"commercial invoice"
Customs 2014: Combine all requests for fixes (actually government requirements) to Customs forms (both Commercial Invoices and the 3 possible Certificate of Origins) so that they are completely system generated within ShipStation.currently there are about a dozen different requests to all focused on the incomplete customs forms generated out of SS. if you cant API to our existing complete and customs compliant forms from FedEx or UPS, please allow us a template to merge out SS shipping info onto.for any export orders over $2600, the failure of SS to go out to census.gov to get and print the required Electronic Export Information (EEI) requires us and others to leave SS and login into FedEx/UPS/etc and use their systems to get the complete shipping paperwork generated....please gather up all the Customs forms requests into one omnibus request for internal fulfillment or API to the established solutions we all been using as workarounds - thanks
CozyCocoon
shared this idea
Hello,
Thank you for submitting this request and helping us to improve ShipStation! We need to determine if this is possible through the carrier API. We do not actually generate any of the Commercial Invoices or Customs Forms. We send the shipment information to the carrier, then they generate the form in realtime and send it back to ShipStation so you can easily manage/print it. We will let you know once we have an update.
Thanks again for your request,
ShipStation
30 comments
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Elart Coello
commented
Why cant we fill out our own commercial invoices? I have gone into settings and checked the enter manually option under international shipments but I am not given the opportunity to do so instead it is automatically generated and printed in an unacceptable manner. I have made two recent international shipments that were instructed to charge any duty or tax to FedEx account number both are being held up in their respective countries due to incomplete commercial invoices.
Is there a way to edit the commercial invoices automatically generated on SS?
Is it possible to fill out commercial invoices myself?
How can I un-check the relation to parties "not related" box?
How can I retroactively update commercial invoices that are deemed incomplete once the package is held in customs in another country, before they return to sender? (currently in this situation now) -
Benchmark Media Systems, Inc.
commented
Any Update on this issue? Our company is on a 30 day trial and might not continue if SED/EEI isn't supported. An acceptable work around would be the ability to fill out the required SED form in ShipStation.
Thanks,
David Siau - Benchmark Media Systems, Inc. -
@James - You can find all of your customs form in the same place. Here's where you can find them: https://help.shipstation.com/hc/en-us/articles/206639417 If you don't see them on the shipments grid, please chat in with our folks here or send an email to support@shipstation.com and we'll get things squared away.
@Erica - Thanks for echoing the overall challenge here! We're still looking into this and will update you when we have an update.
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Ship Station should really have the capability to create EEI forms so we do not have to leave Ship Station and go to Fedex to create the EEI.
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James Holbrook Rockit Cool
commented
Just started using DHL and realized that ShipStation doens't have any form of Commercial Invoice. What?? Something as basic and necessary as that is missing?
Is there a workaround? Some type of customized Packing List? Anything to keep me from having to take an additional 20 minutes on each DHL shipment. -
Richard Beechy Heartfelt Creations
commented
Please get this suggestion implemented. Some countries are denying the standard customs invoice, instead they want to see something with our logo and contact details on it. Also the ability to file the EEI for orders over $2,600 is a must.
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John Arcadian Monte Cook Games, LLC
commented
I've been looking into the technical side of this to see if we can get the appropriate information to print on the packing slip through custom fields or if there are other options to get the custsoms forms for USPS so we can include them within the shipped materials. So far I can't find any information or options. How can we get the customs information for USPS in the same way we get the information for DHL or other shippers?
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MCG Support Team Monte Cook Games, LLC
commented
Please either give us access to the USPS customs forms that are transmitted electronically, or give us a better option for creating our own commercial invoices.
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Thank you for that info, @Julia. We'll do some independent research outside of the comments you and everyone else has left us here and we'll update you here when we have more info.
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Julia Truchsess Pragmatic Designs Inc.
commented
I've been using a customized packing slip for invoicing for the past week, and it's OK. I thought that custom packing slips were only available to Silver plan users, but it's working for me during my trial. I think this is a fundamental need that should be available to Bronze users.
About 50-60% of my shipments are international. Many, many of them run into customs delays of some kind, but one rarely ever finds out exactly what the problem was, so one does everything one can to provide everything that they might possibly want to see. Even with invoices enclosed in the document pouch, my customers very frequently email me requesting an invoice, saying that customs needs it - maybe they want to compare with the ones in the package.
