The procurement manager has paid the deposit, and the supplier is requesting the balance; the customs clearance team is still confirming declaration responsibilities, while the after-sales manager has found that the version name in the handover documents needs another check. The real difficulty at this point is what remains enforceable after the balance is released: which evidence still ties the transaction to these specific vehicles, and which unresolved issues will tie up the dealer's cash.
For Colombian importers, a deposit can secure the intention to purchase, while the balance should serve another purpose: confirming that the vehicles, documents and allocation of responsibilities in the contract are sufficiently established for this shipment to proceed. The official procedures portal of Colombia's tax and customs authority, DIAN, is used to check the importing entity, declaration procedures and responsibilities; transaction-specific requirements should still be rechecked against the current system and local professional advice. Colombia DIAN customs procedures Meanwhile, the trade terms and edition adopted in the contract affect how costs, risks and delivery responsibilities are understood, and each item should be checked against the ICC Incoterms rules portal.
This article breaks the balance payment decision into a timeline with options to pause, proceed or obtain additional evidence. It suits both a first trial shipment and importers with an existing sales network who want to connect cash release with after-sales readiness.
Turn Procurement Disagreements into Three Verifiable Questions First
When discussing whether the balance can be paid now, meetings often mix together three types of questions: whether the vehicles are the ones covered by the contract, who is responsible for the import declaration, and who will handle customers' initial inquiries after arrival. Combining them within a single payment decision turns any unresolved item into a generalized risk assessment.
First, create a comparison sheet specifically for this shipment. The version description in the contract, vehicle identification information, actual vehicle records, and packing or transport records should be linked in a traceable way. Procurement retains the original versions submitted by the supplier, the customs clearance lead confirms whether they are sufficient to begin the current declaration preparations, and the after-sales lead identifies the documents and service contact routes needed for handover. Where records differ, describe the nature of the difference before deciding whether it affects the balance payment conditions; do not cover gaps with a verbal “confirmed.”
When discussing the balance for the BYD Qin L DM-i, the approver needs to see configuration confirmation and payment attachments for the corresponding VIN. A webpage can help identify the version, but cannot prove that deliverable vehicles are available for this order; Colombian import procedures and contractual supply conditions must also be verified separately.
Setting an evidence threshold for the balance once the deposit is paid
After the deposit, the priority is to move from “we have seen the records” to “different roles can verify the records.” The procurement manager should arrange the balance review around a short, clear written checklist: every record needs a source, an identified subject, a reviewer and an action if it fails review. This allows payment staff to understand the basis for this payment release even if they did not inspect the vehicles.
The table below is specifically intended to assess whether the balance can be released. It gives proceeding, pausing and seeking additional evidence distinct commercial meanings.
| Current situation | Correspondence that needs to be demonstrated | Balance payment treatment | Who is responsible |
|---|---|---|---|
| Contract description, vehicle identification information and actual vehicle records match | Each vehicle can be linked to a contract line item and the submitted records | Proceed to payment review as agreed | Procurement manager |
| Trade terms are specified, but interpretations of cost or risk boundaries differ | Contract provisions, the applicable rules edition and the cost list correspond to one another | Hold the disputed portion and review again after written clarification | Procurement and finance |
| Internal confirmation of the importing entity or declaration responsibility is incomplete | The person responsible for DIAN-related procedures and the current document status are traceable | Retain the balance and complete local professional checks first | Customs clearance lead |
| Version names, document numbers or vehicle information are inconsistent | Supplier-corrected documents and explanations of discrepancies can be cross-checked | Review again after supplementary evidence; do not substitute verbal explanations | Procurement manager |
| The after-sales intake contact and handover documents are not established | Service channels and warranty document retention arrangements are confirmed | This may be listed as a pre-delivery condition; do not obscure it within payment terms | After-sales lead |
Trade Terms Determine What Belongs in the Funding Schedule
Finance often compresses discussions of freight quotes or costs before and after the port into a single “landed cost” figure. For importers, a more useful approach is to place each expense alongside the responsibility boundary agreed in the contract. ICC's explanation of Incoterms provides access to the rules for clarifying costs, risks and delivery responsibilities; whether a particular edition applies and what each party actually undertakes still need to be specified separately in this order's contract. ICC Incoterms rules portal
The balance review should retain three documents that can be read together: the trade terms and applicable edition, the supplier's itemized quotation, and the importer's funding schedule with its reserved items. If an item appears in only one of these documents, finance should not assume it is covered. The aim here is to make the cash plan explain the basis for each reserve, not to predict changes in costs.
When to Move from a First Trial Shipment to Normal Settlement
The value of the first shipment lies in testing coordination between roles. Importers can separate an order into two levels: whether the vehicle records correspond, and whether the organization can receive and use that correspondence. The former depends on VINs, versions, actual vehicle records and document relationships; the latter depends on procurement, customs clearance, finance and after-sales being able to review the same evidence at the same time.
If vehicle information is aligned and the import responsibility process has also been checked, the balance can proceed under the contract conditions. If pending matters concern only subsequent service arrangements, specify whether they are pre-delivery or pre-payment conditions rather than leaving them as vague notes. If a gap concerns vehicle identity, contractual responsibility or the declaring entity, pausing and requesting written supplementary evidence will better protect the working capital cycle of the first shipment.
DIAN's public portal can help the team locate information for checking import procedures and declaration responsibilities, but does not replace confirmation in the current system or local professional judgment for an individual case. Colombia DIAN customs procedures Finance's payment milestones should therefore refer to completed internal verification records, rather than substituting webpage information for this order's documents.
Keep After-Sales Conditions Visible in Funding Decisions
Once the balance is released, procurement often turns to the next shipment, while after-sales faces document, service access and parts requests from the first customers. To avoid discovering information gaps on delivery day, record four things during the balance review: the final storage location of vehicle records, the types of documents customers can receive, the internal intake contact, and items requiring separate procurement or verification.
This record does not promise warranty coverage or service outcomes. It allows sales staff to explain clearly what is currently available and what remains pending. For dealers, transparent boundaries do more than broad promises to reduce later pressure on funds and reputation.
FAQ
Once the deposit has been paid, can the balance be paid solely on the supplier's vehicle list?
The vehicle list can be one of the verification documents. Before payment, also confirm how it corresponds to contract line items, vehicle identification information, actual vehicle records and this order's documents, and record how discrepancies were resolved.
If trade terms are in the contract, does finance still need to review a separate cost schedule?
Yes. Trade terms help explain responsibility and risk boundaries, while the cost schedule shows how this order's quotation is itemized. Reading them together makes it possible to identify items in the funding schedule that have not yet been allocated.
Can a DIAN webpage directly prove that this shipment is ready for declaration?
No. The official portal is used to confirm procedural and responsibility information; whether this shipment meets the conditions for declaration must still be rechecked against the current system, transaction records and local professional advice.
Will after-sales channels that are still being prepared necessarily prevent a balance payment review?
That depends on the contract and internally established conditions. First distinguish whether this is a pre-payment or pre-delivery condition, and retain the existing service arrangements and pending tasks for the relevant people responsible.
When your first Colombian purchase requires an actionable shared record of the deposit, VIN checks and balance payment arrangements, submit your current contract and document checklist through the Starvia contact page, or discuss the scope of evidence suitable for payment review on WhatsApp.
Public sources: Colombia DIAN customs procedures; ICC Incoterms rules portal. Information checked on: 2026-09-03.