The logistics industry is moving into a new era of automation-led efficiency, and the CargoWise Value Pack (CVP) sits at the center of this transformation. With a redesigned pricing model, expanded features, automated cost recovery, and upcoming AI-driven workflows, businesses now have the opportunity to reduce operational overhead, improve job profitability, and run smarter, more scalable logistics processes.
But with change comes these questions.
- How will the Automation Fee impact billing?
- What new features do teams get under the Value Pack?
- How does the transition work?
- Will accounting, reporting, and multi-branch operations change?
- What role will AI play in day-to-day workflows?
This guide breaks down every major area, Pricing, Features, Transition, Usage, Reporting & Billing, and AI Capabilities, in a simple FAQ format so logistics teams can get the clarity they need. Whether you’re a freight forwarder, customs broker, warehouse operator, or global logistics provider, these answers will help you understand exactly what the CVP means for your business.
And at the end, you’ll find how Elicit Technology can support your transition and help your teams unlock the full value of the new model.
Pricing: Your Key Questions About the CargoWise Value Pack (CVP), Answered
What exactly is the new pricing model under the CargoWise Value Pack?
The CargoWise Value Pack introduces a transaction-based pricing structure, centered around the CargoWise Automation Fee.
This fee is intentionally designed so that you can pass it directly to your customers, the importer or exporter, rather than absorbing it as your internal software cost.
Because the Automation Fee is treated as a disbursement, not a software expense:
- Your P&L exposure drops significantly,
- In many cases, your CargoWise cost can be almost completely removed,
- And you gain access to a much wider set of features that were previously add-ons or separately billed.
In short, CVP aims to make CargoWise cheaper to operate while improving customer experience and operational efficiency through expanded functionality.
How is the CargoWise Automation Fee calculated? Are there minimums or thresholds?
The Automation Fee is charged per logistics transaction, using the public community price list.
There are:
- No usage tiers,
- No volume-based discounts,
- No scaling multipliers,
Only a small minimum monthly charge (similar to the STL model), and only if your usage is extremely low.
Does the fee change based on shipment type, customs procedure, or business size?
CargoWise uses a transparent, standardized pricing grid that does not depend on the size of your business. The rate is based on:
- Shipment mode (air/sea/road)
- Direction (import/export/domestic)
- Whether the job is forwarding or a standalone customs
But business size and volume do not affect pricing.
Is there a public price list for the Value Packs?
Yes. CargoWise has published:
- Full community pricing
- Complete feature inclusions
- A breakdown of what comes with each Value Pack
These charges are typically a tiny share of your customer’s landed cost, making them easy to justify as a standard industry fee, similar to terminal charges, ICS/AMS filings, port fees, etc.
How does CVP compare to the old STL invoices?
The new model is significantly simpler:
- No seat licenses
- No Cloud hosting charges
- Fewer micro-fees
- One unified Automation Fee that is designed to be recovered from your customers
If configured properly, your P&L will show much lower CargoWise costs than under STL.
Plus, you get access to new AI features like the Agentic AI Workflow Engine, which can increase efficiency and reduce labor costs.
Will CVP cost less over time?
For most forwarders and brokers, yes, especially if you follow the recommended billing setup.
CargoWise intentionally redesigned the commercial model so you can:
- Recover most or all transaction fees
- Operate CargoWise with minimal internal cost
- Improve margins without changing shipment volumes
Actual savings depend on your billing practices, but internal modeling suggests significant P&L improvement is achievable.
Do previous volume discounts or STL agreements carry over?
No. The CVP model replaces all previous pricing structures, including volume discounts.
Because the Automation Fee is treated as a pass-through disbursement, there is no discounting mechanism.
Are there any pricing tiers or long-term commitments?
No tiers.
No locks.
No minimum volumes.
Only a basic minimum monthly charge for very low usage, identical to the STL approach.
How does billing and invoicing work now?
Exactly the same way as before on the invoicing side:
- You still get a monthly CargoWise invoice
- Automation Fees flow automatically onto your customer invoices
- In the recommended setup, they bypass your P&L completely
Your internal processes for disbursement, billing, cost allocation, and entity reporting continue without major change.
Can I simulate or compare STL vs CVP cost exposure?
Yes, and CargoWise provides tools to help.
But the simplest way to understand CVP’s impact is this:
If you pass the Automation Fee to your customer (as intended), your P&L cost for CargoWise will drop—often dramatically.
