What is the Foreign Trade Documents System?
A local browser-based tool for preparing and auditing export documents. It enforces a three-stage workflow — confirm master data, fill and dual-sign each document, then run a continuous event-level audit — covers commercial invoices, packing lists, customs declarations, bills of lading and certificates of origin, and exports Word / Excel / PDF. Business data stays only in a local folder chosen by the user.
Is my document data uploaded to the cloud?
No. The system uses the browser File System Access API to write company, customer, product, order, document and event data directly into a folder you choose on your own machine (basics.json / events.json / records/). Browser local storage holds only the interface language preference. Without a chosen folder the form is read-only and nothing is uploaded.
Why can't I start filling documents immediately?
Because export documents demand absolute accuracy in master data. Companies, customers, orders and products must each be confirmed with a compliance declaration, a confirmer name and an explicit submission before they can be referenced. Until all references are confirmed, the document body is view-only; the reference panel remains usable so you can inspect the structure first.
What is the event-level continuous audit?
All documents of one shipment are checked together: (1) whether each has filler and reviewer signatures; (2) whether seller, buyer, contract number, invoice number, trade terms, ports, quantities, gross/net weight, volume and amount are identical across documents; (3) whether they match confirmed master data (company/customer/order links and product model, HS code, unit, unit price). Any mismatch is listed with the exact document and field, and the confirmation button stays disabled until everything is fixed.
Can I remove "Made in China" from the packaging or product if asked to?
Usually not — this is a frequent red line. US 19 U.S.C. §1304 and 19 CFR Part 134 require imported goods to bear a conspicuous, permanent English country-of-origin marking; missing marks incur a 10% ad valorem duty and deliberately removing, concealing or altering origin markings may be a criminal offence. Saudi SASO / SABER likewise require a permanent MADE IN CHINA marking. A buyer's "neutral packaging" request is commercial and cannot override origin-marking law. The system lists this as a top-level red line when a relevant destination is selected. The correct approach is to keep the statutory origin marking and localise only the label language (Arabic, French, Spanish, Portuguese, Russian and so on).
Must cartons over 20 kg carry a yellow warning label?
Distinguish statutes from carrier/buyer specifications. China's GB/T 191-2025 specifies that pictorial marking is normally black and that red, orange and yellow should be avoided; EU Directive 90/269/EEC and its national transpositions require load weight (plus centre of gravity / heaviest side for off-centre loads) and a manual-handling risk assessment, with 20 kg / 25 kg figures as assessment references rather than statutory per-carton limits. No statute prescribes a yellow label or a two-face layout — yellow HEAVY / Team Lift labels and 20–23 kg thresholds belong to carrier or buyer specifications. This system covers the statutory information duties only; colour, layout and threshold conventions are excluded and must be handled under your contract and the forwarder's written instructions.
Which export regulatory red lines are covered?
Three layers: (1) common worldwide rules — origin marking, shipping marks and package numbers, gross/net weight and volume, invoice/packing-list/bill-of-lading consistency, HS codes, ISPM 15 / IPPC wood packaging, dangerous goods and lithium battery marks, certification marks, label language and compliance declarations; (2) country-specific regimes — EU CE/UKCA/WEEE/PPWR packaging EPR, US FCC/UL and 19 USC 1304, Saudi SABER with Arabic labelling and the prohibition of Israel-related marks, Russia/EAEU EAC and Russian, Brazil ANATEL/INMETRO and Portuguese, Japan PSE, Korea KC, India BIS, Australia RCM; (3) basis — only laws/regulations, mandatory standards and official customs/market-access regimes are included. Buyer and carrier-specific arrangements are excluded, with a prompt to verify against the latest official sources.
Do generated documents have official legal effect?
No. The system produces drafts for internal preparation and checking. Electronic signatures are internal confirmations by the people concerned; they are not official, customs or government seals, and no official document or seal is generated or forged. Re-verify against the actual transaction and obtain genuine signatures or seals from the competent authority before formal use.
Do I need an internet connection or an account?
No. Filling, auditing, saving and exporting all run locally in the browser and work offline. There is no account, no server and no data transmission. Only the initial loading of the online page requires network access.