Side by side
| Spreadsheet plus the CBSA PDF | BSF186 app | |
|---|---|---|
| Building the list | You type every item, room by room. | You photograph each room. An AI model lists the goods it sees with a customs-style description and a category. |
| Values | You estimate a used value for each line. | Each item comes with a suggested used value in Canadian dollars. Values are estimates; you change any of them. |
| List A and List B | Two tabs or a column you keep in step, plus two totals. | Move any item between List A (goods with you) and List B (goods to follow) with one tap. Totals update. |
| Getting it onto the form | You copy summary lines and totals into the PDF and print the spreadsheet as the attachment. | One PDF: the filled BSF186, the itemized attachment and a second copy of List B for the officer to stamp. |
| Photos | Separate, if you take them. | A photo appendix in the same PDF, each photo captioned with the items it shows. |
| Vehicles | You copy the VIN, year, make and model. | Scan the VIN barcode or type it. The app looks up year, make and model. |
| Already have a spreadsheet? | Keep using it. | Export List A and List B as CSV, edit them in your spreadsheet, and import them back. New rows become new items. |
| Cost | Free. | First 20 photos and one vehicle free (exports carry a VOID watermark). A photo pack is one $25 in-app purchase. |
Either way, you check the form
A spreadsheet or the app, the form is yours: you sign it and the border services officer decides. With the app, every item the AI lists is a draft until you review it. Add serial numbers and correct quantities before you sign.
Questions
Can I attach a spreadsheet to form BSF186?
The form has room for only a few summary lines, so a full household goes on an attached list. Many people build that list in a spreadsheet and print it. The app builds the same kind of itemized attachment from your photos.
Do I have to list every item separately?
Itemize anything of value, with serial numbers where an item has one. Everyday things are often grouped, for example "kitchen dishes and cookware, 2 boxes". The app suggests a customs-style description for each item and you can edit or group lines yourself.
How do I value used goods for the BSF186?
Values are the used value in Canadian dollars. In a spreadsheet you estimate each one yourself. The app suggests a used value for each item; these are estimates and you can change any of them before you export.
Can I keep my spreadsheet and still use the app?
Yes. In the app, Lists CSV emails or shares List A and List B as a CSV file. Edit it in any spreadsheet, add your own rows with the id column left empty, and import it back. The app shows what will be added, changed and deleted before anything changes; items you remove from the file are deleted.
How much does the app cost compared with a spreadsheet?
A spreadsheet and the official BSF186 form are free. In the app, your first 20 photos and one vehicle are free, with a VOID watermark on exports. A photo pack is one $25 in-app purchase with 200 photo credits and a clean, fillable BSF186. See Price.
Filling the form by hand instead? See the BSF186 app versus filling the form by hand.
Get the app
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