If you choose not to recover the fee, the model still works, but you will not benefit from the financial upside.
What happens to STL discounts after switching to CVP?
They disappear because the whole pricing system is redesigned.
Commitment-contract customers will be contacted separately to review how CVP impacts their arrangements.
How is the Automation Fee triggered?
The fee is applied per job, based on the operational event and job type.
- It appears on the billing tab after job registration
- Standalone customs processes incur their own charges
- The fee is not tied to who the billing party is or where the shipment moves
The logic is consistent, transparent, and predictable.
Can CVP charges be split across branches or subsidiaries?
Yes. All multi-entity and multi-branch reporting and allocations continue working exactly as before.
CargoWise’s internal accounting, MyAccount reporting, and project-based allocations remain fully supported.
Is there a preview or tool to show how the Automation Fee appears?
Yes, CargoWise now provides Pro Forma Automation Fee documents directly inside Forwarding and Customs jobs, so teams can see exactly how the fee will be reflected.
Will CargoWise increase prices later?
There are no planned increases at this time, but WiseTech reserves the right to adjust pricing in the future.
Are CCLP and training discounts still available?
No, because Value Packs include:
- Most of WiseTech Academy’s course library
- The Diplomas
- Black Belt in Thinking
- And many training resources were previously billed separately
Third-party courses (e.g., IATA DG training) may still carry provider fees.
Can customers uplift the Automation Fee on the invoice?
Not by default. However, you can:
- Remove the Automation Fee and absorb the cost
- Add a separate margin line or service fee
- Manually edit invoice presentation
But the automated system will always add the Automation Fee unless you remove it manually, invoice-by-invoice.
Is there a setting to stop the Automation Fee from being added automatically?
No global setting. The design is intentional: CargoWise wants the Automation Fee to be a recoverable service, not an internal software cost.
Does CargoWise use a fixed USD exchange rate?
No. Billing is in USD, but conversion into local currency follows:
- Your internal exchange rate setup
- Your CFX configuration
- Your daily/monthly rate rules
This matches how most forwarding A/P and A/R transactions already work.
How should I explain the Automation Fee to my customers?
A good approach is to position it as a standard industry disbursement, similar to:
- Terminal handling fees
- Government agency fees
- Customs authority charges
- Security and compliance surcharges
It represents the digital infrastructure and automation used to manage their shipment, just like other costs that contribute to landed cost.
How is the Automation Fee treated inside CargoWise accounting?
This is the most important point: The Automation Fee is handled as a balance-sheet disbursement, not a P&L cost.
CargoWise automatically:
- Creates a disbursement accrual (JRJ)
- Puts the cost into a dedicated payable
- Generates a mirrored receivable disbursement to your customer
- Clears the accounts when AR/AP is posted
Because it never hits the profit & loss, your internal CargoWise platform becomes significantly cheaper to operate.
Features: What Do You Actually Get with the CargoWise Value Pack?
Which modules and functions are included in the CargoWise Value Packs?
Each Value Pack bundles together the full functional stack for a specific area of your business:
- The Forwarding Value Pack includes core forwarding, related customs processes, and formal import/export procedures tied to forwarding jobs.
- The Customs Value Pack covers standalone customs clearance processes.
- Separate Value Packs also exist for Warehousing and Land Transport, each bundling the capabilities you’d expect for those operations.
In simple terms: if a module isn’t explicitly listed as excluded, you should assume it’s included in the relevant Value Pack.
Are all existing features included, or are there any exclusions?
- Almost everything you use today in forwarding and customs is included.
- Only a small number of “Excluded” or premium services sit outside the Value Packs, typically niche or rarely used functions. These have little to no impact on the day-to-day usage for most Forwarding Agents or Customs Brokers.
- If it’s not specifically called out as excluded, it’s part of your Value Pack.
Are future features and enhancements included in the Value Pack price?
Yes, in most cases. When CargoWise ships new functionality that logically belongs to a Value Pack (for example, forwarding, customs, warehousing, or transport enhancements), those features are generally included at no extra charge.
Some features will:
- Apply across multiple Value Packs
- Be targeted to a specific Value Pack (e.g., Customs-only tools)
But the overall philosophy is: new capabilities tied to the Value Pack are included, not sold as separate add-ons.
Is WiseTech Academy training included, or does it still cost extra?
