Guide · Marks, codes and layout
Packing list template for exporters: columns, units and the totals row
A good packing list template fixes the columns, the units and the totals row, so every shipment looks the same to customs, carriers and buyers. Use one row per carton range and SKU, units in the headers, and totals that are formulas, not typed numbers.
What a template has to fix
A template is a design decision made once: which columns, in what order, in which units, with what totals. It matters because the list is read by people and software that expect the same shape every time: a broker keying an entry, a forwarder checking a booking, a warehouse receiving by carton. Free-form lists with merged cells, mixed units and typed totals are a common source of the mismatches described in packing list requirements.
The layout below is a sensible default, not a legal form. Your buyer's PO, a letter of credit or the destination may require other fields. The packing list template page offers this layout as a CSV and an .xlsx with a TOTAL row, and weights there are whole-row totals in kg.
General information, not customs or legal advice. Required fields differ by destination, commodity and buyer. Add what your broker or the purchase order asks for.
Set up the template in six steps
Build the header block
Shipper, consignee, notify party, packing list number and date, invoice number, PO numbers, ports and Incoterm if the buyer wants them, and a page counter such as "Page 1 of 3".
Fix the column order
Marks, carton numbers, item, PO, description, HS code, quantity, unit, quantity per carton, N.W., G.W., carton size, CBM. Keep every column in the same place on every shipment.
Put units in the headers
"N.W. (kg)", "G.W. (kg)", "Carton size (cm)", "CBM". Cells hold numbers only. Convert pounds before they reach the list; see lbs to kg on shipping documents.
Choose row totals or per-carton weights
Pick one basis and label it. Row totals suit a carton range, because the weight then covers every carton in the row.
Build the totals row with formulas
SUM down the rows for quantity, N.W., G.W. and CBM, and a carton count for the ranges. Protect the cells so nobody types over them.
Compute CBM from the carton size
Length x width x height of one carton x cartons. CBM calculation for cartons has worked examples.
Recommended columns
Thirteen columns, the same set the template page uses.
| Column | Content | Unit or format | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Marks & Nos. | Shipping mark text | Text | Same as on the cartons |
| Carton No. | Range such as 1-20 | Text | Hyphen between numbers |
| Item No. | Supplier SKU or style | Text | Keep leading zeros |
| PO No. | Buyer's order | Text | Restart carton numbers per PO |
| Description | Goods in words | Text | Match the invoice |
| HS Code | Classification | Text | Only if asked; keep dots |
| Qty | Pieces in the row | Number | Total for the whole row |
| Unit | PCS, SET or PRS | Text | One unit per row |
| Qty per Carton | Pieces in one carton | Number | Row quantity / cartons |
| N.W. (kg) | Goods, whole row | kg, 2 decimals | Header states kg |
| G.W. (kg) | Goods and packing, whole row | kg, 2 decimals | Not below N.W. |
| Carton Size (cm) | Length x width x height | cm | Outer carton |
| CBM | Row volume | m³, 3 decimals | Cartons x one carton |
Add or drop columns to suit the buyer, but keep the order and the units the same from one shipment to the next.
What to avoid
- Merged cells and spanning headers. They break sorting, copy and paste, and any import into another system.
- Typed totals. A total written by hand and never updated after a row changed.
- Units inside cells. "12.5kg" is text, not a number, and cannot be added. Put the unit in the header.
- Marks and carton number in one cell. "ABC-PO123-1/20" cannot be counted or checked. Keep the mark and the range in separate columns.
- Decoration over data. A logo over the header row, notes between rows, or one table split over several sheets. Notes belong in a remarks column or below the totals.
How CargoSheet helps
When a supplier will not use your template, CargoSheet reads the PDF they send into one row per carton range and returns an .xlsx with Customs, Full detail and Tie-out sheets, with HS codes and carton ranges stored as text. It does not fill in or generate your template. Try the packing list to Excel converter. Free: 1 file per day, up to 10 pages, no account. Files over 10 pages are converted up to page 10 on the free allowance; a page code converts the whole file, up to 150 pages. See pricing.
Questions
- What columns should a packing list have?
- Marks, carton numbers, item or SKU, PO, description, quantity and unit, net weight, gross weight, carton size and CBM, plus HS code and origin if asked. A totals row closes the table.
- Should a packing list be Excel or PDF?
- Prepare it in Excel so the formulas and units stay consistent, then issue it in the format the buyer, broker or bank asks for. Many parties want a PDF as the issued document and a spreadsheet for keying.
- Should the totals be formulas?
- Yes where you can. A total typed by hand can disagree with its rows after any edit. Formulas keep them in step, and protecting those cells stops accidental overtyping.
- Where should the HS code go?
- In its own column, stored as text so leading zeros and dots survive, and only when the buyer, broker or a letter of credit asks for it. Match the invoice digit for digit.
- Which units should a template use?
- Kilograms for weight, cubic metres for volume and centimetres for carton size, with the unit in the column header. Convert pounds and inches before they reach the list.
- Can I download a packing list template?
- Yes. The packing list template page has a CSV and an .xlsx with a totals row. Add or remove columns to suit your buyer.
Check a packing list against its own totals
Free: 1 file per day, up to 10 pages, no account.