What Descartes Visual Compliance does

Descartes Visual Compliance is a trade compliance software platform that provides denied party screening, export classification, OFAC compliance, risk management, audit and resolution, export automation, and controlled technology solutions. It serves organizations engaged in international trade, export, and cross-border operations that need to screen business partners against restricted party lists, classify products under ECCN/USML/EU/Schedule B regimes, and manage export licensing and documentation. The platform is built around seven core product areas and integrates natively with enterprise business systems including SAP-GTS, Oracle GTM, Salesforce, and other ERPs, with trade content supplied by Descartes MK Data. Daily dynamic re-screening against changes to watch lists and AI Assist for reducing false positives in screening workflows are documented technical differentiators.

The company operates as a division of The Descartes Systems Group Inc. (NASDAQ: DSGX), a publicly traded Canadian-headquartered logistics and supply chain software group, with offices in Waterloo, Ontario (headquarters) and Atlanta, Georgia. The company is referenced as founded in 1981 and reports 51-100 employees; it claims more than 65,000 global users. Named customers span international trade (Argosy International, IFCHOR), steel distribution (Reliance Steel), engineering/construction (Black & Veatch), industrial manufacturing (Meggitt, Velan), electronics (Adafruit), sensors (Movella), and infrastructure (EDB). Documented customer outcomes include a 75% productivity gain (Argosy), approximately 28,000 man-hours saved annually (Reliance Steel), and significant cost and risk reductions.

Revenue is generated through a cloud-based software subscription (SaaS) model with annual or multi-year contracts, sold through an enterprise field sales motion with a consultative "Request a Demo" approach and dedicated compliance consultants. Pricing is quote-based and not publicly disclosed. Distribution channels include direct enterprise sales, integrated/embedded deployment inside customer business systems, and an online self-service option for mid-market buyers. Marketing is multi-channel, combining content (blog, whitepapers, podcasts, customer stories), SEO, events, and earned media. The platform was recognized by G2 as one of the Best Governance, Risk & Compliance Software Products for 2026.

Name

Descartes Visual Compliance

Legal name

The Descartes Systems Group Inc.

Website

https://visualcompliance.net

Company type

Public

Founded year

1981

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Descartes Visual Compliance is a trade compliance software platform, operating as a division of The Descartes Systems Group Inc. (NASDAQ: DSGX), that provides denied party screening, export classification, OFAC compliance, and risk management solutions to enterprises engaged in international trade across more than 65,000 global users.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Trade Compliance Software

NAICS

Software Publishers (51321)

SIC

Services-Prepackaged Software (7372)

akta.pro primary industry

Trade Compliance Management (Denied Party Screening, Licensing, Restricted Goods) (TLAEAOAB)

akta.pro secondary industry

Product Regulatory Compliance for Cross-Border Trade (e.g., FDA, USDA, CPSC, CE/REACH/RoHS) (TLACAGAH)

Keywords

• Trade compliance software
• Denied party screening
• Export classification
• OFAC compliance software
• Export automation

Headquarters

HQ city

Waterloo

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Software

Cost components

Technology or R&D, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations

Revenue model

1. Software Subscription (SaaS): Cloud-based subscription model providing access to denied party screening, export classification, and trade compliance solutions. Multiple deployment options and user tiers support organizations of varying sizes. Recurring subscription revenue with annual or multi-year contract terms.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Descartes Visual Compliance provides a cloud-based global trade compliance software platform that enables organizations to screen business partners against denied and restricted party lists, classify exports, determine license requirements, and automate export documentation. The platform combines AI-powered screening with native ERP integrations (SAP-GTS, Oracle GTM) and serves over 65,000 users globally across industries engaged in international trade.