Most of WiseTech Academy’s content is now bundled into the Value Packs at no additional cost, including:
- Diploma of Customs Brokerage
- Diploma of International Forwarding
- Black Belt in Thinking (management course)
Only a handful of third-party programs (such as IATA Dangerous Goods training) may still carry external fees. In these cases, WiseTech simply passes through the provider’s cost without markup.
So for most CargoWise users, training becomes far more accessible and affordable.
What isn’t included and still billed separately?
Only:
- Specific Excluded Items, and
- Certain optional or rarely-used premium services
These don’t affect the standard Forwarding or Customs Value Packs for the typical freight forwarder or broker.
Anything not specifically excluded is considered part of the bundle.
Will we lose any functionality when we move to the Value Pack model?
No — the opposite.
You keep your current capabilities and, in most cases, gain access to more modules and tools than under the old model.
- The Value Pack approach is built to:
- Expand your functional footprint
- Support higher productivity
Improve profitability (assuming you adopt the recommended billing/recovery setup)
What are the new “Agentic AI” capabilities everyone is talking about?
CargoWise is rolling out a new generation of AI-powered engines designed to handle high-risk, high-complexity areas such as:
- Formal export procedures
- Formal import procedures
- International trade compliance
These are not generic chatbots, they’re task-focused AI agents that:
- Follow strict workflows
- Reduce the chance of “hallucination.”
- Work alongside your operators to cut manual effort
Over time, the Agentic AI Workflow Engine and AI Management Engine will automate more tasks, making operations more scalable and efficient.
These AI capabilities are included in the Value Packs, with early or “in-development” features accessible via a Trial Access Addendum (TAA) for customers on the new commercial model.
Which AI tools are available from day one?
Right out of the gate, Value Pack customers can use:
- AI Classification Assistant
- ComplianceWise
- ACE AI Chatbot
- AI-assisted document ingestion
These are production-ready tools designed to assist with classification, compliance checks, support questions, and document automation.
Additional AI automations will be rolled out progressively.
Is there a difference between the Forwarding and standalone Customs Value Packs?
Yes. The Forwarding Value Pack includes all customs processes related to forwarding shipments. That means no extra customs charges on top of forwarding for formal import/export linked to a forwarding job.
The Customs Value Pack is aimed at brokers performing standalone customs clearance (where there is no forwarding job in CargoWise).
Other Value Packs cover Warehousing and Land Transport separately.
Is container automation, warehousing, airfreight, and customs all included?
Here’s the high-level breakdown:
- Forwarding Value Pack
- All freight forwarding workflows
- Related customs steps tied to forwarding jobs
- Formal import and export procedures linked to shipments
- Customs Value Pack
- All formal import/export customs features for standalone customs jobs
- Warehousing Value Pack
- Contract warehousing (product-based)
- eCommerce warehouses
- Duty deferral warehouses
- Related warehouse capabilities
- Charges are not automatically passed on to the logistics customer by default
- Land Transport Value Pack
- All land transport features (linehaul, FTL/LTL, distribution, etc.)
- Charges are also not automatically passed through by default
What happens to RF device charges in warehouses?
Those are gone. Under the new commercial model:
- No handheld device license fees
- No forklift-mounted device fees
- No “per device” usage charges
CargoWise is now pricing based on the value delivered to the logistics customer, not the number of devices, seats, or inputs used.
Can I choose only Warehousing without Forwarding, or mix and match Value Packs?
No.Once you are moved to the new commercial model:
- STL is retired for your account
- Seat-fee logic is removed, so blending STL and CVP is not technically or commercially feasible
You can’t selectively stay on STL for some modules and move to CVP for others. The model is all-in for the notified customer.
How does language licensing work in the new model?
All supported languages are now included at no additional charge under the CargoWise Value Pack model.
The old “Bundled Language Pack” concept is no longer relevant, multilingual capability is simply part of the standard offer.
Transition: What Logistics Teams Need to Know About Moving to the CargoWise Value Pack
What steps are involved in moving to the CargoWise Value Packs?
For most CargoWise customers, nothing needs to be done manually. The transition is fully automated. All default Value Pack configurations come pre-enabled.
Customers who currently operate under commitment agreements will be contacted directly, as they may benefit even more from the new commercial model, including access to upcoming AI workflow engines and the expanded module set released over the past year.
Is switching to the new model mandatory?
Yes, for customers who received an official Value Pack notification, the transition is required. Once the changeover happens, the old STL pricing model is no longer available or supported.
