# Trade models

Trade models in Tranexio combine three dimensions, namely commercial model, regulatory model and transaction method, and then layer on overlay capabilities such as hedging, export credit insurance, open-account sales and export tax refunds. One core covers six models, from domestic trade to processing trade and trade chains.

## Key points

- **Three dimensions, three questions**：The commercial model answers who holds title and how revenue is recognised; the regulatory model answers how customs supervises the goods and how tax refunds apply; the transaction method answers how the deal is struck.
- **Overlay capabilities on demand**：Hedging, export credit insurance, open-account sales and export tax refunds can attach to any trade model and be combined with one another. They are capabilities, not trade models in their own right.
- **One-click presets for common cases**：Frequent combinations such as domestic own-account trade, own-account export, agency import and own-account entrepôt trade are available as presets that fill in the dimensions and default workflow when an order is entered.
- **Rules flow through automatically**：The dimension values drive the state machine, customs treatment and accounting policy, and carry through to customs declarations, tax refunds and journal entries without anyone having to judge them by hand.
- **Six models, one core**：Domestic trade, own-account and agency import and export, entrepôt trade, processing trade and trade chains share the same contract, order, customs and finance models; switching between them is configuration.

## The problem

Most trade systems stick a single “model label” on each deal. With too few labels, combinations such as agency processing or own-account entrepôt trade have nowhere to go; with too many, every new label means copying another workflow. Tranexio breaks the [trade model](https://tranexio.com/en/resources/glossary/trade-model/) into three independent dimensions that combine to describe real business, then layers [overlay capabilities](https://tranexio.com/en/resources/glossary/cross-cutting-capability/) on top.

## The three dimensions

| Dimension | Question it answers | Values |
|---|---|---|
| Commercial model | Who holds title; whether revenue is recognised gross or net | [Own-account](https://tranexio.com/en/resources/glossary/own-account/), [agency](https://tranexio.com/en/resources/glossary/agency-trade/), subcontracted processing, contract processing |
| [Regulatory model](https://tranexio.com/en/resources/glossary/customs-supervision-mode/) (监管方式) | How customs supervises the goods and how tax refunds apply | General domestic business, domestic subcontracted processing, general trade, [processing trade](https://tranexio.com/en/resources/glossary/processing-trade/), [entrepôt trade](https://tranexio.com/en/resources/glossary/entrepot-trade/), bonded logistics (configuration level) |
| Transaction method | How the deal is struck | Negotiated deals, bulk agreement trading, exchange matching, e-commerce and matching platforms |

The transaction method does not change accounting policy or customs treatment, and import or export is a direction field rather than a model. The contract hierarchy (framework contract → order → sub-contract → supplementary agreement) is likewise a separate field.

## Overlay capabilities

| Capability | What happens when it is added |
|---|---|
| [Hedging](https://tranexio.com/en/resources/glossary/hedging/) | A hedge relationship is attached, fixing a price produces a hedge recommendation, and gains and losses flow into [hedge accounting](https://tranexio.com/en/resources/glossary/hedge-accounting/) |
| [Export credit insurance](https://tranexio.com/en/resources/glossary/export-credit-insurance/) | Buyer limits are consumed in real time; shipment declarations, notices of possible loss and claim deadlines are monitored automatically |
| Open-account sales | Credit settlement with goods first and payment later, linked to credit limits and receivables provisioning |
| [Export tax refund](https://tranexio.com/en/resources/glossary/export-tax-refund/) | Enabled automatically by rule for exports under general trade or processing trade |

## Common presets

When entering a deal you can pick a preset, for example domestic own-account trade, domestic agency (procurement or sales agency), domestic subcontracted processing, domestic contract processing, own-account export, own-account import, agency export, agency import, own-account processing trade and own-account entrepôt trade. A preset is simply a shortcut to a combination of dimensions and can still be adjusted to fit the actual business.

## The six trade models

The pages below explain how each model is represented in Tranexio, its key workflows and its control points.

## FAQ

### Why not simply use labels like “export” or “agency import”?

Because a single label cannot hold a real business. A combination such as agency × processing trade × export either loses information in a flat list or forces endless new labels. Three dimensions record title, supervision and transaction method separately, so combined business is expressed precisely and accounting and customs treatment can be derived automatically.

### Are import and export different trade models?

No. Import or export is a direction field on the document, independent of the trade model. For the same own-account × general trade combination, an export direction automatically enables the export tax refund, while an import direction follows import declaration and import-stage taxes and fees.

### Are open-account sales or hedging trade models?

No. Open-account sales are a credit settlement attribute (goods first, payment later) and hedging manages price or currency exposure. Both are overlay capabilities that can sit on own-account, agency, entrepôt or any other model, with their accounting effects flowing automatically into hedge accounting, receivables provisioning and credit insurance claims.

### Which trade models are supported today?

Six: domestic purchasing and sales (including domestic agency, subcontracted and contract processing), own-account import and export, agency import and export, entrepôt trade, processing trade, and trade chains (multi-party trade). Bonded logistics is available in this release as regulatory model and business-type configuration; cross-border e-commerce, consignment and leasing will follow the roadmap.

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Source：https://tranexio.com/en/trade-models/ · Updated 2026-10-06 · © 上海赛淘数据技术有限公司 / Shanghai Saitao Datatech Co., Ltd