12 guides

Export Documentation

Invoices, packing lists and the paperwork behind every export shipment.

Documentation is where export operations succeed or stall. The goods can be finished and the container booked, but if a certificate of origin names the wrong consignee or a packing list disagrees with the invoice, the shipment waits — and in a letter-of-credit deal, a discrepancy can cost you the payment guarantee entirely.

The guides here take each document in turn: what it is for, who issues it, which fields buyers and customs actually check, and the mismatches that most often trigger a query. They are written for the person preparing the file, not for a compliance textbook, so the emphasis is on the specific fields that cause problems.

Export documents list: proforma and commercial invoice, packing list, shipping bill, bill of lading, certificate of origin, value and SCOMET declarations
8 min read

Export Documents List: 9 Documents Every Indian Exporter Needs

The documents required for export from India, what each one is for, who checks it and the fields that must agree across the set — plus how to generate them without re-typing.

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How a letter of credit works: buyer opens LC, advising bank confirms, exporter ships and presents documents, bank pays
9 min read

Letter of Credit Explained for Indian Exporters (2026 Guide)

A letter of credit lets you ship to a new buyer with the bank's promise to pay standing behind them. This guide explains how an LC works, the documents it demands, why LCs get rejected on discrepancies, and how to present a clean set.

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Preferential vs non-preferential certificate of origin: who needs each, who issues it and what it proves
8 min read

Certificate of Origin for Exports: Types, Process and Uses (2026)

A certificate of origin proves where your goods were made — and under a trade agreement it can cut the duty your buyer pays. This guide explains preferential vs non-preferential COOs, how to obtain them, and where they fit in your export documents.

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Exporter reviewing a shipping bill filed on ICEGATE before loading — ExportCRM
10 min read

Shipping Bill & ICEGATE Filing: The Exporter's 2026 Guide

The shipping bill is the document that turns a consignment into an export. This guide explains the types of shipping bill, how filing works on ICEGATE, what a Let Export Order means, and why the shipping bill drives your GST refund and RoDTEP claim.

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The five fields behind most shipping bill queries: HS code, declared value, quantity and weight, consignee details and scheme declaration
10 min read

Shipping Bill Query: Common Reasons and How to Reply on ICEGATE

A shipping bill query stops a consignment at the worst possible moment. Most queries trace back to a small set of avoidable inconsistencies between documents — here is the taxonomy, and which field causes each one.

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Export documentation desk handoffs: sales → documentation desk → CHA → bank
10 min read

How Export Houses Staff the Documentation Desk

The documentation desk is where an export house's paperwork either holds together or does not. This is about how the role is actually structured — what it owns, where it sits, and the handoffs that decide whether it works.

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CHA checklist verification: the checklist PDF compared with the commercial invoice before the shipping bill is filed on ICEGATE
9 min read

How to Verify a CHA Checklist Before the Shipping Bill Is Filed (14-Point Check)

The checklist your CHA sends for approval is the shipping bill in draft. Whatever you approve is what customs sees. Here is what to check on it, field by field, and the mistakes that cause queries and lost incentives.

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Proforma invoice for export: the fields it needs, from PI number and validity to Incoterm, payment terms and bank details
8 min read

Proforma Invoice for Export: Format, Mandatory Fields and Common Mistakes

The proforma invoice is the first document your buyer sees, and the one their bank uses to open a letter of credit or release an advance. Here is what it must contain, how it differs from a commercial invoice, and the errors that come back to haunt the shipment.

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Export commercial invoice format: exporter details, goods and HS codes, Incoterm, value breakdown and GST endorsement
9 min read

Export Commercial Invoice Format in India: Mandatory Fields and GST Declarations

The commercial invoice is the document customs, your bank, your buyer and the incentive schemes all read. Here is every field it needs, the GST endorsement that must appear on it, and how to keep it consistent with the rest of the file.

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Export packing list format: marks and numbers, contents per carton, net and gross weight, dimensions and CBM
7 min read

Export Packing List Format: What to Include and How to Avoid Mismatches

The packing list tells customs, the shipping line and the buyer what is inside every package. Here is the format, the fields that matter most, and why packing lists so often disagree with invoices.

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Bill of lading types: master and house, original to-order, straight, telex release and seaway bill
9 min read

Bill of Lading Explained: Types, Telex Release and Seaway Bill for Exporters

The bill of lading is the shipping line's receipt, the contract of carriage and — when it is an original negotiable bill — the document that controls who can take the goods. Here is what each type means and which one to use.

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Export customs clearance process in India: checklist, e-Sanchit, shipping bill, assessment, LEO and loading
9 min read

Export Customs Clearance Process in India: From Shipping Bill to Let Export Order

What happens between your goods leaving the factory and the vessel sailing: shipping bill filing, assessment, examination, Let Export Order and the documents that follow. Step by step, with where delays usually come from.

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