If your business involves shipping internationally, you've probably filled out more than a few of the tedious customs forms that go along with shipping packages across the border or overseas. Now, UPS is providing "paperless" service to help both your business and the environment. The new "UPS Paperless Invoice," which will be introduced in January, will eliminate the need for paper commercial invoices. The service allows shipments to clear customs using electronic data in place of the paper forms. The electronic system should reduce the chance of making an error, which many customers are prone to do when filling out the lengthy paper customs documentation. "UPS Paperless Invoice saves time, money and trees," said Kurt Kuehn, UPS senior vice president of worldwide sales and marketing. "It saves our customers time and resources by reducing office supplies and staff time associated with customs paperwork. It also gives our customers an easy, painless way to make a positive environmental impact by eliminating paper."

In addition, UPS announced another program, "UPS Returns," which will help companies shipping internationally facilitate faster and easier returns. With this system, package recipients will be able to receive the international return label and commercial invoice via e-mail, standard mail or from the UPS driver picking up their return.