International Trade Documents

What this page covers

This unit is about the documents that travel with an international sale. Most of the resources are mind maps, written by the community in different styles. Some are short and plain, others follow a textbook chapter. Together they cover the paperwork for exports and imports, from the first enquiry to shipping and payment.

Where to start

Begin with the map called Trade Document. It explains why documentation matters and lists the main categories, including the bill of lading and customs forms. Then move to CLASSIFICATION OF DOCUMENTS: (USED IN INTERNATIONAL TRADE), which sets out the invoice, the certificate of origin and other types side by side.

After that, pick the document you need most:

• commercial invoice covers the legal document an exporter issues to a foreign buyer, setting out the conditions of sale.
• Packing List covers the list of goods, with quantities and other details, used for customs procedures.
• Enquiry, Quotation, Order covers the steps before a sale, from asking for price and terms to placing the order.

Shipping documents

For sea transport, read BILLS OF LADING AND SEA WAYBILLS: WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT BASIC OCEAN CARGO DOCUMENTATION. It describes the two main documents used for goods moved by sea. The map on transportation documents and payments adds who issues a bill of lading and what it proves. The Cargo Documents flashcard deck is a quick way to learn the manifest, the mate's receipt, the standard shipping note and the bill of lading.

Using quizzes and maps together

Read a map first, then test yourself. The quiz called quiz 1 starts with documentary sales, where the transaction is carried out by documents rather than face to face. Wrong answers show you which map to open again. There are only a few quizzes here, so go back to the maps and say each document's purpose out loud in your own words.

Where this unit fits

This unit sits in the Trade Operations and Logistics strand of the International trade subject. Pick a map that matches your course, work through it, then try a quiz to check your recall.