Use this method alongside the browser-based landed-cost calculator. The calculator supports fast scenarios; a workbook should retain source evidence and jurisdiction-specific logic.
Input register
For every input, record:
- field name and amount;
- currency and exchange-rate source;
- quote or authority source;
- quote date and validity;
- whether the cost is fixed, per unit, per shipment, or percentage based;
- tax recoverability;
- low, base, and high assumptions;
- responsible reviewer.
Cost sections
Separate product and packaging, origin charges, main freight, cargo insurance, customs value, tariff classification, duty, import tax, destination charges, brokerage, inland delivery, inspection, financing, expected defects, and receiving costs.
Do not use one combined “shipping” cell. Itemization makes EXW, FOB, and CIF offers comparable and shows which provider owns each assumption.
Output checks
Calculate cost per ordered unit and cost per expected usable unit. Show recoverable import tax as a cash-flow line rather than silently treating it as a permanent cost. Keep an exceptions sheet for trade remedies, special duties, examination, storage, demurrage, or product-specific fees.
The workbook is a management estimate, not a customs entry. Classification, valuation, origin, duty, and tax treatment should be verified through current authoritative sources or qualified advisers.