Exporting IPAFFs for Shipments to the United Kingdom

Introduction: What Is IPAFFs?

IPAFFs stands for "Import of Products, Animals, Food and Feed System." This is a system from the British government for registering plants and flowers entering the United Kingdom. When you send products to Great Britain, you need to create a special file with information about what you're shipping.

Why Export IPAFFs?

You need to export IPAFFs because:

• The British government requires this for all plants and flowers entering the country
• Otherwise you'll have problems at customs
• Your shipments can be held up without this information
• It's a legal requirement since Brexit (when the United Kingdom left the EU)
• Your customers in Great Britain won't receive their products otherwise

How Do You Export IPAFFs?

Step 1: Configure EPPO Codes (One-Time Setup)

Before you can export IPAFFs, you first need to set up five special product groups. The British government wants to see these groups separately in the file.

Which Product Groups Need to Be Set Up Separately?

1. Chrysanthemums
2. Carnations
3. Orchids
4. Gypsophila (Baby's Breath)
5. Solidago (Goldenrod)

Why These Five? The British government has special regulations for these products and therefore wants to be able to track them separately.

EPPO Codes and Commodity Codes per Product Group

For each product group, you need three codes. Here is the information you need to use:

1. Chrysanthemums

• Code: 06031400
• Code UK: 0603140000
• EPPO: 1CHYG

2. Carnations

• Code: 06031200
• Code UK: 0603120000
• EPPO: 1DING

3. Orchids

• Code: 06031300
• Code UK: 0603130000
• EPPO: 1ORSG

4. Gypsophila (Baby's Breath)

• Code: 06031970
• Code UK: 0603197090
• EPPO: 1GYPG

5. Solidago (Goldenrod)

• Code: 06031970
• Code UK: 0603197090
• EPPO: 1SOOG

Creating and Linking Statistics Groups

Now you're going to enter these codes into Easyflor and link them to the correct products.

Step 1: Go to Statistics Groups

1. Go to "Articles"
2. Click on "Article Groups"
3. Find the article group you want to set up (for example "Chrysanthemums")

Step 2: Set Up the Statistics Group

1. Click on the article group
2. Find the field for "Statistics Group"
3. If the statistics group doesn't exist yet, create it with the codes listed above
4. Fill in the three codes:
   • Code: The standard code (for example 06031400 for chrysanthemums)
   • Code UK: The British code (for example 0603140000 for chrysanthemums)
   • EPPO: The EPPO code (for example 1CHYG for chrysanthemums)
5. Click "Save"

Step 3: Repeat for All Five Groups Repeat steps 1 and 2 for all five product groups:

• Chrysanthemums
• Carnations
• Orchids
• Gypsophila
• Solidago

Note: You only need to do this step once. After that, the system remembers these settings.

Step 2: Exporting the IPAFFs File

Now that the settings are ready, you can start creating IPAFFs files for your shipments to the United Kingdom.

Step 1: Go to the Export Menu

1. Go to "Invoicing"
2. Click on "Export"
3. Click on "IPAFFs"

Step 2: Select Invoices Now you need to choose which invoices you want to export. You have two options:

Option A: Export a Consolidated Invoice

• Use this option if you have one large invoice with all products for the UK
• Select this consolidated invoice

Option B: Export Individual Invoices

• Use this option if you have multiple separate invoices
• Select all invoices being shipped to the UK today

Step 3: Export

1. Check that you've selected the correct invoices
2. Click "Apply"
3. The system now creates the IPAFFs file

Step 4: Download the File

1. The IPAFFs file is now offered as a download
2. Save the file to your computer
3. This file is a CSV file (a text file with commas)

Done! You now have the IPAFFs file that you need to upload to the British system or include with your shipment.

Practical Examples

Example 1: Daily Export for Shipping

• Situation: You ship products to customers in London every day
• Action:
  1. Go to Invoicing → Export → IPAFFs
  2. Select all of today's invoices for the UK
  3. Click Apply and download the file
• Result: You have a file with all products going to the UK today

Example 2: Weekly Consolidated Invoice

• Situation: Every Friday you create one large consolidated invoice for all UK customers
• Action:
  1. Go to Invoicing → Export → IPAFFs
  2. Select this week's consolidated invoice
  3. Download the file
• Result: One file with all products from the entire week

Example 3: First-Time Setup

• Situation: You're exporting to the UK for the first time
• Action:
  1. First: Set up the five statistics groups (step 1)
  2. Then: Export your first IPAFFs file (step 2)
• Result: The system is ready for future exports

Important Tips

Tip 1: One-Time Setup

• You only need to set up the statistics groups once
• After that, it works automatically for all future exports
• Keep the codes stored safely in case you need them later

Tip 2: Check Before Shipping

• Always create the IPAFFs file before the truck departs
• Without this file, your products can be held up
• Better too early than too late!

Tip 3: Save the Files

• Save each IPAFFs export with a clear name (for example "IPAFFs_10Jan2026.csv")
• This way you can look back later if there are questions
• Customs may ask for old files

Tip 4: Test First

• If you're shipping to the UK for the first time, test with a small shipment
• Check that the file is accepted properly
• Then you'll know everything is set up correctly

Tip 5: Keep Codes Up to Date

• The British government may change codes occasionally
• Regularly check whether the codes are still correct
• Update them in the system if necessary

Frequently Asked Questions

Question: Do I need to do this for every shipment?

• Yes, for every shipment to the United Kingdom
• This is a legal requirement from the British government
• Without IPAFFs, your shipment won't get through customs

Question: What if I don't ship any of these five products?

• You still need to set up the statistics groups (step 1)
• When exporting, they simply won't appear in the file
• The system automatically only includes products you're actually shipping

Question: Can I download the file again later?

• Yes, you can always go back to Export → IPAFFs
• Select the same invoices again
• Download the file again

Question: What do I do with the file after downloading?

• Upload it to the British IPAFFs system online
• Or include it with your transport documents
• Your carrier can tell you more about this

Summary

Exporting IPAFFs for shipments to the United Kingdom is done in two steps:

• Step 1 (one-time): Configure statistics groups for chrysanthemums, carnations, orchids, gypsophila, and solidago with their EPPO codes and commodity codes
• Step 2 (per shipment): Export the IPAFFs file via Invoicing → Export → IPAFFs, select the correct invoices, and download the CSV file
• Why: This is mandatory for all plants and flowers shipped to Great Britain since Brexit
• When: For every shipment to the UK, always before the products depart