Most organizations don’t have a shortage of trade reference data. They have good systems, experienced teams, and reference data they trust. What they often lack is a way to get that data in front of the right person at the right moment.
Schmidt’s framing is clear: This isn’t a data problem, it’s a timing problem. The reference data may be correct at the point of extraction, but the business only sees it after a decision has already been made. And in global trade, that gap shows up everywhere. Procurement teams make sourcing calls based on landed cost estimates. Logistics teams move goods on assumptions about duty rates. Classification teams review HS codes that may have shifted since the last review cycle. Export compliance teams check license requirements against control lists that update on their own schedule.
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