It’s an automated international shipping solution that allows you to submit your trade documents (e.g. a commercial invoice) electronically. ETD reduces paper waste, allows for faster pickup and speeds up the pre-clearance process. It also prevents your shipment being delayed at customs.

It simplifies the international shipping process – meaning you don’t have to print, fold and attach multiple copies to each shipment, which saves paper and reduces printing costs. 

Not only do you save on paper and printing costs, you also get peace of mind and reassurance knowing your trade documents are ready for customs clearance. Here are a few of the benefits explained in more detail:

• Uploading the documents electronically allows time for preclearance assistance
• Customizing your documents with letterheads and signature images helps you comply with customs clearance requirements in certain countries
• Cutting back on paper, printing and shipping materials reduces your carbon footprint
• Avoiding delays at customs improves your shipping reliability and reputation
• Preparing your documents electronically gives you more time to focus on other tasks
• Without an invoice attached to the shipment outlining what it contains, there’s less chance of theft

You can submit your trade documents much earlier. So if there’s any missing or additional information needed, you will be notified quicker, which reduces the chance of delays at customs.

It can be used for both import and export shipments. To check if it’s available in the countries you ship from/to, see the list below. 

If the origin or destination country (or both) don’t accept ETD, your shipment will be labeled as EWO (Electronics With Originals). This allows you to seamlessly upload your documents for countries that require paper copies for customs clearance. By uploading the documents, they’ll be viewed by a broker earlier, which means you’ll be notified of any issues with the paperwork and be able to resolve them quickly. It also reduces the chance of missing paperwork. However, you still need to print and attach the customs documentation to the shipment to comply with regulatory requirements.

FedEx Electronic Trade Documents is available for FedEx Express^® shipments and benefits non-­document or commodity shippers the most. Shipments containing Dangerous Goods and Dry Ice may be eligible for electronic trade documents submission.

You can prepare, store and reuse trade documents online with the FedEx Document Preparation Center on FedEx Global Trade Manager. 

Depending on the shipment destination country, you might be required to submit printed paperwork. The ‘Country Profiles’ feature on FedEx Global Trade Manager provides country-specific information on shipping and regulatory requirements such as documents required for submission, and other special clearance requirements (e.g. the amount of duties and taxes to be paid). Notwithstanding the foregoing, please remember to print your international shipping label for all shipments. 

Only labels created via FedEx Ship Manager^® software can be uploaded onto FedEx Global Trade Manager.  Please make sure you upload your trade documents as soon as possible to avoid your shipment being held by customs due to a lack of trade documents.

Yes. FedEx Electronic Trade Documents allows you to submit trade documents electronically, but you still need to print a shipping label.

False
System is set to print 0 copy for ETD shipment.  If your shipment is informal declaration shipment, you don’t need to print CI separately. If your shipment is formal declaration shipment and hard copies are required by your customs in your country, you need to print CI separately together with other documents that customs required. 

Some destination countries/territories are not ETD market and hard copies are still required for their import declaration.  Your shipment will automatically change this shipment into EWO shipment if the destination is ETD ineligible – electronic documents are uploaded in system for earlier review and hard copy will be sent to destination customs together with your shipment.

When you click Print and the printed label show ETD remark, it means the document has been uploaded successfully.

If document can’t be uploaded, there will be alert to customer: continue to print non-ETD AWB or edit AWB to re-upload again.  Sometimes documents can’t be uploaded when you are in low-speed Internet connection. Please remember to print clearance documents if you find no ETD remark in printed label or show NA in ETD status in FedEx Ship Manager system. 

Please immediately contact our customer service (0120-003200) to change the transaction documents.

No. Signature is needed in CI for most of countries. You can insert your electronic signature image in CI before you upload.

FedEx will call customer to request the documents again if we can’t find the correct documents in system.  Clearance documents might be invalid, because

1. The ETD file may fail to be uploaded if the internet connection is not good during customer uploading process.
Or
2. Document in .xls and .doc format might be broken up if you type special sign (for example: *, #, ¥, ￥, ₩, ฿) in local language typewriting,   Please convert the file format to .tif, .png or .pdf before uploading and avoid to upload excel and/or word file directly. 

1. File format: Check the extension of the image to see if it is .png, .jpg or .bmp. If not, right click and rename to revise.  
2. Size: Right click the image and click the details in the popup screen. The width and the Height could be seen. If it is larger than requirement, screen shot and save as could be helpful.