Packing List Template (Export Packing List)
Enter carton ranges, contents, weights and sizes; the packing list totals the cartons, weights and volume.
This free packing list template creates a shipping packing list in your browser. A packing list shows what is in each carton or pallet, with quantities, net and gross weights, and dimensions, so carriers, customs and buyers can check a shipment. There is no account or sign-up, and nothing you type is uploaded.
Use it as a shipping packing list template for export shipments, US packing slips or air shipments. The examples below show what a finished document looks like. This page covers goods being shipped, not personal travel checklists. Totals update from your carton numbers, weights and dimensions as you type.
How to use this packing list template
- Pick a units system under Units: Metric (kg, cm, m³) or US (lb, in, ft³). The totals always show kg and lb, and m³ and ft³.
- Open Packing list details and enter the Packing list no., Date and Invoice or order reference. The packing list number links the document to the invoice and booking.
- In Shipper / exporter (your business), enter the Company name, Address, Email and Phone.
- In Consignee and shipping marks, enter the Consignee (ship to), an optional Notify party and the Shipping marks on the cartons.
- In Shipment details and signature, enter the Vessel / flight / truck, Port of loading and Port of discharge.
- In Cartons and goods, click ‘Add item’ for each group of cartons. Fill in the carton numbers, description, item code, pieces and weights per carton, and the length, width and height.
- Check the result lines: Total cartons, Total pieces, net and gross weight, and volume.
- Fix any warnings shown under the preview.
- Add Notes and the Name of signatory.
- Click ‘Print / save as PDF’ to save a PDF, or ‘Copy link’ to share the document.
To start fast, use an ‘Examples:’ button such as ‘Export, metric’, ‘US packing slip, lb and in’ or ‘Air shipment, 2 cartons’. ‘New document’ clears the form. Paper size (A4 or Letter) and the zoom (‘Actual size’ or ‘Fit to width’) change the preview only. The draft stays in this browser as you type.
What is a packing list template used for?
A packing list template is a standard layout for listing the contents of a shipment package by package. It shows what each carton or pallet contains, the quantities, weights and dimensions, and normally no prices. This is what separates it from an invoice.
Carriers and freight forwarders use it to plan and book space. Customs uses it to check and examine cargo. A bank may ask for it under a letter of credit, and the buyer uses it to check the delivery.
A typical document includes the shipper and consignee, the invoice or order reference, the date, the shipping marks, carton numbers (for example 1–10), the description of goods, quantity per carton, number of cartons, and net and gross weights. Net weight is the goods only. Gross weight is the goods plus packaging.
A packing slip is a shorter version of the same idea. In e-commerce, the slip inside a parcel lists the ordered items. An export packing list is more detailed.
How are packing list volumes and weights calculated?
For one carton, volume in cubic metres is length × width × height in cm, divided by 1,000,000. For example, a 60 × 40 × 50 cm carton is 0.12 m³, so ten such cartons make 1.2 m³.
With inches, multiply length × width × height to get cubic inches, then divide by 1,728 to get cubic feet. One cubic metre equals 35.3147 cubic feet.
For weight, 1 kg equals 2.20462 lb. Total net weight is the net weight per carton multiplied by the number of cartons, and the same applies to gross weight. Add up each line to get the totals.
Freight is priced from these totals. Ocean LCL freight is usually charged by the greater of volume (CBM) or weight, where 1,000 kg counts as 1 CBM. Air freight uses volumetric weight, commonly length × width × height in cm divided by 6,000 per kg; express couriers often use 5,000. These are trade conventions, not regulations, so use the divisor in your carrier’s or forwarder’s rate sheet. The totals on your packing list are the figures these calculations use.
Sources
- Unit conversions: 1 lb = 0.45359237 kg exactly and 1 in = 2.54 cm exactly (NIST SP 811, Appendix B).
- Volumetric divisors (1,000 kg per CBM for LCL; 6,000 cm³/kg for air, 5,000 for many express couriers) are trade conventions: use the figure in your carrier’s rate sheet.
Worked examples
| Input | Result |
|---|---|
| 30 cartons, Metric (kg, cm, m³) | 1.92 CBM, net 310 kg, gross 344 kg |
| 14 cartons, US (lb, in, ft³) | 0.428 CBM, net 98.883 kg, gross 112.945 kg |
| 2 cartons, Metric (kg, cm, m³) | 0.048 CBM, net 8.4 kg, gross 9.8 kg |
| 20 cartons, Metric (kg, cm, m³) | 0.138 CBM, net 500 kg, gross 544 kg |
Calculated by the tool above with these values.
Frequently asked questions
Is a packing slip the same as a packing list?
They serve a similar purpose, but an export packing list is usually more detailed. A packing slip in e-commerce lists the items inside a parcel. A packing list for a shipment also shows carton numbers, dimensions and volumes.
Is there a Word version of this packing list template?
You do not need a Word file: this packing list template fills in the document in your browser and saves it as a PDF, which looks the same on every computer and cannot be changed by accident. If someone asks for an editable copy, copy the text from the preview into Word. The same applies if you were looking for a packing slip template in Word: the Examples buttons load a packing slip sample you can edit and print.
Does a packing list show prices?
No. A packing list normally shows quantities, weights and dimensions only. Prices belong on the commercial invoice.
Is this free packing list template really free?
Yes. It is free to use, needs no account or sign-up, and runs in your browser. Nothing you type is uploaded.
Can I use this as a travel packing list template?
This tool is made for shipping goods, with carton numbers, weights and volumes. A personal travel checklist does not need those fields, so a simple list is a better fit for trips.
Why does the tool warn about gross weight?
Carriers and customs use the gross weight of every carton, which includes packaging. A line without a gross weight leaves your totals incomplete, so add the gross weight per carton.
Can I use the documents I make here for business?
Yes. Documents made here may be used for business with no attribution required.
Related tools
- Commercial invoice template — the customs invoice for an international shipment.
- Bill of lading template — a straight bill of lading for truck shipments.
- Shipping label generator — address labels for boxes and pallets, numbered 1 of N.
- Certificate of origin template — the exporter’s origin declaration for a chamber to certify.
- Delivery note template — what was delivered, for the customer to sign.
- Proforma invoice template — the pre-shipment invoice with Incoterms, ports and HS codes.
- Delivery order template — the D/O that releases cargo from a terminal or warehouse.