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One product is spread over three cartons; how do I enter it on the packing list?

The clearest way is to repeat the item on three lines, each with the quantity in that carton and its package number. You can also use a single line with the full quantity and '1-3' in the package field, because that field is free text. Either way the total quantity comes out right.

Published · 3 min read

Example: 75 abayas in three cartons

You have 75 black abayas of the same style and one carton will not hold them, so 30 go in carton 1, 30 in carton 2 and 15 in carton 3. We entered both versions in the Packing-list generator:

  • Three lines: 30 in package 1, 30 in package 2, 15 in package 3. The summary shows 3 item lines and a total quantity of 75 pcs.
  • One line: 75 with package '1-3'. The summary shows 1 item line and a total quantity of 75 pcs.

The total is identical; what changes is what the receiver can check. With three lines, whoever opens carton 3 knows to count exactly 15. With one line, they only know the abayas are somewhere across three cartons, not how many sit in each.

When to use one line per carton

  • When someone else counts the goods on arrival and signs for them, such as a warehouse or a wholesale buyer.
  • When the quantity differs from carton to carton, as with 30, 30 and 15 here.
  • When a carton might arrive late or go missing, so you know at once what was inside it.

Repeating the description does not confuse the summary. Quantities are grouped by unit, not by item name, so if all three lines use the same unit you get a single total.

When a single line is enough

If the cartons are truly identical, say 3 cartons of 25 each, one line of 75 with package '1-3' is clear, and you can add '25 per carton' to the description. If the item sits in cartons that are not consecutive, type '1, 4' or '2, 5, 6'; the field takes up to 20 characters.

Entering it step by step

  1. In the items table, type the description on the first line, then quantity 30, the unit and package 1.
  2. Press 'Add item', repeat the same description, enter 30 and package 2, then do the same for package 3 with 15.
  3. Check that the number of packages under Package details is 3.
  4. Read the summary: it should say 75 pcs, the figure you counted before sealing the cartons.
  5. Create the PDF and print a copy to travel with carton 1.

The tool does not compare package numbers with the package count you entered, so read down that column yourself before printing. If the three cartons are different sizes, work out each one's volumetric weight with the Volumetric shipping-weight calculator before you book the shipment.

Common questions

Does repeating the item on several lines double the total?

No. Each line carries only its own carton's quantity, and 30 + 30 + 15 gives 75, the same as one line would.

Should I write '1-3' or '1 to 3'?

The field is free text so both work, but the short form reads better in the printed table and is less likely to wrap.