PACKING LIST / QUOTE PREPARATION
Prepare a freight quote from your packing list
Measure the packed cartons, total their volume and gross weight, then ask which pricing rules apply. This guide turns a mixed-carton list into a clear request a forwarder can check.
Updated 24 October 2026 · synthetic shipment example · no booking or quote submission.
1. Measure what will actually travel
Record the packed outer length, width and height for each carton size, the number of cartons, and gross weight per carton. Include packaging and measure at the widest points. For a palletised shipment, describe and measure the complete palletised unit rather than silently substituting loose-carton volume.
Keep units explicit. A value of 600 means very different things in millimetres and centimetres. Separate different carton sizes into their own rows; do not average the dimensions.
2. Start with a checkable packing list
This sample contains ten larger cartons and six smaller cartons. Weights include packaging; all figures below are synthetic.
| Description | L × W × H | Cartons | Gross / carton | Line CBM |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Carton A | 60 × 40 × 30 | 10 | 12 kg | 0.720000 m³ |
| Carton B | 45 × 35 × 25 | 6 | 8 kg | 0.236250 m³ |
Open the file in a spreadsheet, copy its rows, then use Paste from spreadsheet → Replace all lines in the shipment worksheet. Start with dimensions set to cm and weights to kg. Replacing lines replaces that worksheet's current draft, so export your own work first.
0.072 × 10 + 0.039375 × 6 = 0.956250 m³
12 × 10 + 8 × 6 = 168 kg gross · 16 cartons
3. Keep the pricing assumptions next to the total
The same cargo can produce different planning comparisons. These calculations use shipment totals before carrier minimums, per-piece rules or tariff rounding.
| Assumption | Calculation | Higher value |
|---|---|---|
| Air example · ÷6,000 cm³/kg | 956,250 ÷ 6,000 = 159.375 kg | 168 kg gross |
| Express example · ÷5,000 cm³/kg | 956,250 ÷ 5,000 = 191.25 kg | 191.25 kg volumetric |
| Sea LCL · 1 m³ versus 1 gross tonne | 0.956250 m³ versus 0.168 t | 0.956250 W/M before minimums |
Confirm the divisor, how dimensions are rounded, whether each package or the whole shipment is compared, and any minimum. DHL's weight guidance documents a 5,000 cm³/kg example; it is not a rule for every service. The chargeable weight calculator makes whole-shipment versus per-carton weight rounding visible for one carton size.
4. Send the assumptions with the request
Use a request like this after replacing the example with your own details. This is a preparation checklist, not a freight quotation.
Cargo: 16 loose cartons, 2 carton sizes Total packed volume: 0.956250 m³ Total gross weight: 168 kg Dimensions: cm; weights: kg; packing-list rows attached Please confirm: • Origin, destination, service, collection and delivery scope • Actual versus volumetric comparison and the divisor used • Per-piece or shipment calculation, rounding and minimums • Stackability, handling constraints and any pallet requirements • Which charges are included, quote validity and transit assumptions
Do not use the example's dimensions or service assumptions as a substitute for measuring your cargo. Keep the returned quote and the packing-list revision together so a change of carton count can be checked.
5. Check the equipment before committing a quantity
CBM alone does not tell you how many cartons can be loaded. Door clearance, orientation, payload, stacking strength and the actual equipment all matter. An 85% fill assumption is not a universal ceiling or a loading promise.
For one carton size, try cartons per container. For ten equipment types and their original carrier/lessor references, use the container data sheet. Ask the forwarder to confirm the specific equipment and loading arrangement.