CargoWise Value Pack (CVP): A Fully Informative FAQ Guide for Logistics Leaders

The CargoWise Value Pack (CVP) marks a significant shift in the way logistics technology is priced, delivered, and scaled. It shifts CargoWise’s focus away from traditional software licensing and toward a transaction-aligned, automation-ready operating model, one designed to support modern freight forwarding, customs, warehousing, and transportation operations.

This FAQ-style guide explains how the CargoWise Value Pack works, why it was introduced, and how it affects pricing, billing, operations, reporting, and artificial intelligence adoption. It is aimed at freight forwarders, customs brokers, warehouse operators, and multi-entity logistics groups who seek clarity, confidence, and answers.

What is the CargoWise Value Pack Model?

The CargoWise Value Pack model is a new commercial framework that replaces the previous STL pricing model. Instead of charging for system access through a combination of seat licenses, individual module fees, and cloud hosting costs, CVP uses published community pricing applied per eligible logistics transaction.

This structure ensures that:

• Costs scale with operational activity rather than system configuration
• Monthly charges are easier to forecast
• Pricing is clearly linked to the value created at the shipment or job level

Why did Cargowise Introduce the Value Pack Model?

The decision was driven by several long-term insights:

• Customers found STL pricing difficult to predict and reconcile
• Accessing new features often required additional fees, slowing adoption
• Many customers wanted a clearer way to recover technology costs
• AI-driven capabilities require a simpler, standardised commercial foundation

The Value Pack model addresses these challenges by bundling functionality, simplifying pricing, and supporting faster adoption of automation and AI.

What Cargowise Value Packs are Available?

There are four CargoWise Value Packs, each aligned to a specific operational domain:

Forwarding Value Pack: Covers all freight forwarding workflows, plus related customs procedures, including formal import and export declarations linked to forwarding jobs.

Stand-Alone Customs/Customs Broker Value Pack: Designed for businesses performing formal customs entries without a forwarding job in CargoWise.

Contract Warehouse Manager Value Pack: Includes contract (product-based) warehousing, eCommerce warehouses, duty-deferral facilities, and all related warehouse functions.

Land Transport Value Pack: Covers domestic and regional land transport operations, including linehaul, distribution, and associated workflows.

Each Value Pack includes the entire functional scope for that area. A small, well-defined list of excluded or optional premium services is billed separately.

Can I Choose Which Value Packs to Use?

Yes. Customers can select Value Packs that match their operational footprint. However, STL and CVP cannot operate concurrently.

When a customer transitions to CVP:

• All STL pricing (including seat licenses) is retired
• Any prepaid or unused STL balances are carried forward and applied as a credit top-up against future CVP invoices until exhausted

What is the Cargowise Automation Fee?

The CargoWise Automation Fee is the transaction charge applied under the Value Pack model.

For the Forwarding Value Pack and Stand-Alone Customs Value Pack, the default configuration is

• Automatically passes the fee to the logistics customer
• Displays it as a separate line called “CargoWise Automation Fee.”
• Treats it as a disbursement, not a software expense

Because disbursements are posted to balance-sheet accounts rather than the profit and loss statement, this setup can significantly reduce, or even eliminate, CargoWise costs from internal operating expenses.

Does the Automation Fee Apply to All Value Packs?

By default:

• Forwarding and Customs Broker Value Packs pass the fee through to customer invoices
• Warehouse and Land Transport Value Packs do not pass charges through automatically

Customers may still choose to recover warehouse or transport fees if it suits their billing model.

What Commercial Behavior does WiseTech Expect?

WiseTech expects the Automation Fee to be transparently recovered from the importer or exporter as a pass-through disbursement, similar to other standard logistics charges.

If a customer chooses not to recover the fee, it will be recorded as a P&L expense.

How is the Value Pack Model Expected to Impact System Costs?

The Value Pack model is designed to reduce CargoWise costs and improve margins when the Automation Fee is recovered as intended. Customers who choose not to recover the fee may see costs remain similar to STL or increase depending on transaction volumes and operational mix.

