Packing Slip Template
Goes in the box — what was shipped, how many, against which order.
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| Packing slip no. | [number] |
| Order no. | [order no.] |
| Despatched | [date] |
| Carrier | — |
The items listed below are enclosed in this consignment. Please check the contents against this slip on receipt and report any shortage or damage within seven days.
| Description | Qty packed |
|---|---|
| [add one line per item] |
What is a Packing Slip?
A packing slip is the list of what is physically inside a shipment, travelling with the goods. The person opening the carton checks the contents against it. Without one, a short or wrong delivery is found weeks later with no record of what actually left your premises, and no way to distinguish an item that was never packed from one that went missing in transit or after it arrived. The form on this page makes a free packing slip you fill in online, then print or save as a PDF.
In the shipping process, a packing slip is created by whoever packs the order and read by whoever unpacks it. On the receiving side it goes to a goods-in desk that checks it against the purchase order, marks any discrepancy, signs it and passes it to accounts payable, where it becomes the goods received evidence in a three-way match against the order and the invoice. That is why buyers ask for their purchase order number on the slip: without it, a correct delivery can still sit unbooked on a dock because nobody can tell which order it belongs to.
Domestic and cross-border shipments are not the same job. Goods crossing a border need a commercial invoice for customs, carrying values, HS codes and country of origin — the price-free slip inside the box does not perform that function. Many lanes also require a separate packing list in the customs pack showing carton count, gross and net weights and dimensions, and some destinations require specific declarations. Requirements vary by destination, commodity and carrier, so confirm the paperwork with your carrier or broker before the shipment moves rather than after it is held.
The slip states contents. It does not price them, does not request payment, does not transfer ownership, and is not proof of delivery — the carrier’s signed proof of delivery or tracking record does that. It is also not a returns authorisation, though many sellers print returns instructions on the back of it because it is the one document a customer definitely has in their hands. Keep the commercial terms on the invoice and the physical facts on the slip, and each document stays useful to the person reading it.
What to put in a Packing Slip
These are the details this template asks for. Anything left blank is marked in red on the preview so you can see what is still missing.
| Field | What goes in it |
|---|---|
| Your business name | For example: Barton Supply Co. |
| Your address | For example: Unit 7, Barton Road, Columbus, OH 43212 |
| Your tax registration no. optional | For example: EIN 47-3821590 |
| Ship to | For example: Halliwell Interiors Inc. |
| Packing slip no. | For example: PS-2026-0091 |
| Order no. | For example: SO-2026-0455 |
| Despatch date | Free text |
| Carrier optional | For example: DPD Next Day |
| Items packed | One per line: Description | Qty | (leave amount blank) |
How to write a Packing Slip
Number the slip and quote the order
Give the slip its own number and print the customer’s purchase order or web order reference alongside your own sales order number. Goods-in matches on the customer’s reference, not yours, so if only one of them fits on the line, use theirs. A shipment split across several despatches should carry a separate numbered slip for each, each naming the same order.
Leave the prices off, deliberately
A packing slip carries description and quantity and no money at all. The box may be opened by a warehouse temp, a site engineer, the recipient of a gift, or a reseller’s customer — and none of them should be reading your prices, your discounts or the margin between what they paid and what the goods cost. Prices belong on the invoice, which goes to accounts, not into the carton.
Show quantity packed against quantity ordered
Give both figures on each line. Where a line is short-shipped, say so on the slip and state what is following and when, rather than silently listing only what went in the box. A recipient who can see that two of five were sent, with three to follow next week, raises a query with your sales desk. One who sees a line for two with no context raises a claim.
Say how the shipment is split across cartons
Number the cartons — 1 of 3, 2 of 3 — and show which lines are in which carton. Add serial or batch numbers for anything serialised, and the weight of each carton where it matters. This is what stops a recipient signing for a complete delivery when only two of three cartons came off the van, which is the point at which a claim against the carrier is still possible.
Put one copy outside and one inside
Place a copy in a document wallet on the outside of carton 1 so the dock can check the shipment without cutting tape, and a second copy inside. Include ship-to address, ship date, carrier and tracking reference. State who to contact about a discrepancy and within what period, so a recipient who finds a shortage tells you while the carrier’s claim window is still open.
Common mistakes
- Printing prices on a slip that goes into a drop-shipped carton, showing the end customer exactly what the reseller paid you.
- Listing the quantity ordered rather than the quantity actually packed, so a short shipment is signed for as complete.
- Omitting the customer’s purchase order number, which leaves a correct delivery sitting unbooked because goods-in cannot match it.
- Sealing the only copy inside the carton, forcing the receiving dock either to open it or to sign for contents nobody has checked.
- Shipping serialised or batch-controlled goods with no serial or batch numbers on the slip, which makes a later warranty or recall claim untraceable.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between a packing slip and an invoice?
The packing slip lists what is in the box and goes with the goods; the invoice states what is owed and goes to whoever pays. The slip carries quantities and descriptions with no prices, the invoice carries prices, tax and payment terms. They describe the same shipment for two different readers, which is exactly why merging them into one document causes trouble.
Is a packing slip the same as a delivery note?
The terms are used interchangeably in many businesses, and the content largely overlaps. Where a distinction is drawn, a delivery note is the copy the recipient signs to acknowledge what arrived, and the signed copy comes back to the sender as evidence of receipt. A packing slip is more often thought of as the contents list that stays in the box. Decide which role your document plays and print a signature line if it needs one.
Should a packing slip show prices?
No, and the omission is the point. The slip travels inside a carton that may be opened by anyone — a receiving clerk, an end customer who bought from a reseller, the recipient of a gift. Keeping money off it lets you put the same document in every box without exposing what was paid. If the recipient needs the values, send the invoice separately to the person who handles payment.
Do I need a packing slip for an international shipment?
Yes, and you will usually need more. The slip inside the box helps the recipient check contents, but customs works from a commercial invoice showing values, HS codes and origin, and many routes also want a formal packing list with carton counts and weights. Requirements differ by destination, commodity and carrier — confirm the document set with your carrier or broker before despatch.
What should I do if the delivery does not match the packing slip?
Note the discrepancy on the slip before signing, be specific about which line and how many, and photograph the cartons and any damage while they are still on the pallet. Then tell the supplier in writing within the period their terms specify. A signature given clean and questioned afterwards is much harder to argue from than a signature qualified at the point of delivery.
How do I create a packing slip?
Start with the order number and the ship-to address, then list each item in the box with its quantity, and note anything back-ordered or sent separately. If you keep orders in Google Sheets or a spreadsheet, copy each line’s description and quantity into the Items packed box, one item per line. Leave prices off unless the buyer asked for them. Put one copy inside the parcel and keep one with the order record, so the two can be matched if the customer reports something missing.
How do I print a packing slip?
Fill in the form on this page and choose Print. That gives you a printable packing slip with your business details, the ship-to address, the slip and order numbers, the despatch date and the items packed. Print the copies you need: one for the document wallet on the outside of carton 1, one for inside the box, and one for your order file. To email it instead, pick ‘Save as PDF’ as the printer and attach the file to the email that tells the customer the order is on its way.
This page explains general practice and is not legal advice. Requirements differ between countries and, in some cases, between states — check what applies where the document will be used.