Business documents Commercial and transportation documents Request for payment Request for on extension

People in international trade know that they can have serious problems if their documentation is not in proper order. There are more than 100 documents used in import-export operations. Luckily, importers and exporters до not deal with а11 of these documents. The majority is used by government bodies and service agencies.

Each individual shipment is characterized by its own set of trade documents, including

а) commercial documents (contract or purchase order and invoices)

Ь) banking documents (L/C от bank drafts)

с) transportation documents (delivery instnictions, bill of lading, forwarder's invoice, etc.)

д) government control documents (validated import/export lisense, certificate of origin, customs entry, etc.).

We'll not be discussing а11 documnets used in international transactions, but highlight some of them.

The commercial invoice is the most important document used in international trade. Sometimes it is called а bill. The invoice shows the names of the seller and buyer, invoice date, the country of origin and the county from which the shipment is made, the detailed description of the merchandise, the purchase price of each item in the currency used for the transaction, the port of entry.

Perhaps most important, the commercial invoice indicates the amount of money the buyer owes the seller.

The pro Forma invoice is similar to а regular commercial invoice, but it has the words "pro-forma" written at the top of the document. The words mean that the document received by the importer looks like the actual invoice, it shows the exact cost of а particular order and specific shipping terms, but it isn't really an invoice and the buyer doesn't have to pay it. Importers use pro-forma invoices to apply for an import license or to open а letter of credit.

The purpose of transportation documents is to keep track of cargo movement. If а shipment disappears, there is always а trail of documets that will help to locate the merchandise. When а party (а trucking company, а steamship company) receives goods it examines the boxes to see if there's any damage caused by someone else and only after that it issues а receipt showing that the goods have been delivered.

Of particular importance are the following transportation documents

а) packing list, which shows how many boxes there are in а shipment and what is in each of the boxes

b) shipper's letter of instruction - а document sent by the exporter to the freight forwarder to let him know what to до with the goods, i.e. where to ship, whether to insure the goods or not, etc.

с) insurance sertificate, which serves as а proof that insurance has been bought on this particular shipment

д) bill of lading/airwaybill - а document, which serves as а receipt for the goods, а contract of carriage. Usually, а bill of lading/aiiwaybill specifies the terms and conditions of transporting the goods.

The government control documents facilitate control over imports and exports. Many countries require their exporters to be licensed. Without а validated license the shipment will be stopped at the port and the exporter will be held in violation of the country's export control regulations.

The certificate of origin shows the country of origin of the imported goods. But which country is considered the country of origin? The problem with the certificate of origin is that nowadays not too many goods are produced wholly in one country. The country of origin is the country from which the product is shipped to the buyer's country, provided that 35% of the value of the product was added in this country. The exporter can get а sertificate of origin from the local Chamber of Commerce.

The purpose of а11 of the commercial documents is to facilitate, control and follow international cargo movements.

Enlarge you business vocabulary

Bill of lading Коносамент, транспортная на­

кладная

Cargo Груз

~ movement Передвижение грузов

Certificate of origin Свидетельство о происхож­

дении

Currency Валюта

Customs entry Таможенная декларация

Delivery instructions Инструкция по отправке то­

вара

Examine v. Проверять

Export control regulations Таможенные правила

Forwarder Экспедитор, транспортно-экс­

педиционная организация

lnsurance certificate Страховое свидетельство

Invoice Счет-фактура

(Shipper's) letter of instruction Письмо, содержащее указания

грузоотправителя

License Лицензия

Packing list Упаковочный лист

Port of entry Порт назначения

Pro-forma invoice Примерная, предварительНая фактура

Purchase order Заказ на поставку

set of documents Набор докуметов

Shipping terms Условия отгрузки

Transaction Сделка

Validated Утвержденный, ратифициро­ванный

Value Ценность, стоимость

Violation Нарушение

Look at the following commercial documents, i.e. request for payment and request for an extension. Pay attention to the style of documents. Both are made in the form of а polite inquiry and are as impersonal as possible. 1f you are unable to pay, offer an apology and give а clear explanation of what has happened.

Request for payment

ZZZ Inc.

4 3`^д Avenue

Portland Ore. 97207

Dear Mr. Shortt,

We think you may have overlooked Invoice No. 61 1418 for $ 2000.00 (see attached сору), which was due two weeks ago. We have been trading with you for five years and you have always cleared your accounts regularly on the due dates. Would you please either let us have your check, or an explanation of why the invoice is still outstanding.

If, however, you have already sent а remittance, then please disregard this letter.

Yours sincerely,

Terrence O'Connor sales Manager

Enc. Invoice No. 61 1418

Request for an extension

Т. O'Connor

Dynateam Innovations

55 Erieview Plaza Cleveland Ohio 44114

Dear Mr. O'Connor,

I am sorry that we were not able to clear your Invoice No. 61 1418. We presume that this delay was caused by the introduction of а new program of handling commercial documentation. Our staff needed some time to get used to new procedures.

You will be pleased to hear that we have now settled а11 the problems and the staff has been fully trained to use this program. Meanwhile I am enclosing а check for $ 2000.00.

Your sincerely,

, Leo shortt Accountant

More business words

Clear an account v. Оплатить счет

On the due date В срок

Enclose v. Прикладывать, вкладывать

Offer an apology v. Извиниться

Outstanding Просроченный, неоплаченный

Remittance Уплата, денежный перевод

Request Просьба

', ~ for an extension ~ об отсрочКе платежа

~ for payment ~ заплатить