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Thank you @Kyle and @Julia for clearing that up! My apologies for misunderstanding. As it stands today, there is no dedicated document for commercial invoices, but using a custom packing slip will allow you to easily have order information applied to a document.
You can change the title from "Packing Slip" to "Invoice" (or whatever your needs are) by going to Templates > Packing Slip Templates > Copy the default template. In line 5 of the "Order Header" section, you'll see "Packing Slip"--this is the title of the document. Simply replace this with anything you'd like. Hit "Download Sample" to see your changes.
We’ll look into adding this standalone document, and any helpful information you can provide with your own international shipping experience will help the product team understand this issue better. How often are you shipping internationally (as a percentage)? And how often do you or your customer notice a shipment is being held up in customs due to a lack of information?
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Kyle Wiens iFixit
commented
Julia is right about the fact that regardless of what a carrier says is needed, the actual customs departments of certain countries still want a paper copy of an invoice. You can create a custom "packing slip" in ShipStation that's really an invoice that contains all the information customs wants. Still, you ShipStation folks should know that most of us look for something that says "invoice" and ShipStation does not have that. A custom packing slip is a workaround but you guys should look at making a more prominent commercial invoice option.
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Julia Truchsess Pragmatic Designs Inc.
commented
This is the second time that USPS outgoing shipping recommendations/requirements have been presented as an argument that commercial invoices are not needed. What's being ignored is that regardless of what USPS says they want at the sending end, commercial invoices ARE required by (or at least helpful at) pretty much all customs agencies at _destination_ countries. Just try shipping something to Poland, Slovenia, China, Brazil, Germany, Romania, and many others without a commercial invoice. USPS can't even track a package once it gets to destination customs half the time, do you really think they care about getting destination country documentation requirements right?
A Packing Slip is not an invoice. It says "Packing Slip" at the top, whereas an invoice says "Invoice" at the top. Invoices also have numbers; the SS Packing Slip doesn't have numbers.
I can't understand why there is such resistance/pushback from ShipStation on a feature requested by quite a number of users, for something that is and has been standard procedure in shipping since clipper ship days, and which is offered by pretty much every one of its competitors.
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Hey @Julia, thank you for adding your comments here. I found documentation with USPS that says what required forms are needed by each service: http://pe.usps.com/text/imm/immc1_009.htm#ep1000983
I only see Commercial Invoices applicable to Global Express Guaranteed, a service we don't support today (although there is an idea in this forum if you'd like to add your support for it!). I understand each country might have different requirements but it's my understanding that the required information for shipping will be present in the labels printed.
As for a copy for your users, have you looked into using your packing slip as an invoice? I've seen other shippers modify their templates as a sales receipt or invoice. What kind of information are you looking to provide to your customers?
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Julia Truchsess Pragmatic Designs Inc.
commented
It's staggering that this system cannot generate Commercial Invoices - this is a fundamental, universal requirement. No, I cannot click in the "Forms" column in my Shipments view, because there aren't any forms there. When I submitted a support ticket about this, I was told "We don't generate commercial invoices when you use USPS - you don't need them because we put all the info on the USPS labels." This is utter nonsense - many countries require multiple copies of a separate commercial invoice with every shipment. And hey, sometimes my customers would like to have an invoice too! At times I think the ShipStation team has never actually been in a business that involved shipping anything outside the USA.
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Shawn Best GamerModz
commented
Completely agree. There is a way to do it but it's hard to find and annoying to have to keep finding it for multiple DHL orders.
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Josh Giant Vapes
commented
Brian - that is true, but it's an awfully inefficient way of handling something that is a requirement for shipping intl. This is especially true when you have 80-100 intl orders going out with 500-600 domestic every day. It needs to be automated, or at least have the option for automation.
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Brian Fowler Kernersville Chrysler
commented
Commercial invoices are available through ShipStation! Go to "Shipments" tab after completing the shipment and find that particular order. There will be a "Other Forms" image beside the green cart and envelope. Click it.
You're welcome!
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Yatri Trivedi Spytec Inc
commented
Not having this option is extremely detrimental to our business. We don't/can't do things electronically for various reasons and not being able to print 4 copies of a customs invoice kills our int'l shipping ability. It's been 3 years, guys.
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AccountingSatechi
commented
My company needs this option! UPS and FedEx makes a sloppy invoice that does not fit our needs. If we can customize this option it would be awesome!!
