Packing Slips 101: How to Create an Accurate Shipping Slip
In today’s fast-paced world of eCommerce, efficient order fulfillment ensuring accuracy is crucial for success. One essential thing often overlooked in this process is the packing slip a simple piece of paper that outlines everything included in a shipment.
Whether you are sending out products or receiving inventory, a well-organized shipping slip simplifies the whole process and eliminates confusion. That's right!
This packing slip ensures customers receive the correct items, helps businesses track shipments, and enhances overall customer satisfaction.
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This blog will discuss everything you want to know about packing slips with their key components. You will learn how to create it for shipping and understand its comparison with shipping labels.
What Is A Packaging Slip?
The packing slip is a document listing all the items shipped in a package. The list includes the items’ weights, dimensions, SKU (Stock Keeping Units), and the number of units in the shipment.
It is an essential part of the order fulfillment process to facilitate accurate delivery and serves as a receipt for checking and recording items being delivered to customers. When buyers receive the order, they check the packaging against this receipt, ensuring they have received all the items they ordered online.
Key details on a packing slip typically include:
- Sender and recipient information
- Order number
- Itemized list of products (e.g., names, SKUs, quantities)
- Return instructions (if applicable)
Slip pillowcase packaging made from silk materials is another packing slip example to protect products, and enhance products' appeal. It provides customers with essential information and instructions about products.
What are the Essential Components of a Packaging Slip?
There are several components involved in a packaging slip. Let’s discuss what they are how they are serving the purpose.
Sender Information
It includes the sender’s name, address, contact information and other relevant details like shipping account number.
Receiver information
This section includes the recipient's name, address and contact information. It is essential to provide accurate information to avoid delivery delay, misrouting or even lost packages.
Shipping Details
It outlines the shipment information such as shipping date, shipping mode, (e.g., ground, air, express) and track number that helps to track the journey of shipment in real time to ensure a timely package delivery.
Itemized List Of Shipped Items
This includes the information such as product name, product code, warranty details, short description, return/exchange instructions, promotional message, the quantity, per unit price and total price. It is good for both sender and reciever to verify the content inside the package.
Totals
A packaging slip highlights a brief summary of shipment’s total quantities, total value, pricing, taxes or any shipping charges (if applicable). It gives a quick snapshot of the shipment and helps recipients to understand the cost breakdown.
Packing Slip vs Invoice: What’s the Difference?
A packaging slip provides a detailed list of products being shipped to help in verification and documentaion. It does not include any price information or payment request.
While an invoice is just a request for clearing payment. It includes the pricing details with payment methods and instructions. In simple words, we can say, that a packaging slip ensures the right package is shipped to senders and an invoice ensures the payment is received.
| Features | Packing Slip | Invoice |
| Purposes | Lists all the items included in a shipment | Requests payment for goods or services |
| Used for | Verifying shipment contents | Initiating and tracking payments |
| Include Prices? | No | Yes (includes item prices, totals, taxes, etc.) |
| Sent to | Sent with the shipment to the recipient | Sent separately to the buyer for making payment |
| Contains | Item descriptions, quantities, SKU, order number | Item descriptions, quantities, prices, totals, terms |
| Format | Simple list of goods | Detailed financial document |
| Generated when | Goods are packed for shipment | A sale is finalized or after goods/services are delivered |
For your understanding, please view the UPS packaging slip image below that provides information such as courier service, shipment address, itemized list and other relevant information.
Packaging Slip Vs Shipping Label
Both packaging slips and shipping labels are a part of shipment but they serve distinctive purposes. A packaging slip found inside the package provides information about the packaging content that is delivered. It includes the itemized list, and senders and receivers' information for verification and documentation.
On the other hand, a shipping label pasted outside the package contains sender’s and receivers’ information address and contact information, order tracking number and a barcode or QR code to ensure the package is routed to its exact destination.
In short, we can say that a packing slip tells you what is inside the packaging box and the shipping label expresses where the box is traveling.
Read More: Best Shipping Solutions for Small Business: Save Time & Money
How to Create a Packing Slip for Shipping Step-by-Step
It is pretty simple to create it and understand where to put packing slip. You can explore pre-designed packaging slip templates online meeting your needs. Modify the template by providing senders’ and receiver’s information. Make sure the information is 100% accurate.
The shipment date, shipping mode and tracking or reference should be clearly shown. Give detailed information about the shipment, like item name, brief description, quanitties, unit price and total price. Review it to avoid any misunderstanding.
You can give additional information for recivers to enhance customer experience. Once your are done with everything, carefully review your packaging slips to ensure they are errorless then print multiple copies. The printing quality should be clear and legible.
6 Easy Steps to Create a Packaging Slip
- Find a packing slip template online and open it in Word or Google Docs sheet.
- Edit the template by adding your company info (name, address & contact details).
- Add customer & shipping info (name, address, order date).
- List items with iItem name, SKU, quantity ordered, and quantity shipped.
- Review the packing slip to ensure it is error-free.
- Save and print the slip.
- Place it inside the package before shipping.
Conclusion
A packaging slip has great importance in shipping and logistics as it improves communication between senders and receivers. Every E-commerce business understands slip sheet packaging need and purpose to maintain their order accuracy and manage inventory in an efficient manner. Many online sellers print their logo on a packing slip to establish their unique identity.
Custom Product Packaging acknowledges the needs for shipping boxes and packing slips. You can share your requirements at our email orders@customproductpackaging.com. Our customer care is available 24/7 for your help and answer your concerns. Please give us a quick call today!
FAQs
1. Does the packing slip go inside the box?
No, it is placed outside the box.
2. How would you know if all items ordered have been received?
By comparing the packing slip against the original purchase order and verifying the correct quantities delivered.
3. Is a packing slip the same as a shipping label?
No, they are not the same thing.
4. Is a packing slip the same as a receipt?
No, a packing slip differs from a receipt.
5. Are packing slips legally required?
No, the packing slips are not legally required for shipping.
6. Do packages need a packing slip?
No, not all packages need a packing slip.
7. What is another name for a packing slip?
“Delivery note” is another name for a packing slip.
8. Can USPS print a packing slip?
No, USPS does not typically print packing slips.
9. Who issues packing slip?
The seller or shipper issues a packing slip.
10. Is packing slip same as delivery?
No, it’s not the same as delivery.
11. Does Amazon use packing slips?
Yes, Amazon does use packing slips in many of its shipments.
12. Who is responsible for packing slip?
The shippers or sellers are responsible.
13. Who prepares the packing slip?
The seller, supplier, or manufacturer prepares the packing slip.