Pricing :

How does Pricing Work Under the CargoWise Value Pack?

CVP pricing is based on a public community price list, which is published in USD and applies consistently to all customers. Charges are applied per eligible logistics transaction, not per user or module.

This creates:

• Greater transparency
• Fairness across customers
• A direct connection between operational activity and system cost

How is the Transaction Fee Calculated and Triggered?

The CargoWise Value Pack transaction fee is calculated per eligible job and accrues when value is formally created in the system.

The fee is triggered when any of the following occurs, whichever happens first:

• The job or shipment is registered/saved
• The job is created via EDI or system integration, triggering a Shipment Registered event
• The Billing tab is accessed for the first time
• A formal customs declaration is lodged

For stand-alone customs jobs, a single fee applies per import or export entry. Where customs declarations are attached to forwarding shipments, they are included at no additional charge.

Important Clarification: House vs Master Charges

Under the Forwarding Value Pack, the Automation Fee is typically applied at the Shipment (House) level, as this represents the primary commercial transaction with the actual cargo owner.

In practice:

• A full Automation Fee (for example, ~USD 19.95 for an import FCL) applies per shipment (house).
• In consolidation scenarios, a separate, smaller Gateway or Master-level fee (often ~USD 3.95) may also apply to the consolidation itself

This means a master bill containing multiple house shipments will usually incur multiple shipment-level fees, not a single charge.

Why this matters:

Assuming only one fee applies to a master with many houses can result in serious cost underestimation and budgeting shortfalls for consolidators.

Safeguards Against Overcharging

CargoWise includes built-in safeguards:

• Multiple users touching the same shipment do not create extra fees
• Cancelled jobs are not charged unless billing or customs filing has occurred
• Fees are not duplicated across workflows
• A minimum monthly charge applies only in extremely low-usage scenarios

Can STL and CVP Operate at the Same Time?

No. STL and CVP cannot operate concurrently. Once a customer transitions to the Value Pack model, all STL-based pricing, including seat licenses, is fully retired.

Any prepaid or unused STL balances are carried forward and applied as a credit top-up against future CVP invoices until exhausted, ensuring continuity without double-charging.

How does the Transaction Fee Appear on Invoices, and How Is It Accounted For?

By default, the Automation Fee appears on customer invoices as a disbursement labelled “CargoWise Automation Fee.” The fee is configured to post to balance-sheet accounts, not operating expense accounts.

When recovered as intended, the fee bypasses the P&L while maintaining full accounting traceability.

What Charges Are Not Included in the Value Packs?

Value Packs are intentionally inclusive. Only a small number of excluded items and optional premium services are billed individually.

Standard CargoWise cloud hosting remains included.

From February 2026, premium cloud services will be billed separately only where applicable, typically for:

• Excess data usage from unusually large document volumes
• Extended system log retention, such as 7-year regulatory requirements
• Most customers operating within standard thresholds will see no additional cloud charges.

Will Prices Change Over Time?

There are no price increases planned at this time. Any future pricing changes will be shared via the official community pricing pages and standard customer update channels.

Billing, Accounting, And Reporting

How do Month-End Invoices Look Under CVP?

Customers continue to receive a monthly CargoWise invoice. Under CVP, invoices are

• Clearer
• More predictable
• Free of seat licenses and standard cloud hosting fees.

When automation fees are passed through as disbursements, they bypass the P&L and can boost margins.

Can Charges Be Allocated Across Branches and Entities?

Yes. CargoWise continues to provide support for:

• Branch-based allocation
• Divisional-level reporting
• Legal entity and multi-entity group structures

All standard reporting tools and MyAccount features remain available.

Is Job-Level Reporting Available For Reconciliation?

Yes. Postings include detailed job-level identifiers and references, allowing finance teams and auditors to conduct a clean reconciliation.

Are Invoice Previews Available?

Yes. Pro forma invoice views are available in Forwarding and Customs jobs, demonstrating how the Automation Fee will appear on customer invoices.

