What is a Packing Slip? Guide to Small Businesses + Templates

Whether you’re shipping handmade jewelry or office supplies in bulk, a well made Packing slips ensure your packages arrive intact and your customers stay satisfied.

But what is a packing slip? How do you create one that works for your business? This blog post answers these questions and more, giving you everything you need to simplify your shipping process.

What is a Packing Slip?

A packing slip is a document that accompanies the merchandise being shipped, listing the contents of each package in detail. Think of it as a roadmap for you delivery—that tells you and your customers what should be in the box.

In contrast to an invoice, which focuses on payment details and pricing, a packing slip concentrates only on the physical contents of the shipment.

The packing slip usually includes:

• Order number for easy reference
• Customer information, including shipping address
• Product description with SKU number if applicable
• The quantity of each item shipped
• Delivery date
• Special handling instructions if necessary.

Most packing slips are printed on standard 8.5″ x 11″ paper and placed inside or attached to the outside of the package. They serve as a communication bridge between your warehouse team, shipping carriers, and customers, ensuring everyone stays on the same page throughout the shipping process.

A well designed Packing slips provide important information without burdening the recipient with unnecessary details, such as price or payment terms, that are included in the invoice.

Purpose of Packing Slip

Why do businesses need packing slips? The answer lies in the multiple benefits these documents provide across your operations.

Inventory Management and Accuracy

Packing slips act as your first line of defense against shipping errors. When your team uses packing slips to verify package contents before sealing the box, they catch errors before the customer does. This simple quality control step significantly reduces costly returns and exchanges.

Your warehouse staff can quickly reference packing slips to ensure the correct items and quantities go into each package. There’s no need to wonder if that medium-sized blue sweater really belongs to Mrs. Johnson order—that packing slips provide instant clarity.

Enhanced Customer Experience

Customers like to know exactly what they are receiving, especially with large or complex orders. A clear packing slip allows them to verify delivery as soon as the package is opened. This transparency builds trust and reduces customer service questions about missing or incorrect items.

When customers can easily match the items they receive to their expectations, they are more likely to become repeat buyers. A looks professional Packing slips also reinforce your brand’s attention to detail and commitment to customer satisfaction.

Efficient Returns Processing

Returns are inevitable in retail, but packing slips make the process smoother for everyone involved. When customers need to return an item, they can refer to the packing slip to identify the specific product and order details. Your customer service team can quickly find the original order and process returns more efficiently.

This documentation trail also helps you identify return patterns, potentially uncovering product quality issues or delivery issues that need to be addressed.

Legal and Financial Protection

Packing slips serve as proof of what items were shipped and when. In the event of a delivery dispute or insurance claim, these documents provide valuable evidence of the package contents and delivery date. They create a paper trail that protects your business interests while maintaining professional standards.

How to Make a Packing Slip

Creating packing slips doesn’t require advanced design skills or expensive software. Follow these easy steps to create packing slips that work for your business.

Step 1: Choose Your Format

Decide whether you will create packing slips digitally using software such as Microsoft Word, Excel, or Google Docs, or use special shipping software. Digital formats offer more flexibility and easier customization, while custom software often includes automation features.

Consider your order volume when making this choice. High volume businesses benefit from automated solutions, while small operations may prefer simple, customizable templates.

Step 2: Include Important Information

Start with your business header, including your company name, logo, and contact information. This branding strengthens your professional image and gives customers an easy reference for future orders.

Add custom sections for:

• Order number and date
• Customer name and shipping address
• Detailed product list
• Quantity and description fields
• Any special notes or instructions.

If you sell products with expiration dates, serial numbers, or other tracking information, add a special column to note these details on your packing slip.

Step 3: Design for Clarity

Use clean, easy-to-read fonts. Organize information in logical sections with clear headings and adequate spacing. Remember, warehouse staff often work quickly, so clarity trumps creativity.

Consider using tables to organize product information, as they are easier to scan than paragraph format. Bold important elements such as order numbers and customer names to help staff find important details quickly.

Pay attention to print quality and paper durability, especially if the packing slip will be exposed to warehouse conditions or weather during delivery.

Pro tips:

• Consider adding a return policy or customer service contact information to the package, in addition to the packing slip, to help customers post delivery question.
• Include a space for the employee’s initials or signature to maintain accountability in your packing process.

Download the Packing Slip Template

Download a free packing slip template designed specifically for small businesses. This template includes all the important elements discussed above and can be easily customized to suit your business information.

Download template

How to Use a Packing Slip Template

The process is easy:

1. Download and save the template to your computer
2. Replace the placeholder text with your business name, logo and contact details
3. Customize product fields to fit your inventory system
4. Test print several copies to ensure correct formatting
5. Train your team on proper completion and usage.

Change colors, fonts, and layout elements to match your brand identity while maintaining the functional structure that makes packing slips effective.

Generate Packing Slips Instantly

Manually create packing slips for each order time-consuming as your business grows. That’s where Ecwid by Lightspeed transforms your shipping operations from tedious to efficient.

If you use Ecwid by Lightspeed for your online store, you won’t have to create packing slips from scratch for every order or struggle with templates. You just print the order!

The order printable is a summary of order details that confirms successful order placement. You can use it as a packing slip to ensure that all the products ordered are in the box before sending out.

With just one click, you can print orders and get a ready to use packing slip with all important details.

Ecwid’s default printable order templates are designed to work for any business. This includes your company name and address, buyer’s name and shipping address, payment and shipping method selected, details of products ordered, and itemized order total.

Ecwid default options allow you to add a store logo, tax number, other business details, or footer message to your printable order. For further customization, you can modify the invoice template to suit your specific needs.

Additionally, your team can quickly find orders by scanning their barcodes on printable orders using the Ecwid Mobile app, which helps your team process orders faster.

Learn more about printable orders in the Help Center.

Streamline Shipping with Ecwid

That’s not all! Ecwid offers more than just printable orders. The platform includes advanced shipping tools designed to simplify your entire order preparation process.

To ship an order, you need to purchase and print a shipping label. Shipping labels act like stamps to show that you have paid the appropriate shipping amount. It also provides information for operators to perform delivery—that sender and recipient addresses, package weight and dimensions, and requested services.

Ecwid users can purchase and print shipping labels directly from the Ecwid admin. Rates are lower than retail rates at post offices, and order details are entered automatically. This way, you save time and money while ensuring accuracy in your shipping process.

Learn more about purchasing and printing shipping labels from the Ecwid admin.

This integration eliminates the need to manually enter customer information multiple times, reducing errors and speeding up your fulfillment process. Your team can process orders from start to finish without switching between platforms or systems.

Take Your Business to the Next Level

Packing slips may seem like a small detail, but they play an important role in customer satisfaction and operational efficiency. From preventing shipping errors to enhancing your professional image, this simple document provides significant value with minimal investment.

Leverage Ecwid by Lightspeed’s automated solutions to simplify your entire shipping process. Your customers will appreciate the attention to detail, your team will work more efficiently, and your business will benefit from increased accuracy and professionalism.

Explore Ecwid by Lightspeed’s comprehensive ecommerce solutions and discover how the right tools can help your small business compete with big retailers while maintaining the personal touch that sets you apart.