The movement of goods from suppliers to customers is accompanied by the preparation of various documents. They contain all the information about the movement of goods. Let us further consider in detail shipping documents, their types and contents.
General information
Shipping documents, the list of which will be presented below, in most cases are drawn up similarly to bank documents . Various paperwork requirements apply. In particular, when filling out shipping documents, authorized persons should avoid blots, corrections, erasures, inaccuracies, etc. In trading activities of a foreign economic nature, including, all payments are made on the basis of securities. Information from them is used in accounting and reporting. In practice, part of the forfeits, delays and fines, breaches of obligations arise precisely because shipping documents were not presented on time. The list of securities that must be provided with the goods / cargo may be different, depending on the nature of the operations performed. However, a single rule applies to all participants in economic activity. All shipping documents must be filled in flawlessly.
Technical papers
What are these shipping documents? Samples of such papers are used to transmit information about the technical condition of the cargo. These include: descriptions and product forms, drawings, data sheets, installation, commissioning, operation and repair instructions. The required volume of such securities is stipulated by the terms of the contract. Due to the fact that technical shipping documents are prepared, as a rule, directly by the manufacturer, only the most important of them should be included in the contract. In some cases, such papers contain an indication of warranty service. Such information is usually posted by domestic manufacturers. Due to the fact that the Russian manufacturer does not have a repair and maintenance network abroad, guarantees will be valid only on the territory of the Russian Federation. This moment must be agreed with foreign partners. If necessary, or at the request of the customer, shipping documents of a technical orientation may be drawn up in a foreign language.
Certifications
These shipping documents are used in carrying out economic activities both within the country and abroad. Certificates are different. For example, they can confirm that product quality meets established standards. Certificates of origin, veterinary and radiation certificates are presented as shipping documents when exporting or importing goods. The first indicates the state in which the product was manufactured. The radiation and veterinary certificate can also be presented as shipping documents when importing or exporting products abroad. The quantity of products shipped is indicated in the picking list, packing list and shipping specification. These papers are mandatory shipping documents. The Customs Union has strict rules regarding cargo clearance. In the absence of papers, objects may be seized or returned to the sender.
Transport documents
With their help, relations between the sender and the carrier are regulated. Such shipping documents are also evidence of the fact of acceptance of objects by the transport company. This category of papers includes invoices (road, rail), baggage receipts, insurance policy, bill of lading. The latter is a contract for the transportation of goods. It lies directly between the owner of the objects and the carrier. The bill of lading also acts as the receipt of the captain of the vessel in the receipt of the goods.
Design Features
A bill of lading is usually made in duplicate. If necessary, there may be more. Moreover, all of them will be the originals of the bill of lading. Design and copies are allowed. However, they will no longer act as shipping documents. The mandatory details include:
- The name of the vessel.
- The place where the loading was carried out.
- The name of the sender.
- Name of the recipient.
Nuances
It is important to note that the bill of lading will not be accepted by the insurer if it does not contain the name of the vessel. This is due to the fact that the degree of risk and, accordingly, the contribution amount is determined on the basis of information about the condition of the ship. The signing of the bill of lading is carried out in the same place where the loading is carried out. If it is determined by the terms of the contract, then it should be indicated in the application for the letter of credit. The bank will not accept a bill of lading if it does not contain information about the place of loading.
additional information
The shipper of the bill of lading is usually the seller. Registration of freight and shipment is carried out, as a rule, by the exporter, even when transportation is carried out at the expense of the purchaser. Buyer reimburses the cost of this upon receipt. There are different types of bills of lading. For example, the document may indicate the buyer as the recipient of the goods. Such a bill of lading is called registered. The recipient may be the forwarding company of the acquirer. In this case, the bill of lading is an order. Also, the document can be executed to bearer. When a bill of lading is transferred, ownership rights to objects shipped by it are transferred. Along with this, all original documents have the same power. In this regard, the bank will require all copies of the bill of lading. It is more profitable for an exporter to draw up a bearer document. In case of refusal of the purchaser to pay, receipt of the goods by order and registered bills of lading will turn into a real problem for the carrier. In this regard, experts recommend writing such documents only with absolute confidence in the commercial reliability of the acquirer. Although in this case no one is safe from risks. Upon presentation of one of the original bills of lading, the other copies lose their force.
Railway invoice
It contains information about the cargo, indicates the station of destination and departure, the route, destination and owner. A railway bill of lading is always issued to a specific (single) recipient. She accompanies the cargo along its route. When receiving objects at the departure station, a contract is concluded. Upon arrival, the consignee is issued the goods and the invoice. In this case, he will have to pay the prescribed amount. To ensure the fulfillment of this obligation, the carrier has a lien on the goods. Similar rules apply to roadbills.
Settlement papers
Any payment document acts as a requirement of one person to pay the cost of the goods delivered to another entity. In the implementation of foreign economic activity, invoices are most often issued. Banks make payments exclusively with these shipping documents. The GOST list includes other settlement papers. For example, it includes a payment request.
Invoicing
The mandatory details of such documents are:
- Date of discharge.
- Name of payer.
- Account number.
- The state and city in which the payer is located.
- Shipment Details.
- Product information (name, unit cost, total batch price).
- Name and signature of the supplier.
All information that is entered on the invoice must fully coincide with the information present in the contract.
Payment Features
Regardless of the currency in which the payment is made, invoices under export agreements are issued in the money in which the value of the goods in the contract is established. If they do not match, the translation rules are entered into the document. In some cases, the amount may be unfixed. For example, it may depend on the volume of supplies, it may take into account surcharges and discounts, and so on. In such situations, the full basic cost of the batch, as well as the amount of deductions from it, are entered into the invoice.
Insurance policy
When transporting cargo by sea, there is a risk of loss or damage to the cargo. In this regard, transported goods are accepted to be insured. This is beneficial to both the seller and the acquirer of the objects. The insurance policy will allow you to easily compensate for the loss. The fact is that in practice it is quite difficult to recover losses from the carrier, and in some cases it is expressly prohibited by law. For example, a transport company is not responsible for navigation miscalculations of employees. The contract usually spells out the need for insurance. Compensation for losses is carried out by a special company. A separate insurance agreement is concluded with her. In accordance with it, the responsibility of this company comes from the moment of signing the contract. The insurance policy can be issued for one or all transportation carried out over a fixed period. In the latter case, it will be called general. When contacting a specialized company, it should be remembered that the cargo cannot be insured for an amount greater than its contract value. The size of the contribution is set by the insurer. When determining its value, the cost and nature of the cargo, data on the vessel on which the transportation will be carried out, features of the route and a number of other circumstances are taken into account. Upon transfer of ownership of the transported objects, the rights of the insured are not automatically transferred to the acquirer. The law allows for assignment. It is carried out by direct transfer of the policy to the new owner of the goods. The insurance document, therefore, must be present in the package of accompanying papers.
Conclusion
The shipping documentation is of great practical importance in transactions by economic entities. In fact, it contains all the basic and reliable information about the transported cargo. In order to avoid problems with the regulatory authorities, as well as contractors, it is necessary to strictly comply with the requirements of the legislation established in relation to the procedure for processing shipping documents. It should be remembered that inaccuracies in the information, made even without intent, can turn into big problems. The information from the documents is used by accounting, banks, insurance companies. Inaccuracies or errors in them can lead to serious consequences. They, in turn, can become the basis for termination of contracts, cause loss of customers, weakening market positions. It is also important that the likely difficulties often negatively affect the reputation of the supplier.