Features, Updates, And Training

What Features are Included in the Value Packs?

Most forwarding, customs, warehousing, and transport features are included at no additional cost, subject to the Value Pack scope.

Are Updates and New Features Included?

Yes. The majority of Value Pack updates and enhancements are provided at no additional cost. Some features apply to all Value Packs, while others are limited to specific operational areas.

Is WiseTech Academy Training Included?

Yes. Most WiseTech Academy programs are included, such as

• Diploma of Customs Broking
• Diploma of International Forwarding
• Black Belt in Thinking

Some third-party courses (for example, IATA Dangerous Goods) may carry external provider fees.

How does Language Licensing Work?

All supported languages are included by default. The former “Bundled Language Pack” is no longer required.

Transition to the Value Pack Model

What Happened on 1 December 2025?

Customers who received the notification transitioned automatically on 1 December 2025. No implementation work was required. The change is mandatory and irreversible for notified customers.

Can the Transition Be Delayed or Reversed?

No. The STL model is being retired as part of an industry-wide move toward AI-enabled, scalable logistics platforms.

What Happens to Prepaid or Unused STL Balances?

Any prepaid or unused STL balances are credited forward to future CVP invoices. Billing safeguards prevent double-charging during the transition.

How Many Customers Have Already Been Upgraded?

Approximately 95% of CargoWise customers are already on the Value Pack model, with the remainder pending due to contractual requirements.

How Should I Explain the Automation Fee to Customers?

The Automation Fee can be viewed as a small, transparent technology charge built into the shipment’s landed cost that reflects the automation, compliance, and digital infrastructure used to manage the shipment.

Why do I Now See Cargowise Next?

As part of the transition, customers still on CargoWise One were automatically moved to CargoWise Next, which supports modern automation and AI capabilities.

How are System Updates Managed Now?

Updates and patches are rolled out automatically and centrally by WiseTech Global, following structured release rings. This ensures strong security, stability, and access to all included features.

Usage Questions

If a Shipment Is Cancelled, Will the Automation Fee Apply?

The Automation Fee accrues when value is formally created in the system—such as shipment or job registration, EDI creation, or customs filing—and may also be triggered when the Billing tab is accessed, whichever occurs first.

Cancelled shipments can be reused only if no registration-triggered fee event has occurred.

What Happens If a Job Changes Mode?

The freight mode at the time of billing determines which transaction fee is applied.

Can I Add More Users at No Cost?

Yes. Seat fees have been removed. You can add users without additional charges, although training expectations for operators and managers will be introduced gradually.

Will My Account and Usage Reports Remain Available?

Yes. All existing MyAccount and usage reporting continues unchanged.

AI And Future Capabilities

What AI Tools are Available Today?

From December 2025, CVP customers can access:

• AI Classification Assistant
• ComplianceWise
• ACE AI Chatbot
• AI-assisted document ingestion

These tools are designed to reduce manual effort, improve accuracy, and support scalable operations.

What are Agentic AI Workflow Engines?

Agentic AI workflow engines are specialized AI agents built to automate complex logistics tasks such as formal import/export procedures and trade compliance. They are designed for accuracy, operate continuously, and scale without additional labor costs.

Can Customers Access In-Development AI Tools?

Yes. Customers on CVP can request early access to in-development AI features through a Trial Access Addendum (TAA).

Getting More Value From CVP With Carguber

While the transition to CVP is automatic, optimizing it requires expertise. Carguber supports logistics organizations by:

• Designing effective Automation Fee recovery
• Aligning accounting and reporting
• Optimizing workflows and registries
• Preparing teams for AI-enabled operations

Final Takeaway

The CargoWise Value Pack is more than just a pricing update; it serves as the foundation for automated, scalable logistics operations. With the right understanding and configuration, CVP can help your company cut internal costs, increase margins, and position itself for long-term growth.

Book a call with Carguber today to ensure that your CargoWise Value Pack is optimized for clarity, control, and maximum ROI.