What is indent trading?
An indent trader (代購, 行紀, called drop-ship in HeyBen) buys goods for a named customer. The supplier delivers to that customer. The trader's warehouse quantity does not change.
The trader's job is the documents and the margin: what the customer pays, what the supplier charges, and the cost of goods sold on that deal.
Who it is for
Trading companies that source goods for a buyer.
Indent houses that split one customer order across several factories.
Sourcing agents who invoice in USD or another currency while the books stay in HKD.
Accountants who must show an auditor which purchase order, delivery note and bill belong to which customer invoice.
A worked example
A customer in Europe orders two products. Factory A makes the first, Factory B the second, and both ship to the customer.
The Hong Kong house raises one customer order and two supplier purchase orders with the customer's address. It files each factory's delivery note and packing list, invoices the customer, and enters the two supplier bills.
The margin is customer price minus supplier cost. Nothing is received into a Hong Kong warehouse.
How HeyBen does it
- 01
Mark the purchase as for a customer's sales order, or start from the customer invoice.
- 02
Create a draft supplier purchase order that ships to the customer, or link a purchase order that already exists. Split the lines across suppliers.
- 03
The customer side and the supplier side share one origin number.
- 04
Record the supplier's delivery to the customer. Stock does not move. The cost is held, then booked to cost of goods sold when the customer is invoiced. Entering the supplier bill can record the delivery.
- 05
Attach the bill of lading and the packing list to that delivery.
- 06
Cancelling the delivery reverses the journal and puts the purchase order back to not received.
- 07
The same company can still receive other purchase orders into its own warehouse. Indent is the direct-to-customer path.
How the AI helps
Purchase history first
Items the company has bought before are suggested from its own purchase history: usual supplier, last price, date and reference. Existing purchase orders are ranked by items, quantities and that history.
Suggest suppliers with AI
For items with no history, AI chooses only from suppliers already on the company's list. It checks up to five items per run, costs one credit, and does not enter a price. The user confirms.
Read the delivery note
Upload a PDF or photo of the supplier delivery note. AI reads the quantities, the date and the delivery-note number, at one credit per file. The user checks the result before it is recorded. HeyBen flags a file that does not look like a delivery note, a line that is not on the purchase order, and a quantity above what the purchase order allows.
Get your indent accounting checklist
Describe how your indent deals work — customers, factories, currencies, documents — and AI will draft a checklist for your setup.
Common questions
What is indent trading (代購 / 行紀)?
An indent trader buys goods for a named customer and the supplier delivers straight to that customer. The trader's own warehouse quantity does not change. The trader manages the documents and the margin on the deal.
Does stock move when the supplier ships to my customer?
No. In HeyBen you record the supplier's delivery to the customer and stock does not move. The cost is held, then booked to cost of goods sold when the customer is invoiced.
Can I split one customer order across several factories?
Yes. You can split the order lines across suppliers. Each supplier gets its own purchase order shipping to the customer, and the customer side and supplier side share one origin number.
How does HeyBen read a supplier delivery note?
Upload a PDF or photo. AI reads the quantities, the date and the delivery-note number, at one credit per file. You check the result before it is recorded.
Does the AI choose new suppliers or set prices?
No. "Suggest suppliers with AI" only chooses from suppliers already on your company's list. It checks up to five items per run, costs one credit, and does not enter a price. You confirm the choice.
What happens if I cancel a delivery?
Cancelling the delivery reverses the journal and puts the purchase order back to not received.
Run one indent order in HeyBen
Start a HeyBen company, raise one customer order, and send it straight from the factory to your customer.