When there is a problem with export documents, the vast majority of them are not "unable to fill in", but the four sets of document fields of the same bill of goods have inconsistent calibrations: the name of the invoice is one term, the number of items on the packing list is inconsistent, and the consignee of the bill of lading writes another subject, and the quantity of the certificate of origin is several pieces different from the commercial invoice. The cost of these mistakes is usually invisible. Once they encounter customs inspection, letter of credit negotiation, or customs clearance at the port of destination, they become bill change fees, demurrage fees, demurrage fees, and even refusal and claims. This article organizes the field consistency list and eight types of high-frequency discrepancies of the four sets of documents into a checklist that can be followed.
1. Where are the real costs
The cost of document errors is divided into four levels. The first level is the fee and time for changing the order. The order will have to be resubmitted every time, which may not make it possible to catch up with customs clearance when the voyage is tight; the second level is the container freight and the port freight. The documents for the arrival of the goods at the port are incomplete, and the boxes and goods are pressed at the port are charged on a daily basis; the third level is the refusal of the letter of credit, and a difference of one letter may constitute a inconsistency, and the bank directly refunds the order; the fourth level is the obstruction of customs clearance at the port of destination, the consignee cannot pick up the goods, and the customer relationship is damaged. The common denominator of the four layers of costs is that they all occur after shipment. The factory has almost no bargaining space and can only use a cross-check to block them before shipment.
2. Cross-check points for the four sets of core documents
| field | commercial invoice | packing list | bill of lading | certificate of origin |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Consignees/addressees | Full name and address of the buyer | Not necessarily consistent with the invoice, but not contradictory | consignee or order must be consistent with the letter of credit | Generally consistent with invoice buyer, pay attention to third-party invoice rules |
| name | Product name plus specification and model, consistent with customs declaration | Popular product names can be used, but they must not contradict the invoice. | generalizable product name | Must be consistent with the invoice and comply with the certificate filling specifications |
| number | Transaction volume and unit | Number of items and content of each item | Number of items and packaging units | Consistent with invoice |
| amount | Unit price, total price, price terms (FOB, CIF, etc.) | No amount stated | Freight prepaid or paid on delivery | No amount is listed (invoice number and date are required for some certificates) |
| shipping mark | complete mark | complete mark | Shipping marks can be omitted but cannot be contradictory | Fill in as needed |
The usage is very simple: print four sets of documents before shipment, compare these five lines of fields horizontally line by line, and resolve any inconsistency before the order is intercepted. The cost of twenty-minute verification is two orders of magnitude lower than that of changing the order after the event.
3. How to write a commercial invoice so that it will not be returned
Commercial invoices are the core of the four sets of documents, and other documents are basically based on them. Five key points: The first is to write the buyer's full name and complete address on the initial basis, and the settlement of the L/C must be exactly the same as that of the applicant, and the punctuation and spaces must not be cleverly "standardized"; the second is to state the terms and locations in the price terms, such as FOB Shanghai and CIF Hamburg; Third, the product name specifications are consistent with the customs declaration form, and the customs and the bank compare this; Fourth, the amount is consistent with the case and case, and the currency code is unified; fifth, the signature and sealing method is in accordance with the requirements of the customer or the L/C, and both the number of originals and whether it is signed must be confirmed. When making OEM orders, we should also pay attention to the handling of trademark authorizations and brand declarations to avoid being detained in the destination country due to lack of brand information.
4. The key to the packing list is to match the physical goods
The mission of the packing list is to allow the inspector to find the goods according to it. Three sets of data must be accurate: the number of pieces (number of boxes) and contents of each box, the gross weight and net weight, and the size and total volume of the outer box. There are four common mistakes: the number of items does not match the actual packaging, which is common when temporary replenishment or mantissa adjustment is not updated synchronously; the gross and net weight is copied on the same ticket; the volume is filled in according to the theoretical value but not measured; and the mixing order does not specify which box is packed in what model. During inspection, if the physical object is found to be inconsistent with the packing list after unpacking the box, the disposal standard will be elevated from "document error" to "false declaration", which is completely different in nature.
