Bubble Import Export Trade Management
Import/export businesses track shipments in spreadsheets. A Bubble trade management platform at $149-$399/month covers purchase and sales orders, shipment tracking, document management, per-shipment P&L, supplier/buyer CRM, and compliance documentation.
Import/Export Companies Track Shipments in Spreadsheets and WhatsApp
Small and mid-size import/export businesses – commodity traders, FMCG importers, specialist goods exporters, and sourcing agents – manage complex multi-party transactions involving suppliers, freight forwarders, customs agents, banks, and buyers. They track shipments in spreadsheets, manage documents via email, and calculate profitability in Excel. A Bubble-built trade management platform at $149-$399/month brings the operational discipline of enterprise trade management to the growing SME trading business.
What a Trade Management Platform Needs
Trade Order Management
Purchase order to supplier: product, quantity, unit price, and delivery terms (FOB/CIF/EXW). Sales order to buyer: same product at buyer price showing margin. Both linked to the same Shipment record for P&L visibility.
Shipment Tracker
Container number, vessel name, port of loading, port of discharge, ETD, ETA, and current status. Bill of lading number and copy. Status updates from freight forwarder via email or manual entry. Customer notification at each milestone.
Document Management
Trade documents per shipment: commercial invoice, packing list, bill of lading, certificate of origin, phytosanitary certificate, insurance certificate. Document completeness checklist. Letter of credit compliance checking workflow.
Profitability Tracking
Per-shipment P&L: purchase price, freight cost, insurance, customs duties, inspection fees, and other charges vs. sales revenue. Margin percentage and absolute profit per shipment. Running totals by product category and trading period.
Supplier and Buyer CRM
Supplier profiles: country, product range, price list, payment terms, lead times, and quality rating. Buyer profiles: country, purchasing history, credit terms, and communication log. Relationship notes and key contact tracking.
Compliance Tracking
Country-specific import restrictions and documentation requirements. Tariff code database per product. Sanctions screening flag (do not trade with flagged entities). Certificate expiry tracking for product certifications.
Core Shipment and P&L Implementation
po_ref
-> PurchaseOrder (supplier side)
so_ref
-> SalesOrder (buyer side)
status
option set: Ordered, Production, Shipped, Port, Customs, Delivered
container_no, bl_number
text
etd, eta
date
freight_cost, insurance, duties, other_charges
number
// P&L calculation
revenue
= SalesOrder total_value
cogs
= PurchaseOrder total_value + freight + insurance + duties + other_charges
gross_profit
= revenue – cogs
margin_pct
= gross_profit / revenue * 100
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