Commercial Template Sample: Complete Incoterms Option

This form demonstrates how to add an Incoterms option in the format of a dropdown list, which replaces the existing checkbox-based freight rules.

The term Incoterms® is an abbreviation for International Commercial Terms. They are a set of rules that define the responsibilities of sellers and buyers for the delivery of goods.

In blank commercial invoice templates (FedEx style) (c9002), terms of Sale (Incoterms) were limited to three options:

• FOB: Free On Board
• C&F: Cost and Freight
• CIF: Cost Insurance and Freight

Effective January 2010, the ICC once again updated Incoterms (see Incoterms 2010). The number of Incoterms® rules has been reduced from 13 to 11.

What if you want to be able to choose from all 11 available Incoterms? If we use 11 checkboxes, it would take over a large range of cells. A better idea is to use a drop-down list.

Here are the brief steps in creating the drop-down list:

1. Backup your template.
2. Open the template.
3. Push down the "Design Mode" button on the ribbon tab.
4. Choose a cell to place the Incoterms field. In this sample, we chose the range P38:P41. Clear the existing content and checkboxes. Name the "oknINCOTERM" cell.
5. The available options are as follows:
   • EXW: EX WORKS
   • FCA: FREE CARRIER
   • CPT: CARRIAGE PAID TO
   • CIP: CARRIAGE AND INSURANCE PAID TO
   • DAT: DELIVERED AT TERMINAL
   • DAP: DELIVERED AT PLACE
   • DDP: DELIVERED DUTY PAID
   • FAS: FREE ALONGSIDE SHIP
   • FOB: FREE ON BOARD
   • CFR: COST AND FREIGHT
   • CIF: COST INSURANCE AND FREIGHT
6. Create the dropdown list by using Excel data validation.
   1. Select the "oknIncoterm" cell.
   2. Click the Excel command on the ribbon: Data, Data Validation, and then Data Validation again.
   3. On the "Data Validation" dialog box, choose "List" from the "Allow" box.
   4. Click the "Source" field and enter the range of the source; in this sample, it is "$W$4:$W$14".
   5. There are other options you can set in this dialog box too; for example, you can specify the error message to show if a user entered an incorrect value.
   6. Once finished, click OK.
7. Exit design mode.
8. Save the template.

Now, if you click the "oknIncoterm" cell, a drop-down list appears.