5. Four error-prone points in the terms of the bill of lading
The bill of lading is a document of title, and the four points are most likely to go wrong. Consignees writing method: The way to fill out the straight bill of lading, instruction bill of lading and bearer bill of lading is different, and the letter of credit must follow the requirements of the letter of credit. Notified party: When customs clearance is carried out in the country where the customer is located, the notifying party is often required. Wrong writing means that no one is notified when the goods arrive. Freight prepaid or paid on arrival: It must match the transaction terms. Writing FOB as freight prepaid will lead to a conflict between the customs declaration amount and the freight information. Original and telex release: When selecting telex release, you must confirm that the consignee can pick up the goods based on his identity. When selecting the original, you must pay attention to the number of copies and the delivery method. Don't send the only original to a third party separately. In addition, any annotations will affect the status of the "clean bill of lading". When receiving annotations that the packaging of the goods is unclean, communicate with the customer first before deciding whether to release the order.
6. Certificate of origin: Choosing the right certificate is more important than filling in the right fields
If you choose the wrong type of certificate of origin, you will lose more than filling in the wrong field. Generally, certificates of origin (CO) only prove the place of origin and usually do not bring tariff preferences; preferential certificates of origin under the free trade agreement (such as RCEP, China-ASEAN) can bring agreed tax rates, but must meet the corresponding origin standards and direct shipment rules. No preferential application cannot be declared if the standard is not up to standard, and the risk of false declaration is high. Two points should be noted in practical operation: first, the origin standard is determined based on the actual production of the product, and those involving imported ingredients must be supported by cost and process data; second, the direct shipment rules, in which goods must be transferred through a third country must be provided with proof of non-reprocessed, otherwise they may be deemed to have interrupted direct shipment and lost preferential qualifications.
VII. List of Eight Types of High-Frequency Discrepancies
- Inconsistent product names:The names of invoices, customs declarations, and bills of lading are contradictory, and the cause is often written by salesmen, customs brokers, and freight forwarders.
- Misplacement of quantity and number:The invoice is based on the transaction unit, the bill of lading and packing list is based on the packaging unit, and the conversion is not done or is wrong.
- The amount does not match the case:The handwritten capital amount is inconsistent with the system generated lower case amount.
- Consignee spelling difference:One letter or one punctuation difference constitutes a discrepancy under the letter of credit.
- Price terms are missing locations:Only write FOB without loading port, or CIF without destination port.
- Missing shipping mark:The outer container actually has shipping marks, and the document is left blank or only "N/M" is written on it.
- Incorrect filling in ship name, voyage and bill of lading number:After customs interception, the cabin was changed and the information was not updated simultaneously.
- The origin standards are inconsistent with the physical objects:In order to match the agreed tax rate, the standard is inconsistent with the actual production situation of the product.
8. Common questions
1. The customer said,"Make the documents as you please, and we can handle them here." Can you do it?
Not recommended. The main body and legal responsibility of the declaration lie on the exporter's side. The consequences of inaccurate documents will be borne by the exporting enterprise. If there is any problem with customs clearance in the customer's country, it will come back to you. The standard response is: the documents are made based on the actual goods and the actual transaction. Where cooperation is needed (such as the consignee's writing method and shipping mark format specified by the customer), they must be coordinated, but no content inconsistent with the physical objects is included.
2. Should I hire a professional for review of L/C orders?
It is recommended to request the bank or inconsistency review service for orders with large amounts. Common blind spots in self-review are soft clauses (such as requiring the submission of an inspection certificate signed by the buyer's designated representative) and formal requirements such as the number of documents and the method of sending them. The cost of reviewing the order is very low relative to the order amount, which is much more cost-effective than re-negotiating after returning the order.
3. How long is the retrospective period for document errors? Is there a limit to the number of document changes?
There is no uniform limit on the number of changes to the order, but each time the order is changed, it has to be resubmitted and re-queued. The shipping schedule may not be missed when the customs closure is approaching; there are corresponding procedures and time limit requirements for the amendment of the customs declaration, which is more complicated when it involves changes to the manifest. The judgment criterion is very simple: if the order can be settled before the order is closed, it must be settled before the order is closed.