Product overview

Descartes Visual Compliance is a comprehensive global trade compliance software platform providing multiple integrated modules for export control and trade compliance. The platform comprises seven core product areas: (1) Denied Party Screening with sub-products for online, OFAC, integrated, batch, dynamic, and mobile screening plus Trade Content – MK Data for ERP integration; (2) Risk Management covering forced labor compliance, sanctioned party ownership, BIS 50% Rule, adverse media searches, and anti-corruption; (3) OFAC Compliance with SDN search and 50 Percent Rule tools; (4) Audit and Resolution including Compliance Manager Workflow, Screening and Audit History, Resolution Manager, and AI Assist; (5) Export Classification with tools for ECCN, USML (ITAR), EU, Schedule B, and ECR classification plus Product Trade Manager; (6) Export Automation for license management, determination, acquisition, and documentation; and (7) Controlled Technology for visitor risk, travel risk, and I-129 Part 6 compliance. The platform serves over 65,000 users globally and integrates with SAP GTS, Oracle GTM, and CRM systems like Salesforce.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Denied Party Screening Core compliance solution for screening business partners against denied, restricted, and sanctioned party lists to ensure compliance with international trade regulations. Serves organizations engaged in international trade and export.
• Risk Management Compliance solution for maintaining compliance with international trade regulations and avoiding reputational damage, covering forced labor, sanctioned party ownership, BIS 50% Rule, adverse media, and anti-corruption.
• OFAC Compliance Comprehensive OFAC compliance solution including OFAC SDN Search Solutions and OFAC 50 Percent Rule tools for avoiding violations and maintaining compliance with OFAC watchlists.
• Audit and Resolution Solution for resolving potential denied party matches and recording decision-making processes, including Compliance Manager Workflow, Screening and Audit History, Resolution Manager, and AI Assist for Trade and Export Compliance.
• Export Classification Solution for determining export controls for products and technology, including ECCN, USML (ITAR), EU, Schedule B, and ECR classification capabilities plus Product Trade Manager.
• Export Automation Solution for verifying compliance, generating documents, and submitting electronically, including Export License Manager, Export License Determination, Export License Acquisition, and Export Documentation Manager.
• Controlled Technology Solution for managing deemed and hand-carried export compliance, including Visitor Risk Manager, Travel Risk Manager, and I-129 Part 6 Compliance.
• AI Assist for Trade and Export Compliance AI-powered solution that streamlines denied party screening, reduces false positives, and boosts productivity through machine learning.

Quantifiable outcome

• 75% productivity gain in compliance practice (Argosy International case study)
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers9 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration4 records

AI capability5 records

Feature5 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Descartes MK DatacoreTechnology or IntegrationDescartes MK Data provides industry-leading trade content that feeds into Descartes Visual Compliance solutions. This trade content is delivered in formats compatible with SAP-GTS, Oracle GTM, and other major business systems, ensuring customers have access to comprehensive and up-to-date regulatory data for their compliance operations.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• APISTA (formerly Trade Efficiency): APISTA provides trade compliance software including denied party screening, export classification, and license management, serving similar enterprise trade compliance buyers as Descartes Visual Compliance.
• Integration Point: Integration Point specializes in global trade compliance and screening software (denied party screening, export classification, FTA management) and is a direct mid-market competitor to Descartes Visual Compliance.
• LexisNexis Risk Solutions (Bridger Insight XG): LexisNexis Bridger Insight XG is a well-known denied party and sanctions screening platform used by global trade compliance teams, directly competing with Visual Compliance's denied party screening product on watch list coverage, fuzzy matching, and integrated screening.
• ComplyAdvantage: ComplyAdvantage provides AI-driven sanctions, PEP, and adverse media screening used by compliance teams globally. It targets the same denied party screening use case as Visual Compliance, with a more modern, API-first delivery model.
• E2open (Amber Road): E2open (which acquired Amber Road) offers a global trade management suite including denied party screening, export classification, and license determination, overlapping closely with Visual Compliance's core product set and serving similar enterprise customers.
• Thomson Reuters (ONESOURCE Global Trade): Thomson Reuters offers ONESOURCE Global Trade, a leading trade compliance suite covering denied party screening (World-Check integration), export classification, and import management. It directly competes with Descartes Visual Compliance for the same enterprise export compliance buyer.
• LSEG (Refinitiv World-Check): LSEG's World-Check Risk Intelligence is a leading KYC/sanctions data and screening platform used by export compliance teams. It competes directly with Visual Compliance's restricted party screening and underlying data layer.

Emerging players

• Avalara: Avalara is primarily known for indirect tax compliance but has expanded into trade and customs compliance offerings. It is an adjacent competitor that could encroach on Visual Compliance's mid-market buyers.

Broad incumbents

• SAP (Global Trade Services / GTS): SAP GTS is a broad enterprise suite for trade compliance and customs management. While Visual Compliance integrates with SAP-GTS, SAP also competes as the platform incumbent for large enterprises, making it a partial competitor and channel partner.
• Oracle (Global Trade Management / GTM): Oracle GTM Cloud offers trade compliance, restricted party screening, and export classification inside the Oracle SCM suite. Like SAP, it is both an integration partner for Visual Compliance and a broader-suite competitor.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/descartesvc
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/visual-compliance-ecustoms-

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Descartes Visual Compliance