How to Prepare a Commercial Invoice — A Field-by-Field Checklist

The Commercial Invoice (C/I) is the most fundamental document proving "what is being sold to whom, for how much" in an export transaction. Export declaration, import customs clearance, duty assessment, and payment all run off this single document — so even one field that doesn't match the underlying contract can trigger customs delays or a claim. This guide covers the core fields on a C/I and the mistakes shippers make most often.

Core sections of a Commercial Invoice

A C/I breaks down into three parts: ① trading party information, ② transaction terms, and ③ item details.

① Trading party information

• Shipper / Exporter: company name and address, exactly matching the underlying contract
• Consignee: must exactly match the wording on the contract and L/C — even a typo here can trigger a discrepancy at the bank negotiation stage

② Transaction terms

• Invoice No.: a number that must be unique within your internal system
• Incoterms: state the term, place, and version together, e.g. "FOB Busan Incoterms® 2020" (for guidance on choosing the right term, see our Incoterms guide)
• Currency: the settlement currency (USD/EUR/KRW etc.) — every unit price and total on the invoice must be denominated consistently in this currency

③ Item list

• No.: item sequence number
• Description: the product name — this directly drives customs classification and duty rates, so avoid vague terms ("parts," "miscellaneous") in favor of the actual product name and specification
• HS Code: the 10-digit tariff classification code — confirm the correct code first with HS Code Lookup
• Qty: quantity
• Unit Price: price per unit
• Amount: quantity × unit price (line total); the overall Total is the sum of this Amount column

Common mistakes to avoid

• Description that's too generic: something like "Machine Parts" invites additional scrutiny from customs. It's safer to include the actual product name plus a specification (model number, etc.).
• Guessing at the HS Code: an incorrect classification means the wrong duty rate, which can lead to penalties or a corrective filing later. Always confirm the code with HS Code Lookup before entering it.
• Omitting the version year on Incoterms: writing just "FOB Busan" without "Incoterms® 2020" leaves it unclear which revision applies if a dispute arises.
• Amount total not matching the actual payment: if there's a discount or advance payment, state it separately at the bottom of the invoice — don't adjust the Amount total itself to force a match.
• Item order or quantities out of sync with the Packing List: the C/I and P/L are a paired set of documents showing the same items from two different angles (value vs. weight/volume) — item order and quantities must match exactly for customs cross-checking to go smoothly (see our Packing List guide for details).

A practical tip

Building a C/I and P/L by hand every time increases the risk of typos and missing fields. Our C/I & P/L Generator takes the same fields described above through a form and instantly generates both PDF and Excel versions — the Excel file is saved with live formulas, so Amount and Total automatically recalculate if you edit quantity or unit price after downloading.