How do I map my tariff exposure before a new tariff takes effect?
Build a line-level view of what you import by HTS/HS code and country of origin, then match those codes against the announced measure. Exposure lives at the code-and-origin level rather than the supplier level, so start from the codes actually filed at entry instead of the purchasing system.
Written by Raja Torain. Published 2026-08-21, last reviewed 2026-08-26.
Start from actual entry data rather than the purchasing system: the codes filed at entry are the codes that will be taxed.
Include open purchase orders and goods already in transit. Those are the positions you can least easily change and the ones that hit margin first.
What I Check First
- 1.Which HTS codes and origins account for most of my duty spend?
- 2.What is already on the water under the old rate?
- 3.Which classifications are weakly supported and would not survive review?
In practice
Exposure mapping is where structural options surface: deferring duty through an FTZ and a Class 3 bonded warehouse so payment aligns with the sales cycle rather than the arrival date, for example.
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Source links verified 2026-08-26.