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Trade Documents

An export is paid, cleared and delivered on the strength of its documents. This course explains each document of an export shipment — what it proves, who issues it, what it must contain and how it must agree with the others — so that customs, carriers, banks and buyers accept your file the first time.

What you will learn

  • Name the documents an export shipment needs and explain what each one proves
  • Draft a proforma invoice, commercial invoice, packing list and sales contract with all mandatory details
  • Read and check a bill of lading, air waybill and CMR consignment note, and choose the right variant
  • Obtain the right certificate of origin and sanitary or phytosanitary certificates for your goods and market
  • Prepare documents that comply with a letter of credit or documentary collection without discrepancies
  • Build the document checklist of any deal from its Incoterm, transport mode and payment method

Course contents

  1. Export Documents: What Each Trade Document Is For — Export documents explained: invoice, packing list, bill of lading, certificate of origin and more — who issues each, when, who needs it and why they must match.
  2. Proforma Invoice: What to Include and Why It Matters — Proforma invoice explained: what it is used for, the fields to include, a full export example, its legal value and how it shapes the buyer's letter of credit.
  3. Commercial Invoice for Export: Required Details and Errors — Commercial invoice for export: mandatory details, a filled-in example, how it must match the packing list and B/L, and UCP 600 rules under an L/C.
  4. Packing List for Export: Weights, Volumes, Marks and Numbers — How to prepare an export packing list: net, gross and tare weights, VGM, volumes, shipping marks and numbering, with a full example and the checks banks make.
  5. International Sales Contract: Key Clauses That Protect You — International sales contract guide: essential clauses (goods, price, Incoterm, payment, inspection, force majeure, law, disputes) with an export example.
  6. Purchase Order and Order Confirmation in Export Sales — Purchase order and order confirmation explained: what each contains, when the export contract is formed, the battle of forms under the CISG, how to check a PO.
  7. Bill of Lading: Functions, Types, Endorsement and L/C Rules — Bill of lading explained: its three functions, key fields, order vs straight B/L, clean vs claused, telex release, house B/L, endorsement and UCP 600 checks.
  8. Air Waybill (AWB): Fields, MAWB vs HAWB and L/C Rules — Air waybill explained: what the AWB proves, its fields, MAWB vs HAWB, chargeable weight, why it is not a title document, and UCP 600 and Montreal rules.
  9. CMR Consignment Note: Road Transport Document Explained — The CMR consignment note explained: when the CMR Convention applies, mandatory fields, the three copies, reservations, right of disposal, liability and e-CMR.
  10. Certificate of Origin: Non-Preferential, EUR.1 and Others — Certificates of origin explained: non-preferential CoO, EUR.1, origin declarations, REX, Arab and AfCFTA certificates, who issues them and L/C rules.
  11. Phytosanitary, Health and Quality Certificates for Food Exports — Phytosanitary, veterinary health and quality certificates for agri-food exports: who issues them, what they contain, ePhyto, EU entry rules and L/C checks.
  12. Cargo Insurance Certificate and Policy: A Practical Guide — Cargo insurance certificate explained: policy vs certificate vs cover note, CIF and CIP rules, 110% insured value, endorsement, claims and UCP 600 article 28.
  13. Bill of Exchange (Draft) in Collections and Letters of Credit — The bill of exchange in export trade: parties, mandatory elements, sight and usance tenors, acceptance and aval, D/P and D/A, and drafts under L/Cs.
  14. Credit Notes and Debit Notes in Export: Correcting an Invoice — Credit notes and debit notes in export: when to issue each, required details, worked examples, and the effect on customs, VAT, export proceeds and L/Cs.
  15. Export Document Checklist by Incoterm, Mode and Payment — Which export documents for which deal: checklists by Incoterm, transport mode, payment method and product, with three worked examples and a final check.