Trade Document Generators & Checklists
Generate compliant proforma invoices and packing lists, pre-check LC applications against UCP 600 / ISBP 745, and extract data from Bills of Lading.
A proforma invoice is not a contract but it is the primary document buyers submit to their bank to open a Letter of Credit and to their customs to obtain an import licence or pre-shipment inspection. Fields that look optional (Incoterm with named place, HS code, country of origin, packaging, total gross vs net weight) become mandatory when the LC is opened against them.
Discrepancies at LC presentation are the #1 cause of trade-finance delay and cost. UCP 600 Art. 14 and ISBP 745 govern how banks examine documents; typical rejection reasons are late shipment, expired credit, description mismatch between invoice and LC, transport-document type/date issues, and missing signatures. Our LC Application Checklist scores your draft LC against every ISBP 745 rule before you issue.
Bills of Lading carry the title to goods - an order B/L is a negotiable instrument. Extracting structured data (shipper, consignee, notify, marks, weights, freight prepaid/collect) is essential for LC negotiation and customs entry.
Frequently asked questions
What must a proforma invoice include for an LC application?
Seller and buyer full addresses, Incoterm with named place (e.g. 'CIF Rotterdam Incoterms 2020'), HS code (6-digit minimum), country of origin, description matching the LC exactly, unit and total price, currency, quantity with unit of measure, gross and net weight, packaging, expected shipment window, and validity period.
What is UCP 600 Article 14?
UCP 600 Article 14 governs the standard for examination of documents under a Letter of Credit. It sets the 5-banking-day examination window, requires documents 'on their face' to appear to constitute a complying presentation, and specifies that non-documentary conditions are disregarded.
What is the difference between an order B/L and a straight B/L?
An order B/L (consigned 'to order' or 'to order of a named party') is a negotiable document of title - endorsing it transfers ownership of the goods. A straight B/L is consigned to a named consignee and is not negotiable. LCs almost always require order B/Ls consigned to the issuing bank.