---
title: "Regarding the issue of write-off"
description: "We've recently encountered issues with customs clearance, where the amounts on the customs declaration, the foreign exchange receipt, and the VAT invoice always don't match. The tax bureau has already issued a warning. We'd like to ask: From the perspective of customs compliance, which aspects are most prone to errors? What pitfalls exist in the document flow during the logistics process? Additionally, how can we communicate with clients about payment methods to avoid subsequent difficulties wit..."
url: "https://www.sh-zhongshen.com/en/qa/write-off-questions.html"
language: "en"
type: "Q&A"
category: "其他问题"
datePublished: "2026-02-14"
dateModified: "2026-02-14"
brand: "Zhongshen Trading China"
answerCount: 3
---

# Regarding the issue of write-off

## Question

 We have recently encountered difficulties in clearing customs, including issues with customs declarations.The amounts on the water bills and VAT invoices always don't match, and the tax bureau has already issued a warning. I would like to ask: From the perspective of customs compliance, which points are most prone to errors? What are the pitfalls in the document flow during the logistics process? And how can we communicate with clients about payment methods to avoid subsequent trouble with account settlement? 

## Answers
                            
### Answer 1 — Best Answer

The issue you encountered with the data mismatch in write-off involves deviations in the implementation of the "Three Documents Consistency" principle. From a customs compliance perspective，the three most common errors are。

1. The "transaction method" on the customs declaration form does not match the "nature of the transaction" on the foreign exchange receipt，especially for the apportionment of freight and insurance costs under the CIF clause。

2. The tax rebate rate corresponding to the HS code does not match the VAT invoice tax rate，which is a high-risk warning item。

3. A difference of more than 180 days between the foreign exchange receipt date and the customs declaration export date will be deemed an abnormal receipt of foreign exchange。

We recommend that you immediately self-check these three types of data and prepare a situation explanation letter. If the tax authority has already issued a warning，you must submit explanatory materials within 15 working days，otherwise it may affect your tax rebate credit rating.

**status:** accepted
**Author:** Eric Zhou
**Date:** 2026-02-14

### Answer 2

The main pitfalls in document flow and clearance during the logistics process lie in "information mismatch". Firstly, the shipper and consignee information on the bill of lading must fully match the customs declaration form, including punctuation and spaces. Many anomalies arise from this discrepancy. Secondly, the amount and currency on the freight invoice must precisely match the freight and insurance charges apportioned in the customs declaration. It is recommended to request the freight forwarder to provide a freight breakdown template in advance. Thirdly, if partial shipments are involved, the clearance document number for each batch must be clearly marked on the booking letter to avoid subsequent mix-ups. In practice, you can ask the freight forwarder to issue a "pre-verification list" before shipment, comparing the customs declaration form, draft bill of lading, and freight invoice in advance. This can avoid 90% of clearance mismatch issues.

**status:** suggested
**Author:** Lucas Liu
**Date:** 2026-02-14

### Answer 3

When communicating with clients about payment methods to avoid trouble with foreign exchange settlement, the key lies in "advance confirmation" and "term design". If the client insists on making payments in installments, you must specify in the contract the "specific invoice numbers and customs declaration numbers corresponding to each batch of payment receipts", and require the client to indicate these numbers in the payment memo. For small final payment differences, it is recommended to agree on a "minor exemption clause" in advance, stating that differences within $50 will be considered settled, avoiding endless disputes. In terms of communication, you can formally notify the client via email: "To comply with China's foreign exchange settlement regulations, please ensure that you indicate the corresponding invoice numbers when making payments, otherwise it may lead to delivery delays." This approach not only complies with regulations but also retains the initiative, and clients are usually willing to cooperate.

**status:** suggested
**Author:** Kevin Lin
**Date:** 2026-02-14

## Related Categories
- [Import Agency Q&A](https://www.sh-zhongshen.com/en/qa/cat-import-agency/)
- [Export Agency Q&A](https://www.sh-zhongshen.com/en/qa/cat-export-agency/)
- [Export Tax Rebate Q&A](https://www.sh-zhongshen.com/en/qa/cat-export-tax-rebate/)
- [Customs Declaration Q&A](https://www.sh-zhongshen.com/en/qa/cat-customs-declaration/)
- [Freight Forwarding Q&A](https://www.sh-zhongshen.com/en/qa/cat-freight-forwarding/)
- [Forex Settlement Q&A](https://www.sh-zhongshen.com/en/qa/cat-forex-settlement/)
- [Entrepôt Trade Q&A](https://www.sh-zhongshen.com/en/qa/cat-entrepot-trade/)

## Related Resources
- [Trade Services](https://www.sh-zhongshen.com/en/services/)
- [Trade Cases](https://www.sh-zhongshen.com/en/cases/)
- [Trade Wiki](https://www.sh-zhongshen.com/en/wiki/)
- [Trade Class](https://www.sh-zhongshen.com/en/guide/)
- [Global Trade Services](https://www.sh-zhongshen.com/en/country/)

