International Trade Blog

6 Things That Can Go Wrong When Creating Export Documents

David Noah | March 6, 2019 | Export Forms

“What could possibly go wrong?”

I cringe every time I hear someone make that statement. It seems like a guarantee for trouble, especially when it comes to exporting.

The truth is, a lot can go wrong if you’re not expecting it and taking steps to prevent it. Funny enough, by anticipating the mishaps that might occur, you’re actually setting yourself up for greater chances at success. As the old saying goes, “When you know better, you can do better.”

With that in mind, we’ve come up with six things that can go wrong when creating exporting documents. Take a look, learn from these mistakes, and then don’t let them happen to you.

Wood Packaging Certificates for Export and Import

Catherine J. Petersen | March 4, 2019 | Import Basics, Export Basics

“Keeping out the bugs” has become the worldwide mantra for exporters and importers. The bug that gained everyone’s attention in the United States was the Asian Long Horn Beetle, while other countries are concerned with the Pine Worm Nematode plus many other.

There are more than 85 countries that have adopted the International Standards for Phytosanitary Measures No. 15 (ISPM 15) regulation for wood packaging since its inception in 2001, according to the Pacific Lumber Inspection Bureau (PLIB). The regulation applies to wood packaging materials (WPM) made from softwood or hardwood.

How and Why to Register for AESDirect

David Noah | February 27, 2019 | Automated Export System (AES)

Most exports from the United States must have the electronic export information (EEI) filed through the Automated Export System (AES). Depending on the terms of the export, the exporter, a freight forwarder, or some other agent may do the actual filing.

Even if your company isn’t submitting the EEI filing, it’s still important for all exporters to create an account on the Automated Commercial Environment (ACE) where this filing is done. In this article, we’ll identify how to register for AESDirect on ACE and why it’s a must-do for U.S. exporters.

Everything Has a Value—to U.S. Customs

Hank Selby | February 25, 2019 | Import Basics

In my last article I discussed the importance of properly classifying products imported into the United States. As I stated, the Harmonized Tariff number determines the duty rate that U.S. Customs applies to imported products.

A Primer on the Export Proforma Invoice

David Noah | February 20, 2019 | Export Basics, Export Forms

Before your goods are transferred, flown, shipped or driven out of the country, a proforma invoice will set the stage, serving as a negotiating tool between you and your international customer and a blueprint for the entire process.

As one of the first documents prepared in an export transaction, a proforma invoice acts like a quote and looks like a commercial invoice. This document, when correctly completed, contains several key pieces of information that will be used on many of the export forms you'll need to create later on.

Growing Your Exports: Calling On Overseas Customers

Joseph A. Robinson | February 18, 2019 | Export Basics

A successful export manager recently told me that many years ago he made an overseas business trip to a major country in Asia.

As an afterthought, he decided to stop by a small country that he had never visited before. Much to his surprise, he was able to develop a reasonable amount of business developed from his side trip that continues even today.

International Trade Compliance Software: How It Works

David Noah | February 13, 2019 | Export Compliance

One of the more frustrating parts of this job is seeing the costly mistakes small and midsize exporters make when it comes to export compliance.

Because they aren’t “one of the big guys,” some U.S. companies think export compliance regulations don't apply to them (or that they won’t get caught if they don’t follow the regs). Instead, they ignore the regulations, or they breeze through their company’s compliance process and neglect to cross all the T’s and dot all the I’s.

Exporters: Review the ACE Reports of Your AESDirect Filings

Catherine J. Petersen | February 11, 2019 | Automated Export System (AES)

Most exports from the United States require that the Electronic Export Information (EEI) be filed through AESDirect on the Automated Commercial Environment (ACE) portal. Depending on the circumstances of the export—Is this a routed export transaction?—a filing must be done by the exporter (also known as the U.S. Principal Party in Interest or USPPI), the freight forwarder, or some other agent.

Even if your company isn’t doing its own EEI filing, it behooves you to set up an ACE account so you can obtain and examine the ACE reports for all your exports. I have seen the look of shock and surprise on the faces of trade compliance professionals when they review their reports and see what information has been filed using their companies’ tax ID numbers.

Who Is the FPPI and Why Are They Important?

David Noah | February 4, 2019 | Automated Export System (AES), Export Basics

USPPI. FPPI. EEI. POA…

OMG.

All the acronyms we use in exporting can make you feel a little overwhelmed. If you’re a little unsure how the FPPI fits into this alphabet soup, you’re not alone. Here’s what you need to know about the Foreign Principal Party in Interest (FPPI) in plain English.

USPPI vs. Exporter: What's the Difference?

David Noah | January 30, 2019 | Automated Export System (AES), Export Basics

The language of exporting can be confusing. There are several different terms that are often used interchangeably, but they have small but important differences.

The differences between the definition of an exporter versus the definition of a U.S. Principal Party in Interest (USPPI) may seem minute but are actually important to understand. While many people use these terms interchangeably, they’re not exactly the same.

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