Overview
Customs documentation is the paperwork customs authorities require to process and clear shipments. With FedEx Electronic Trade Documents (ETD), you can submit customs documentation electronically.
The Commercial Invoice is a document that provides detailed information about the goods being shipped, their value, and other relevant commercial details. It serves as proof of sale and helps determine customs duties and taxes. You can print commercial invoices on paper with a company letterhead or use ETD to create and upload them.
While customs documentation encompasses various forms and certificates, the commercial invoice focuses explicitly on the commercial aspects of the shipment. Both documents are required for international shipping, but serve different purposes within the customs clearance process. With Shipbridge, you can use FedEx ETD to handle such documents easily.
Here's a quick tutorial on how to set up and send Commercial Invoices using FedEx ETD.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LjPyfjtQElk
Enable FedEx ETD
International shipments with FedEx require customs documentation. Rather than printing and attaching paper copies, Shipbridge can submit the required documents electronically through FedEx Electronic Trade Documents.
To enable FedEx ETD in Shipbridge:
Click Menu > Options.
Select the Carriers tab on top.
Select the FedEx sub-tab.
Check Use ETD (Electronic Trade Documents).
Click Save.
Commercial Invoices
When shipping internationally with FedEx, you must include commercial invoices. After configuring Shipbridge as described below, you can print the commercial invoices and shipping labels together for all international orders.
To send commercial invoices with FedEx ETD:
Click Menu > Options.
Select the Customs tab on top and fill out the relevant information.
Select the Carriers tab on top.
Select the FedEx sub-tab, ensure that Use ETD (Electronic Trade Documents) is enabled, and check Print Commercial Invoice with ETD.
Scroll down and click the Per Company settings for Commercial Invoice button.
Check Use merchant-specific credentials for FedExAPICommercialInvoice.
Click Edit next to the correct company, and enter the relevant settings.
Create a Custom Column for Products called HarmonizedTaxCode. Populate this field with the correct tax code for each product. You can Bulk Update Products to complete this step faster.
Upload Electronic Documents
Shipbridge supports uploading shipment-specific trade documents through the FedEx ETD service. The uploaded files are linked to the specified order and transmitted to FedEx as document images, where they are used as customs and trade documentation for the corresponding international shipment.
The following document types are available for upload:
Commercial Invoice
Certificate of Origin
ETD Label
Pro Forma Invoice
USMCA Certificate of Origin
USMCA Commercial Invoice and Certificate of Origin
To upload a document:
Click Menu > Upload Electronic Documents > FedEx > Documents.
Click Browse and select the Document from your computer.
Select a Document Type from the dropdown.
Specify the required Order Number. If a Tracking Number has already been generated, you can also enter it to associate the document with the shipment.
Once done, click Upload.
Upload Letterhead and Signature
For FedEx International Connect Plus shipments, a company letterhead and an authorized signature are required for electronically generated customs and trade documentation. Shipbridge supports uploading these files for use with FedEx Electronic Trade Documents, where they are automatically included in eligible customs forms and trade documents.
The uploaded letterhead and signature can be used with the following ETD document types:
Commercial Invoice
Certificate of Origin
OP900
Pro Forma Invoice
USMCA Certificate of Origin
USMCA Commercial Invoice and Certificate of Origin
To upload a letterhead and/or signature:
Click Menu > Upload Electronic Documents > FedEx > Letterhead / Signature.
In the Upload Documents pop-up, select a file for Letterhead by clicking Browse. The uploaded image must be in GIF or PNG format and must not exceed 700 × 50 pixels.
Click Browse in the Signature section and select the signature file. The uploaded image must be in GIF or PNG format and must not exceed 240 × 25 pixels.
Once done, click Upload.
You can upload either file independently and replace it at any time. Uploading a letterhead/logo does not require a signature, and vice versa.
Related Settings
Refer to the table below for a list of settings, their descriptions, and locations in Shipbridge.
OPTION |
DESCRIPTION |
Per-Company Configuration |
You can configure different FedEx production access credentials and other settings per company in Shipbridge by going to Menu > Options > Carriers > FedEx > Per-company configuration. You can also configure even more settings per company, specifically for commercial invoices, by going to Menu > Options > Carriers > FedEx > Per Company settings for Commercial Invoice. |
Printer Configuration |
To configure the printer for commercial invoices globally or per company, in Shipbridge, click Menu > Options > Carriers > FedEx:
|
Number of Invoices to Print |
To change how many invoices get printed, in Shipbridge, click Menu > Options > Carriers > FedEx > update the Number of Invoice Copies to be Printed setting. |
Bill Duties and Taxes |
To bill all duties and taxes to the sender, recipient, or a third party, in Shipbridge, click Menu > Options > Carriers > FedEx > Bill duty/tax to. You can also configure this per company from Carriers > FedEx > Per-company configuration. |
Set $0 Customs Value to $1 |
In some cases, it is possible for the customs value on an order to be 0. For example, this can happen if you issue a discount equal to the total item cost. However, if the customs value is 0, the commercial invoice can’t be sent. To prevent this, in Shipbridge, click Menu > Options > Customs > check When customs value is $0, automatically set to $1. |
Shipping Cost |
By default, the shipping cost won’t be added to the order cost on commercial invoices for international shipments. To change this, in Shipbridge, click Menu > Options > Customs > Use Shipping Cost in Commercial Invoice. |
Remove SKU From Shipping Reference |
To remove SKUs from the shipping reference when sending commercial invoices to FedEx, in Shipbridge, click Menu > Options > Customs and check one of these options:
|
Change the Customs Description in Scan and Ship |
To change the description of the customs, in Shipbridge, click Scan And Ship and then update it under the Customs tab. |