows.