People who are looking for how to fill out a commercial invoice usually require providing documents for international shipping. A commercial invoice is considered to be the major form you have to complete. It contains essential information about the goods you are shipping for the customs. While you can easily find a PDF version of the form on pdfliner.com, you still need to learn how to fill it.
About Commercial Invoice
A commercial invoice is a document that contains essential data about the shipment required for the customs service. The answer to the question of what is a commercial invoice is simple. A commercial invoice is a document that is used for the duty determination, valuation, and import control of the cargo during international shipment. The fillable invoice is necessary for any international transportation, except for the non-commercial used documents. It must contain data about the sender, the country of delivery, description of the cargo, the number of goods inside, its primal usage, its value, and materials it is made from.
In short, it is a passport for shipment around the world. You can’t send anything abroad without filing it. This is why it is crucial to learn how to complete the document.
The Required Data
There is specific information that you are required to provide. You can easily find the form online. You can also use the FedEx website. The blank must contain company and cargo details. You need to provide the data about the receiver of the package too.
1. Information about sender and receiver
You have to provide detailed data about you and the person who receives the package. Include the name, address, phone number, and email. In case you have extra numbers, you can include them if the customs service wants to contact you or the receiver. Make sure you write the name correctly.
2. Reasons
You need to specify the reason for sending the cargo to another country. Whether it is a gift or goods for trade, the conditions may be different. The custom services accept both.
3. Shipping number and date
Include the number of shipping into the document. It is the number of carriers also known as the waybill number. You can include your invoice and the number of the order there. However, this information is optional.
4. Incoterms
Incoterms or International Commercial Terms are the global rules of commerce, gathered in one document, called ICC. You can receive the data of who is responsible for your cargo during the shipping process with this document. These terms are used everywhere and are standard for international commerce.
5. Description of the product
In the printable form, you have to include the description of every item you want to ship. Be specific about it. Instead of “clothing,” you can say “women’s denim skirt, 80 percent denim, 20 percent polyester.” Don’t describe the product with codes from the company. If there is a brand available, you can sign its name and the number of the model.
6. Quantity
No matter whether you have one type of product or several, you have to be specific about the numbers. Include the numbers of each product. You can count objects or parts in pieces, and shoes in pairs. The liquid is calculated in volume. Dry goods must be weighted.
7. HS code
Include the HS code of the goods you are shipping. HS is short for Harmonized System. This is an international standard for numbers and names created to classify the products that are traded. If you have an international shipment, you need to put the codes on it.
8. Declare the value
You have to file the real value of the goods. If you don’t know how to calculate it, just use the market’s price. If the value does not look true, custom service has the right to ask you for evidence of the sum. Don’t wait for the return of the cargo if you can provide the exact value at the beginning.
9. Cost of the insurance
There is a minimal amount of money you can register for the insurance. The freight and the insurance cost are two separate things you have to calculate. If they are not divided, customs may calculate everything for you, and you will receive a gigantic bill to pay.
10. Origin
You have to indicate the country where all the products you ship were manufactured. The country can be different from your own country if you are the sender. This is ok, and you need to specify it in any case.
11. Weight
You have to find out what the Gross and the Net weight of your cargo is. Gross is the combination of the Net weight and the packaging weight. Don’t make a mistake about it.
12. Sign
Be specific about your personal data. It will save you lots of time and nerves in case there are questions about shipment. You have to sign the document with your signature to make the document official.
Difference Between Commercial and Shipping Invoice
Some people are looking for what is a shipping invoice in the information about the commercial invoice. However, the shipping invoice slightly differs from the commercial one. It is an official document used in the business to record the products that are shipped from the seller to the buyer. Any time the company sends goods, this bill is required. The main difference is that the shipping invoice accompanies the product to the destination, while the commercial one may allow the manufacturer to charge the customer for the product that is shipped. There is a different form that must be filed. At the same time, they are similar in many ways.
Successful Shipment
Nowadays, the procedure of shipping abroad has become so ordinary that many companies can easily send cargo, filing the forms that are required by heart. Completing an invoice does not look strange if you do it for the second or third time. This document is necessary to file for the business owner who wants to protect the goods from being lost or delivered to the wrong address. Only an accurately completed invoice with detailed information about the shipment can become the proof and guarantee of safety for the product. If you want to make sure that your package is shipped according to your wishes, re-read these instructions, check the form, and complete it step by step.
Nicola Holder 