Trade operations guides
Migration off Excel, VAT refund, Incoterms 2020, L/C management, HS classification, and regulation. Practical, concise pieces that touch your team's daily work.
Foreign trade software alongside Mikro or Luca: run exports without replacing accounting
Run your export operation without dropping accounting software like Mikro or Luca: sync customers, stock and orders, send the invoice as UBL/XML to your e-invoice program, and decide which work lives in which tool. A coexistence model with Sighthem, step by step.
What is Sighthem? Foreign trade CRM, ERP and AI on one platform
Sighthem is a foreign trade operations platform that combines CRM, ERP and AI on one panel for export and import teams. How it works, which modules it has (leads, orders, warehouse, production, BOM, IPR, shipment documents, L/C, reports), who it is for, and how it works alongside your accounting software.
What is a proforma invoice and how to prepare it? Required fields and a template
What a proforma invoice is, how it differs from a commercial invoice, and which fields it must include: its use in export, Incoterms and currency, why it matters for the L/C and banks, common mistakes, and a ready template structure.
What is an Inward Processing Authorization (DIIB)? Benefits and process for exporters
What the inward processing regime and DIIB are, and how they work: importing raw materials without customs duty and VAT to process and re-export; the export commitment and closing, conditional exemption vs drawback, benefits, and common mistakes.
What is documentary collection (CAD)? D/P, D/A, and how it differs from an L/C
How documentary collection (cash against documents) works, the difference between D/P and D/A, the risk-cost balance versus a letter of credit and open account, the parties, the bank process, and what exporters should watch.
What is a Bill of Lading (B/L)? Types, functions, and what to watch
What a Bill of Lading is and the functions it carries (contract of carriage, receipt, document of title): straight, order, and bearer B/L; sea B/L vs AWB and CMR; the role of the B/L in a letter of credit, and common mistakes.
What is a customs declaration and how to complete it? Export and import guide
What a customs declaration is, its key fields, and how to complete it for export and import: regime codes, value and HS code, attached documents (invoice, packing list, movement certificate), common mistakes, and the digital process.
Foreign trade ERP comparison: ERP or a trade operations layer?
Where ERP/accounting software is strong and where it falls short for export and import: a comparison across prospecting, quote/proforma, L/C, shipment documents, sanctions screening, and communication; how a trade operations layer complements ERP, and the cost model.
Foreign trade CRM comparison 2026: features, pricing, and a buyer's guide
A CRM comparison for export and import teams: how generic CRMs, ERPs, and trade-specific tools differ on the criteria that matter. A feature table across multi-currency, HS codes, L/C, shipments, sanctions screening, and VAT refund; Sighthem's current features and transparent pricing.
Export customer acquisition, a customs-data and HS-code playbook
Find real buyers via customs data sources (TradeMap, ImportYeti, Volza, Eurostat Comext); target countries and companies through HS codes; LinkedIn Sales Navigator boolean queries; email discovery and verification; a 30-day execution calendar and ready-to-use outreach templates.
How to find the right HS code, 12-digit structure and correct classification
What the HS / GTIP code is for, its 12-digit structure (HS 6 + EU 2 + TR 4), how to find the right one, and the customs, tax, and sanctions risks of misclassification.
Letter of Credit step by step, 5 lifecycle stages, discrepancy, SWIFT
L/C as a documentary payment instrument across its 5 stages (preparation → SUBMITTED → ACCEPTED → DISCREPANCY → CLOSED), UCP 600 references, the most common discrepancies, and MT 700/710/750 messages.
Incoterms 2020 guide, 11 terms and when to use each
All 11 Incoterms 2020 (EXW, FCA, CPT, CIP, DAP, DPU, DDP, FAS, FOB, CFR, CIF): which one to pick, risk and cost transfer, sea vs multimodal, and the points most often confused.
Exporter VAT-refund guide, declarations, country breakdown, calendar
How the full-exemption (export) VAT refund actually works in Turkey: input VAT, sworn financial adviser report, set-off vs cash refund, declaration calendar and common pitfalls.
From Excel to CRM, a 7-step migration guide for trade teams
Move trade operations off spreadsheets and WhatsApp into a disciplined CRM: data mapping, lead/customer/order migration, team training, and ROI math.
Customer acquisition methods in trade, 10 practical channels compared
A customer-acquisition playbook for export and import teams: trade missions, fairs, B2B platforms, LinkedIn social selling, cold email, commercial attachés, content marketing. Cost and yield comparison per channel.
Trade CRM systems, an operations-backbone view of local and global options
A CRM selection guide for export and import teams: why generic CRMs fall short, trade-specific criteria, comparison of local and global options, an operations-backbone selection checklist.