## Structured Data

```json
[
    {
      "@context": "https://schema.org",
      "@type": "QAPage",
      "inLanguage":"en", 
      "isPartOf": { "@id":"https://www.sh-zhongshen.com/en/#website" }, 
      "publisher":{ "@id":"https://www.sh-zhongshen.com/en/#organization" },
      "mainEntity": {
        "@type": "Question",
        "name": "Regarding the issue of write-off",
        "text": "We have recently encountered difficulties in clearing customs, including issues with customs declarations.The amounts on the water bills and VAT invoices always don't match, and the tax bureau has already issued a warning. I would like to ask: From the perspective of customs compliance, which points are most prone to errors? What are the pitfalls in the document flow during the logistics process? And how can we communicate with clients about payment methods to avoid subsequent trouble with account settlement?",
        "answerCount": 3,
        "upvoteCount": 15,
        "datePublished": "2026-02-14T03:06:00Z",
        "dateModified": "2026-02-14T03:26:00Z",
        "author": {
          "@type": "Person",
          "name": "Zhongshen Trading China",
          "url": "https://www.sh-zhongshen.com/en/qa/write-off-questions.html"
        }
                ,"acceptedAnswer": {
            "@type": "Answer",
            "text": "The issue you encountered with the data mismatch in write-off involves deviations in the implementation of the "Three Documents Consistency" principle. From a customs compliance perspective，the three most common errors are。 1. The "transaction method" on the customs declaration form does not match the "nature of the transaction" on the foreign exchange receipt，especially for the apportionment of freight and insurance costs under the CIF clause。 2. The tax rebate rate corresponding to the HS code does not match the VAT invoice tax rate，which is a high-risk warning item。 3. A difference of more than 180 days between the foreign exchange receipt date and the customs declaration export date will be deemed an abnormal receipt of foreign exchange。 We recommend that you immediately self-check these three types of data and prepare a situation explanation letter. If the tax authority has already issued a warning，you must submit explanatory materials within 15 working days，otherwise it may affect your tax rebate credit rating.",
            "upvoteCount": 15,
            "url": "https://www.sh-zhongshen.com/en/qa/write-off-questions.html#acceptedAnswer",
            "datePublished": "2026-02-14T04:06:00Z",
            "author": {"@type": "Person","name": "Eric Zhou","url": "https://www.sh-zhongshen.com/en/team/eric-zhou/"}        }
                ,"suggestedAnswer": [
                  {
            "@type": "Answer",
            "text": "The main pitfalls in document flow and clearance during the logistics process lie in "information mismatch". Firstly, the shipper and consignee information on the bill of lading must fully match the customs declaration form, including punctuation and spaces. Many anomalies arise from this discrepancy. Secondly, the amount and currency on the freight invoice must precisely match the freight and insurance charges apportioned in the customs declaration. It is recommended to request the freight forwarder to provide a freight breakdown template in advance. Thirdly, if partial shipments are involved, the clearance document number for each batch must be clearly marked on the booking letter to avoid subsequent mix-ups. In practice, you can ask the freight forwarder to issue a "pre-verification list" before shipment, comparing the customs declaration form, draft bill of lading, and freight invoice in advance. This can avoid 90% of clearance mismatch issues.",
            "upvoteCount": 0,
            "url": "https://www.sh-zhongshen.com/en/qa/write-off-questions.html#suggestedAnswer-2",
            "datePublished": "2026-02-14T03:46:00Z",
            "author": {"@type": "Person","name": "Lucas Liu","url": "https://www.sh-zhongshen.com/en/team/lucas-liu/"}          }
          ,          {
            "@type": "Answer",
            "text": "When communicating with clients about payment methods to avoid trouble with foreign exchange settlement, the key lies in "advance confirmation" and "term design". If the client insists on making payments in installments, you must specify in the contract the "specific invoice numbers and customs declaration numbers corresponding to each batch of payment receipts", and require the client to indicate these numbers in the payment memo. For small final payment differences, it is recommended to agree on a "minor exemption clause" in advance, stating that differences within $50 will be considered settled, avoiding endless disputes. In terms of communication, you can formally notify the client via email: "To comply with China's foreign exchange settlement regulations, please ensure that you indicate the corresponding invoice numbers when making payments, otherwise it may lead to delivery delays." This approach not only complies with regulations but also retains the initiative, and clients are usually willing to cooperate.",
            "upvoteCount": 0,
            "url": "https://www.sh-zhongshen.com/en/qa/write-off-questions.html#suggestedAnswer-3",
            "datePublished": "2026-02-14T03:26:00Z",
            "author": {"@type": "Person","name": "Kevin Lin","url": "https://www.sh-zhongshen.com/en/team/kevin-lin/"}          }
                  ]
              }
    },
    {
      "@context": "https://schema.org",
      "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
      "itemListElement": [
          {"@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://www.sh-zhongshen.com/en/"},{"@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Q&A", "item": "https://www.sh-zhongshen.com/en/qa/"},{"@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "其他问题", "item": "https://www.sh-zhongshen.com/en/qa/cat-general-trade/"}          ,{"@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Regarding the issue of write-off"}
      ]
    }
]
```