A packing slip in every box, made from the order

01What is inside the packing slip template

1. 1Order code. The order number in large type, beside a striped strip made from its digits.
2. 2Ship to and bill to. The delivery address in a framed box, with the billing address next to it.
3. 3Shipment facts. Order date, dispatch date, method, tracking number, parcels and weight.
4. 4Items. A tick box, the SKU, the name and variant, then ordered and shipped quantities.
5. 5Note and returns. A short message to the customer and how to report a problem.
6. 6Packed by. Lines for the packer, the checker and the date.

02What this packing slip template is for

A packing slip travels inside the parcel. The customer checks it against what arrived, and your packer uses it to pick the order. Online shops, wholesalers and subscription boxes print one for every shipment.

It shows the ship-to and bill-to addresses, the order and dispatch dates, the method and the tracking number. Each item has its SKU, a short variant line, the quantity ordered and the quantity shipped.

Prices stay off the slip on purpose. Gifts and orders paid by someone else can go out without showing what anything cost.

What a good packing slip includes

• The order number, easy to spot at the top.
• The delivery address and, if different, the billing address.
• The shipping method, the tracking number and the number of parcels.
• Every item with its code, name and variant.
• The quantity ordered and the quantity actually shipped.
• A note on anything that follows in a later parcel.
• How to report a missing or damaged item.

03The fields it fills

Each field fills one part of your packing slip. Send new details and the packing slip keeps its design. Leave out an optional field and its line simply disappears.

04Make it automatically

Use the template in the dashboard once, then let your systems fill it. Every way below uses the same template, so a change to the design shows up everywhere.

One request from your app

Copy the template id from the editor and save it with your data in request.json. Then send the file. The reply is the finished PDF.

curl https://api.castpdf.com/v1/pdf \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $CASTPDF_API_KEY" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d @request.json \
  --output packing-slip.pdf

import { readFile, writeFile } from 'node:fs/promises';

const res = await fetch('https://api.castpdf.com/v1/pdf', {
  method: 'POST',
  headers: {
    Authorization: `Bearer ${process.env.CASTPDF_API_KEY}`,
    'Content-Type': 'application/json',
  },
  body: await readFile('request.json', 'utf8'),
});
if (!res.ok) throw new Error((await res.json()).error.message);
await writeFile('packing-slip.pdf', Buffer.from(await res.arrayBuffer()));

import json, os
import requests

with open("request.json") as f:
    body = json.load(f)

res = requests.post(
    "https://api.castpdf.com/v1/pdf",
    headers={"Authorization": f"Bearer {os.environ['CASTPDF_API_KEY']}"},
    json=body,
    timeout=60,
)
res.raise_for_status()
with open("packing-slip.pdf", "wb") as f:
    f.write(res.content)

{
  "template_id": "YOUR_TEMPLATE_ID",
  "data": {
    "locale": "en-GB",
    "shop": {
      "name": "Thistle & Pine Tea Co.",
      "website": "thistlepine.example",
      "email": "[email protected]"
    },
    "order": {
      "number": "TP-482913",
      "barcode": "4829 1307 7316",
      "date": "2026-10-07",
      "message": "Thank you for your order. Every tea in this box was packed by hand in our Perthshire blending room.",
      "returns": "Something missing or damaged? Email [email protected] within 14 days and quote your order number."
    },
    "ship_to": {
      "name": "Morgan Ellery",
      "address": "Flat 3, 41 Rowan Street\nPerth PH1 5LT\nUnited Kingdom"
    },
    "bill_to": {
      "name": "Ellery Design Studio",
      "address": "12 Mill Wynd\nDundee DD1 4QZ\nUnited Kingdom"
    },
    "shipment": {
      "date": "2026-10-09",
      "method": "Tracked, 48 hours",
      "tracking": "SL 7731 0482 913",
      "parcels": 2,
      "weight": "3.4 kg",
      "packed_by": "Station 4, Aileen"
    },
    "items": [
      {
        "sku": "TP-BRK-250",
        "name": "Highland Breakfast loose leaf",
        "variant": "250 g pouch",
        "ordered": 2,
        "shipped": 2
      },
      {
        "sku": "TP-EGR-100",
        "name": "Smoky Earl Grey loose leaf",
        "variant": "100 g tin",
        "ordered": 1,
        "shipped": 1
      },
      {
        "sku": "TP-SEN-050",
        "name": "Sencha Kirishima",
        "variant": "50 g pouch",
        "ordered": 1,
        "shipped": 1
      },
      {
        "sku": "TP-CHM-020",
        "name": "Wild chamomile, pyramid bags",
        "variant": "Box of 20",
        "ordered": 3,
        "shipped": 3
      },
      {
        "sku": "TP-RBS-020",
        "name": "Rooibos and orange peel, pyramid bags",
        "variant": "Box of 20",
        "ordered": 2,
        "shipped": 1
      },
      {
        "sku": "TP-INF-001",
        "name": "Glass teapot with steel infuser",
        "variant": "600 ml",
        "ordered": 1,
        "shipped": 1
      },
      {
        "sku": "TP-CUP-002",
        "name": "Stoneware cups, pair",
        "variant": "Moss glaze",
        "ordered": 1,
        "shipped": 1
      },
      {
        "sku": "TP-CAD-001",
        "name": "Tea caddy, brushed tin",
        "ordered": 2,
        "shipped": 2
      },
      {
        "sku": "TP-SMP-005",
        "name": "Taster set, five teas",
        "variant": "Gift wrapped",
        "ordered": 1,
        "shipped": 1
      },
      {
        "sku": "TP-CRD-001",
        "name": "Gift card with handwritten message",
        "ordered": 1,
        "shipped": 1
      }
    ]
  }
}

New to the API? The quickstart gets you from a free key to your first PDF in about five minutes.

05Make one without code

1. Sign up free. You do not need a card. "Use this template" opens the editor with this template ready.
2. Open the packing slip template. Put your own details into the packing slip’s sample data, and change the words and colours.
3. Check the preview. It updates as you type and is free. Every page carries a small “Preview” label.
4. Generate the PDF. Verify your email and press Generate PDF for a clean copy. It counts as one PDF on your plan.

06Make it yours

• Print it on plain A4 or Letter paper and fold it into the box.
• Put your returns address and time limit in the returns note.
• Add a bin or shelf column if your packers pick from locations.
• Change the note to the customer for each season or campaign.
• Every save is a new version, and your last 50 versions are kept.

Short shipments, explained on the slip

Sometimes one item is out of stock and the rest ships anyway. A plain list makes the customer think something went missing.

This template compares the two quantities on every line. When fewer were shipped, a small label says how many follow in a separate parcel. The totals row shows units ordered and units shipped.

The striped strip by the order number is only decoration made from its digits. Scanners cannot read it.

07Questions about packing slip templates

08More templates

• Shipping · A4, portrait

  Delivery note

  Proof of delivery, signed by whoever received it.
• Billing · A4, portrait

  Invoice

  Get paid faster: discounts, VAT per line and totals worked out for you.
• Billing · 80 × 170 mm

  Receipt

  Send customers a receipt with items, VAT and a paid stamp.