Can we revert to STL pricing after the switch?
No. The shift to the Value Pack model is permanent. This change is driven largely by the advancements in AI-driven automation, compliance requirements, and the need for a unified commercial structure across the ecosystem.
The STL model will be fully retired.
When did the rollout happen?
The rollout took place on December 1, 2025. If your company had been notified, your subscription automatically moved to the CVP model on that date.
Does the transition require any system implementation work?
No additional setup is needed. The transition happens automatically on the specified date.
However, teams may require some time to familiarize themselves with:
- New billing behavior
- Updated workflows
- Agentic AI features
- Automation Fee treatment
Training and support are recommended to ensure a smooth internal adjustment.
Is the migration automatic or opt-in?
It is automatic. If your company is part of the rollout group, the transition will occur without needing approval or intervention.
Will the Automation Fee automatically appear as a disbursement?
Yes. For the Forwarding Value Pack and Customs Broker Value Pack, the system automatically posts the Automation Fee as a recoverable disbursement on the customer invoice.
For Warehousing and Land Transport Value Packs, this behavior does not apply by default.
Do we need to take any action to receive the Value Pack?
No action is required on your side. If your company received the notification, the CVP becomes active automatically.
Why is WiseTech now managing system updates directly?
Under the old STL model, customers paid separately for cloud hosting and could choose when to apply updates.
With the Value Pack model:
- Cloud hosting fees are eliminated
- WiseTech takes full responsibility for maintaining system stability, security, and compliance
- Cybersecurity requirements demand more frequent and timely patching
- AI and modern automation rely on standardized infrastructure
As a result, updates and patches are pushed automatically, similar to modern SaaS platforms.
How will updates and patches be scheduled moving forward?
Starting December 2025, WiseTech will:
- Publish a centralized upgrade and patch schedule
- Roll out updates progressively across DPR, STD, and GPR rings
- Apply critical security patches urgently when required
- Deliver most upgrades outside core business hours to minimize disruption
- Continue publishing update notes in MyAccount as soon as new features are live
Regardless of when updates are applied, the Value Pack pricing model will govern all billing from December 1, 2025.
Why am I seeing the new CargoWise Next interface?
CargoWise Next has been gradually rolled out to most users throughout 2025.
If you were still on CargoWise One, the transition to Value Packs triggers an automatic upgrade to CargoWise Next, ensuring:
- Full compatibility with the new model
- Access to updated features
- Support for AI engines and automation tools
- Unified user experience
In many cases, the interface had already been pre-installed, it is simply being activated.
Usage, Reporting & Billing: How CargoWise Value Packs Change Day-to-Day Operations
Can we add more users without extra cost?
Yes. With the Value Pack model, user-based licensing is gone. Whether your team has a single user or thousands across branches, you can add users at no charge.
Over time, CargoWise will introduce expectations around operator training, but this will be phased in gradually.
Are CargoWise Cloud hosting fees still billed separately?
No. All standard cloud hosting fees are now absorbed within the Value Pack. That means no additional hosting-related line items on your invoice.
Will MyAccount and usage reports still be available?
Yes. Your reporting tools, usage logs, and account management dashboards remain unchanged and fully accessible.
How is the Automation Fee applied, by billing party, direction, or shipment type?
None of the above. The Automation Fee is triggered per job, based strictly on the operational event and job type recorded in CargoWise.
Shipment direction or billing party does not influence the charge.
Can charges be separated by branch, entity, or region?
Yes. CargoWise continues to support detailed cost allocation across:
- Branches
- Business divisions
- Legal entities
If you use internal allocation rules today, they will continue to work the same way under the CVP model.
How does billing work for multi-entity structures?
Multi-entity operations behave exactly as they do today. Each entity’s shipment activity rolls up into the group’s overall usage and feeds into the monthly invoice.
Is there a sample invoice to understand how the new charges appear?
Yes. A pro forma invoice is visible in Forwarding and Customs jobs, displaying how the Automation Fee appears when passed to your logistics customer.
Is passing the Automation Fee to customers optional?
No, for specific Value Packs, this is a system-wide default.
For Forwarding and Customs Value Packs, the Automation Fee automatically flows through as a disbursement.
However, you may manually:
- Remove the line
- Modify how the fee is treated in your P&L
- Replace it with a margin or service line
But the default behavior is automated and cannot be disabled globally.
If a job is deactivated, does the Automation Fee still apply?
