The Canadian Border Services Agency (CBSA) defines a single shipment as a collection of specified goods listed in a single bill of lading or waybill for transport between two or more people. When transmitting data for a single shipment, a pre-arrival electronic cargo document is required. A single bill of lading represents one shipment, but may include multiple descriptions from multiple invoices, and will have one shipper and one consignee.

A consolidated shipment is defined as multiple shipments grouped together by a consolidator or freight forwarder and shipped as one shipment under one bill of lading and reported to Customs using one cargo control document. The carrier must provide the electronic cargo document including shipper name and address, consignee name and address, general description of goods, weight, and pieces. The freight forwarder or consolidator must provide the electronic house bill document with additional details, including shipper and consignee names and addresses, detailed description of goods, weight, and pieces. To transmit the house bill data, the freight forwarder or consolidator must have a CBSA-assigned carrier code. The implementation of eManifest does not change business-to-business relationships and trade partners should use CBSA guidelines and documents to determine who is responsible for transmitting the required data.