Tools
Document Watch Assistant
A logistics desktop automation prototype for monitoring AN, DO, and DO-less documents, grouping ticket status by HBL or MBL, and reminding operators what still needs review.
Document Watch Assistant is a desktop automation prototype for freight forwarding and logistics document work. It watches a local or shared folder for Arrival Notice, Delivery Order, DO-less, Sea Waybill, and Telex Release files, then groups the document status by HBL or MBL so operators can see what has arrived, what is missing, and what needs manual confirmation.
The tool is designed as a document sensing layer, not as a fully autonomous logistics agent. It does not quote, enter records into a business system, send emails, or make final operational decisions by itself. Its job is to detect files, classify document type, connect related documents, and output local events that a future main workflow system can use.
What It Solves
Logistics document folders can become messy very quickly. Files may arrive by fax, shared folder, or email attachment. Operators need to know whether AN and DO have arrived, whether they belong to the correct HBL or MBL, and whether anything still needs confirmation.
This prototype turns that folder into a readable status panel. Instead of repeatedly checking the same directory, the operator can review grouped tickets, missing document reminders, and uncertain files in a manual review pool.
Core Capabilities
- Watches selected server folders or local folders.
- Copies files into a local staging directory without modifying the source folder.
- Identifies Arrival Notice, Delivery Order, DO-less, Sea Waybill, and Telex Release documents.
- Groups related documents by HBL or MBL.
- Shows statuses such as AN arrived, DO arrived, pending confirmation, complete, and archived.
- Supports port or keyword-based listening rules.
- Keeps uncertain files in a manual review pool instead of silently discarding them.
- Supports tray reminders and desktop notifications.
- Provides a local event outbox for future workflow or agent integration.
- Includes local OCR test capability for scanned PDF experiments.
Safety Boundary
The source folder is treated as read-only. The tool reads and copies files, but it does not delete, move, rename, or write back to the shared server directory. All processing happens in the local staging area.
Uncertain files are sent to manual review. This keeps the workflow safer for real operations where a missed or wrongly classified document can create downstream problems.
Future Integration
In a larger automation system, Document Watch Assistant can work as a document awareness module. It can emit events such as document arrived, ticket incomplete, manual review needed, or ticket ready for processing. A main workflow can then decide whether to create a task, notify an operator, prepare a draft email, or pass information into another business system.
OCR is treated as an optional assistive feature, not the main promise. The strongest value of the tool is folder monitoring, document classification, ticket grouping, missing-document reminders, and a safe manual review path.