Packing Slip
A packing slip is the document inside the box listing the shipment’s contents for the receiver to check against.
What a packing slip is
A packing slip is the document inside the box listing what the shipment contains: items, quantities, and order details, for the person opening it to check against.
It travels with the goods; the invoice, which carries prices, travels with the billing.
Why packing slips matter
They let the receiver verify the box against the order in seconds, and they anchor the returns process: most return instructions start from the slip. In multi-box shipments, per-box slips show what’s where.
What a packing slip includes
- Order number and shipment identifiers
- Items and quantities in this box
- Backordered or separately-shipped items noted
- Return instructions or where to find them
Frequently asked questions
Packing slip vs invoice: what’s the difference?
The slip says what’s in the box; the invoice says what’s owed. Gift recipients see slips without prices for exactly this reason.
Are paper packing slips still necessary?
Where checking happens at the box, they earn their paper; digital slips linked by QR work when recipients reliably scan. Wholesale and B2B receivers usually still expect the document.