Help your team answer ATF trace requests with less manual work and a clear record of each response. TraceDesk by FastBound connects to ATF’s FFL Direct service, the successor to NTC Connect, to receive requests, match firearm records, send responses, and document acknowledgments.
Keep your team focused on daily operations while TraceDesk handles the electronic trace response workflow. Use it on its own or alongside FastBound, with privacy built into how trace information is handled.
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TraceDesk uses firearm details from an incoming request to prepare the response without saving those details in its trace record. It retains a timestamped response history so your team can document when a request was received, answered, and acknowledged.
You can verify a past trace involving a firearm you can already identify, but the stored trace history cannot be used to generate a list of all traced firearms. TraceDesk uses the firearm details to answer the request without saving them in the trace record.
Response documentation stays isolated within your account. It is never pooled across licensees, sold, or used for customer profiling, risk scoring, or sales analysis. ATF still receives the full response required by law, and your underlying A&D records remain subject to their separate recordkeeping requirements.
Keep Electronic and Manual Requests Organized
Some requests still arrive by phone, fax, email, or mail. TraceDesk lets you record those requests in the same system used to manage FFL Direct activity, giving your team a consistent place to document trace correspondence.
- Track requests received through different channels.
- Review the recorded actions taken during the response process.
- Maintain documentation for internal reviews and regulatory inquiries.
Your staff can review trace activity without piecing together separate inboxes, call notes, and fax records.
Respond to ATF Trace Requests Without the Manual Search
A single firearm trace involves an average of 3.5 FFLs, according to the DOJ Inspector General’s August 2026 audit. Each business contacted may need to locate disposition details and document its response. For dealers, manufacturers, importers, and distributors handling frequent requests, that work adds up.
When a local law enforcement agency, such as a police department, requests firearm tracing, ATF’s National Tracing Center follows the firearm through the distribution chain to identify its first retail purchaser. Your records help supply the critical information needed for that process.
Federal law requires FFLs to respond immediately, and no later than 24 hours after receiving an ATF request for record information used to trace a firearm in a bona fide criminal investigation.
TraceDesk brings electronic requests and response documentation into one workflow, helping you reduce manual lookups and keep track of completed responses.
ATF’s National Tracing Center manages a substantial tracing workload:
| Tracing measure | Reported figure |
|---|---|
| Trace requests received in FY2024 | 639,295, approximately 30% more than FY2020 |
| Average requests received daily | 1,500–2,000 |
| Average FFLs involved per trace | 3.5 |
| Active traces at any given time | 10,000–15,000 |
With 1,500–2,000 requests reaching the National Tracing Center daily, trace responses represent a recurring workload across the firearms industry. TraceDesk automates record matching, response transmission, and acknowledgment tracking to help participating FFLs manage their part of that process.
How TraceDesk Works
TraceDesk connects your digitized acquisition and disposition (A&D) records with the FFL Direct response process. The automated response workflow has four main steps.
1. Receive the Request
TraceDesk captures the incoming request from ATF through FFL Direct, starting the response workflow without a phone call or fax exchange.
2. Match the Firearm Record
The system searches your digitized A&D records for the traced serial number. Matching accounts for differences in punctuation, spacing, and leading zeros that can complicate a manual search.
3. Send the Response
TraceDesk sends the response back to ATF automatically and retries transmission until ATF acknowledges receipt. This helps close the gap between sending an answer and confirming it arrived.
4. Document Completion
The trace timeline shows when the request was received, answered, and acknowledged. You have a timestamped record to reference when reviewing trace activity or documenting your response during an inspection.
TraceDesk works on its own, while existing FastBound users receive automatic record updates as dispositions are committed.
Put TraceDesk to Work for Your FFL
Reduce manual trace lookups, document your responses, and protect sensitive trace information. Talk with our team about using TraceDesk on its own or with your FastBound account.
Ready to See How FastBound Can Streamline Your Compliance Efforts?
Join thousands of FFLs who trust FastBound to keep them protected and compliant.
Try for Free!