Inside the Moinsen workshop ↗ 01
From a coffee conversation to a packaging companion.
Shipping parcels should be worthwhile. For small businesses, too. So why does finding the data for a cardboard box take so much of our time?
01 / The beginning
One coffee. A question that stayed.
Over coffee, the conversation turned to shipping to other EU countries: small sales, a lot of administration. I wanted to find out which part software could actually take over. The research became a first prototype.
MONOMOTTE describes the problem publicly: time spent on packaging data and a pause in EU shipping. A reason to take a closer look.
Read MONOMOTTE’s articleA public account of the problem, not a partnership or customer reference.
02 / A look inside
An invoice in. A clearer picture out.
Three steps with the fictional shop “Papierhafen”. The products exist. The invoice and supplier reply are fictional.
Two boxes. No reliable packaging data yet.
The test invoice contains item numbers and quantities, but no weight or material. The prototype extracted both line items from this PDF.
Fictional purchase · real item numbers
- Weight per box
- —Missing
- Material
- —Missing
- Weight per box
- —Missing
- Material
- —Missing
03 / Working together
Software prepares. People decide.
The idea: prepare packaging data so businesses and their authorised representatives or other specialists can work with it. Who does what is agreed for each case.
- AI
Understand documents
AI can suggest information from invoices and documents. Source references, missing values and conflicts remain visible.
- Automation
Connect the steps
The system can match data, request missing information under agreed rules and link replies to the right case.
- People
Review and act
Authorised representatives or other responsible specialists review the information, ask questions and carry out their agreed tasks. Business decisions remain with the company.
- Feedback
Bring answers back
Questions and corrections return to the same case. Once clarified, an updated version can be reviewed and shared again.
This complete loop is a concept, not yet a tested collaboration with authorised representatives. The prototype supports parts of data collection and limited supplier communication; handover, quantity reporting and specialist feedback are not yet implemented.
04 / The honest status
Built already. Still to be proven.
Tested in the prototype
The data work
Read a test invoice, find matching sources, assign documents and preserve conflicts. Request → reminder → reply was exercised with simulated emails.
Mail access was checked separately with a real email to our own account. No real supplier workflow yet.
Next, in a pilot
Everyday value
One real invoice, one small recurring task and a comparison of active working time. Questions, checking and corrections all count.
Time and money savings have not yet been demonstrated.
The bigger ambition
Shipping that pays off
Handle packaging administration as independently as possible – and understand which destination countries remain worthwhile.
No complete EU compliance, volume reporting or country cost calculation yet. Software does not remove external country fees.
Find out together whether it helps
Less chasing documents. More time for your business.
I want to build a useful product with small businesses. First comes an honest practical test: can the software cut active work on the same task by at least half, while producing usable, traceable data?
This is a proposed test target, not a measured result. We count time freed up and actual spending reductions separately.
Talk about a small pilotAn initial shared test is free. No subscription or testimonial required.