The fee appears only when the billing tab is accessed after the job has been fully registered.
If the shipment is canceled before invoicing, it can still be reused, unless:
- An invoice has already been posted, or
- A customs declaration has been submitted
So improper or duplicate jobs do not automatically incur charges.
What triggers the pricing calculation, job creation date or shipment details?
The charge is triggered exclusively by shipment information, and only when:
- The shipment is registered and saved
- The billing tab is accessed for the first time
The job header open date does not influence charge calculation.
If an export job starts in November and the import side continues into December, which model applies?
The Value Pack applies to any job where the first invoice is created on or after December 1, 2025.
So in this example, the import job opened in December would fall under the new model.
Where does the Automation Fee appear in the system?
A new charge line appears on the shipment billing tab once the shipment is fully registered and the billing tab is opened.
It is treated as a shipment-level charge linked directly to the operational event.
AI & Future Capabilities: What CargoWise Value Pack Users Can Expect
What AI features are available immediately?
CargoWise Value Pack users will gain instant access to several AI-driven tools designed to reduce manual work, improve accuracy, and streamline compliance-heavy processes. These include:
- AI Classification Assistant – helps operators classify goods more accurately and faster.
- ComplianceWise – supports trade and regulatory compliance checks.
- ACE AI Chatbot – an AI-powered assistant that answers procedural questions and guides users through workflows.
- AI-Assisted Document Ingestion – extracts, validates, and structures data from documents automatically.
Beyond these tools, CargoWise is building out a large library of “Agentic AI.”
personas—specialized task-focused AI models designed to perform routine operational work at scale. These agents will expand over time and aim to significantly reduce manual workload across forwarding, customs, compliance, and finance functions.
When was broader AI workflow automation activated?
The core AI features have been actived on December 1, 2025, along with the Value Pack transition.
Additional capabilities, such as the Agentic AI Workflow Engine and enhanced AI Management Engine, were rolled out gradually.
For customers who wish to start using early-stage AI automations, CargoWise offers access through a Trial Access Addendum (TAA).
This allows selected customers to test in-development AI tools directly in production environments. TAAs are only available for companies operating under the Value Pack model.
Will these AI capabilities be part of CargoWise Next?
Yes. All next-generation AI features are exclusive to:
- CargoWise Next
- CargoWise Value Packs
Users remaining on older versions will not have access to these new automation engines or AI-assisted workflows.
Is the Classification Assistant included at no extra cost?
Yes. The Classification Assistant is part of the standard Value Pack offering and is available immediately.
Customers interested in testing additional AI models, especially those still in early development, can request access through the TAA program.
How Elicit Technology Helps You Implement the CargoWise Value Pack (CVP)
Transitioning to a new commercial model is more than just turning on a feature, it requires aligning billing, workflows, accounting, automations, and daily processes across your organization. Elicit Technology ensures that every part of your CargoWise environment is optimized and CVP-ready.
What do We Help You Achieve?
Correct the Automation Fee configuration so the cost is recovered from customers and not absorbed into your P&L.
Accurate accounting setup for clearing, accruals, disbursement posting, and branch-level reporting.
Workflow and registry optimization to ensure your forwarding, customs, and finance teams operate smoothly under the new model.
AI readiness support, helping you adopt tools like Classification Assistant, ComplianceWise, and document ingestion.
Ongoing training and support so your teams stay confident and compliant as WiseTech continues rolling out new AI agents and automation capabilities.
With proper configuration and guidance, the CVP model doesn’t just simplify billing, it can dramatically increase profitability, reduce labor effort, and modernize the way your logistics organization operates.
Conclusion
The CargoWise Value Pack marks a major shift in how logistics companies will manage operations, cost recovery, and automation going forward. Understanding the pricing, features, workflows, and AI roadmap is essential, but implementing it correctly is what determines your success.
With the right setup, the CVP can help your business:
- Reduce or eliminate P&L impact
- Streamline forwarding and customs workflows
- Enable faster billing and clearer reporting
- Unlock powerful automation and AI capabilities
- Scale operations without adding headcount
This is more than a pricing change, it’s an opportunity to modernize your logistics technology stack.
As a trusted CargoWise service partner, Elicit Technology can guide you through every step of your CVP transition, configuration, workflow redesign, accounting alignment, AI setup, and ongoing support.
Schedule a demo today to ensure your move to the CargoWise Value Pack is smooth, compliant, and built for maximum ROI.
