13.2 Notes on Documentation制单中的注意事项
The documents involved in an export transaction normally constitute a full set,used for presentation,negotiation and collecting payment.Documents are important for a transaction regardless of the payment method,but more so under a letter of credit.Principles of documentation under an L/C transaction are generally summarized as“two consistencies”—all other documents should be consistent with the L/C terms,and any one document should be consistent with other documents.For example,the entry for quantity as well as its unit should be consistent in the invoice,the packing list,and any otherdocuments.And if the bill of lading specifies a shipping mark,the invoice should not indicate “N/M(no marking)”.Furthermore,every document has an issuing date,and these dates should be logical and in compliance with international trade conventions.
Documentation is critical for a transaction.A simple error with documents is likely to result in significant losses.Particularly when the market fluctuates dramatically or when business disputes arise,an error with documents makes a good excuse for the importer to break the contract.However,normally,not every error is fatal.So,neither should you take it lightly nor make a fuss about everything.A reasonable assessment of the impact might be a proper attitude toward an error.Hopefully,now you may have obtained a deeper understanding of the export process by grasping the key points with documentation.