Learn how the pro forma invoice, commercial invoice and packing list serve different purposes—and how to keep their parties, quantities, units, terms and references consistent.
Each guide gives a complete educational answer without requiring sign-in.
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How to prepare a pro forma invoice for export
Build a clear proposal before the final sale. The guide covers purpose, common fields, payment and delivery terms, a fictional worked example, mistakes and a final checklist.
Read the pro forma invoice guide
How to prepare a commercial invoice for export
Move from proposed terms to the actual sale record. Learn how to review final parties, quantities, values, charges, Incoterms and destination-specific requirements, then reconcile the invoice with the shipment.
Read the commercial invoice guide
How to prepare an export packing list
Describe how the goods are distributed across packages. The guide focuses on package numbers, contents, separate units of measure, marks, dimensions, net/gross weights and reconciliation with the commercial invoice.
Read the export packing-list guide
How the three documents work together
- The pro forma invoice presents the proposed sale.
- The commercial invoice records the final transaction.
- The packing list describes the physical shipment.
Information can be reused, but the documents are not interchangeable. A quoted quantity may change before the final invoice, and the packing list should follow the final CI quantity.
The guide examples use one fictional transaction:
- PI: 100 sheets and 80 pieces proposed
- CI: 96 sheets and 80 pieces in the illustrated sale/shipment
- Packing list: 96 sheets and 80 pieces across six pallets
Sheets and pieces remain separate units. Pallet 6 is described as 16 sheets + 80 pieces, never as one mixed item count.
What these guides do not replace
Export-document requirements depend on the goods, destination, buyer, bank, carrier and transaction. These guides are educational and do not replace advice from a customs broker, freight forwarder, bank, legal/tax adviser or relevant authority.
WorkWiseInt does not claim to file customs declarations, issue origin certificates, create bills of lading or guarantee compliance.
Prepare the records in one connected workflow
WorkWiseInt supports PI, CI and packing-list records with customer, product and source-document context. Selected PI lines can be imported into a CI for final review; CI lines can be used in packing-list preparation.
Each record stays separate. Users remain responsible for checking final quantities, values, terms, package details and required fields.
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Frequently asked questions
Are these templates?
They are instructional guides with fictional examples and checklists. They do not promise a universal template that meets every jurisdiction's rules.
Do I need an account to read them?
No. The full guides are public and ungated.
Which guide should I read first?
Start with the document you are preparing. For a typical sequence, read the PI guide, then the CI guide, then the packing-list guide.
Does WorkWiseInt decide which documents I need?
No. Confirm the required document set with the relevant transaction parties and authorities.