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Commercial Invoice Generator

After a deal is confirmed, the commercial invoice (CI) is what customs values, banks settle and both parties book against. Fill in product, quantity and price line by line; each line amount, subtotal, freight, insurance and grand total are computed automatically, along with the customary SAY US DOLLARS … ONLY amount in words. The sheet is laid out for A4 printing, with an in-document language switch, and everything stays in your browser.

Once the buyer confirms your PI, the shipping paperwork switches to the commercial invoice: customs use it to assess duty, banks use it to release payment, and it must reflect the true transaction value. This generator shares its line-item logic with the proforma invoice - type the items and the amounts and totals are computed for you, with freight and insurance folded into the total for CIF / CFR terms.

Unlike the PI, a CI carries no validity period, but its number and date must match your customs declarations. Many exporters print the English original for customs and a Chinese copy for their accountant - just switch the document language and print again. The amount in words follows the international SAY … ONLY convention that customs officers and bank clerks read without question.

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How to use

  1. Enter the invoice number and date - keep your own series (CI-2026-0001) and date the invoice on the issue day.
  2. Pick the currency, trade terms and ports; for CIF / CFR remember to type freight and insurance below.
  3. Paste seller, buyer and banking details line by line; the bank line prints in the notes block.
  4. Add product lines with quantity and unit price; delete unneeded rows with the × button.
  5. Check the A4 preview and print or save as PDF; switch to Chinese and print a copy for internal filing.

How it works

Must the CI match the customs declaration?

Yes - it must. Customs assess duty from the commercial invoice, so product names, quantities, unit prices and trade terms all have to agree with your declaration papers. Generate the sheet here, then check it line by line against the draft declaration your broker sends back, especially the English and Chinese naming of each product.

Which fields differ from the PI?

The CI drops the PI's validity field but raises the stakes on accuracy: figures and words must agree, and the trade terms must match the bill of lading. Everything else - number, date, parties, line items, ports, banking - is identical to the PI, so once the deal is confirmed you can copy the line items over, change the number prefix, and the CI is ready.

When do I need a Chinese copy of the CI?

The original for customs and the buyer is in English. For your factory, accountant or the foreign-exchange filings, switch the document language to Chinese and print a second copy - it shows the Chinese title and field labels while carrying exactly the same data.

Code example

JavaScript Declared value basis 

// FOB basis: declared value = sum of line amounts
// CIF / CFR: freight and insurance join the declared total
const declared = items.reduce((s, it) => s + it.qty * it.price, 0);
const grand = declared + freight + insurance;

JavaScript Words must match figures 

// PI total = quotation; CI total = declared value. Same math:
amountInWords(5300, 'USD');
// 'SAY US DOLLARS FIVE THOUSAND THREE HUNDRED ONLY'
// Customs officers in many ports treat the words as binding.

FAQ

Does the CI need a signature or company stamp?

Print it, sign on the signature lines and stamp it - most ports accept plain black-and-white printouts. The sheet reserves signature lines for seller and buyer.

Should freight and insurance appear on the invoice?

Not for FOB; freight for CFR; both for CIF. Type them into their fields and they join the grand total automatically - zero rows are omitted from the printout. Always follow the basis agreed with your forwarder and broker.

Where is my document stored?

Nowhere. It exists only in your browser and clears when you refresh or close the page; nothing is uploaded. Print to PDF for records.

Can I reuse data from the proforma invoice?

Yes - the line items share the same structure. Copy the confirmed PI rows across, change the number prefix, and the CI matches your quotation exactly. All three generators on this site use the same field structure.

What if I have more than 40 line items?

Up to 40. Beyond that, split by product family or merge similar items and detail them in remarks.

Is there a required invoice number format?

No hard rule, but keep a unique series such as CI-2026-0001. The invoice number appears on customs and shipping documents, and duplicates can delay clearance.

How are cents printed in words?

Per convention, AND CENTS introduces them: USD 1,234.56 becomes SAY US DOLLARS ONE THOUSAND TWO HUNDRED THIRTY-FOUR AND CENTS FIFTY-SIX ONLY, with two decimal places.

Does the printed PDF carry any site branding?

No. Printing outputs the document only - site headers, buttons and notes are hidden, leaving a clean single A4 page.