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Pre-shipment inspection checklist

A pre-shipment inspection is the last check of an order before it leaves the building: the right part and revision, the right quantity, lots that have passed inspection, labels in the customer's format, packaging as specified, complete paperwork and photos of what was shipped. Most customer complaints that are not about the part itself, such as wrong quantities, mixed lots, missing certificates and unreadable labels, can be caught here. Page 1 of this template has the order details and 20 checks in five groups (part and quantity, labels, packaging, paperwork, photos and release), each marked OK, Not OK or N/A with space for notes. Page 2 records what is in the shipment pallet by pallet, the photo record, problems found and fixed before release, and the release with signature and seal number. It is a printable PDF.

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Page 1 of the pre-shipment inspection checklistFields for sales order, customer, ship date, destination, carrier, trailer and inspector, and 20 checks for part and quantity, labels, packaging, paperwork, and photos and release, each with OK, Not OK or N/A and a notes column.
Part and quantityLot statusLabelsPackagingPaperworkPhoto recordRelease and seal no.

When to use it

When to use a pre-shipment inspection checklist

  • For every shipment to customers with strict labeling or packaging requirements.
  • After a customer complaint about a wrong quantity, label, mixed lot or missing paperwork.
  • For export shipments, where paperwork errors hold goods at the border.
  • When new people are packing or shipping.

How to fill it in

  1. 1

    Have the requirements in hand

    The order, the packing list and the customer's packaging and labeling requirements.

  2. 2

    Check part and quantity

    Part number and revision, quantity counted, lot numbers recorded, and no lot on hold or rejected.

  3. 3

    Check labels and packaging

    Customer label on every carton, barcodes that scan, packing as specified, a stable pallet within limits.

  4. 4

    Check the paperwork

    Packing list, certificates, bill of lading and any export documents, matched to what is on the pallet.

  5. 5

    Take the photos

    Labels, packed parts, the finished pallet and the loaded truck. They settle most disputes later.

  6. 6

    Release

    An authorized person releases the shipment and records the seal number. Anything Not OK stops it until fixed.

What's on the checklist

The 20 checks on the pre-shipment inspection checklist

From the part and quantity to the release. On the sheet each check is marked OK, Not OK or N/A; anything Not OK stops the shipment until it is fixed.

Part and quantity

Right part, right amount

  1. 1Part number and revision match the order and the drawing
  2. 2Quantity counted and matches the order and the packing list
  3. 3Lot, batch or serial numbers recorded and match the paperwork
  4. 4No parts from a lot on hold, in quarantine or rejected
  5. 5Final inspection passed and signed off for every lot in the shipment

Labels

On every carton and pallet

  1. 6Customer label on every carton, in the customer's format
  2. 7Barcodes scan and match the label text
  3. 8Handling, orientation or hazard labels applied where needed
  4. 9Mixed-lot cartons avoided, or marked as the customer requires

Packaging

So the parts arrive as they left

  1. 10Packed as specified: container, dividers, layers and quantity per box
  2. 11Parts protected against damage, rust and contamination
  3. 12Pallet stable and wrapped, within the height and weight limits
  4. 13Returnable containers clean and of the right type

Paperwork

What travels with the shipment

  1. 14Packing list matches the pallets and cartons
  2. 15Certificates (CoC, CoA, test reports) included where required
  3. 16Bill of lading or shipping documents complete and signed
  4. 17Export or customs documents complete, if shipping abroad

Photos and release

Proof, then sign-off

  1. 18Photos taken of the labels, the packed parts and the finished pallet
  2. 19Truck or container clean, dry and undamaged before loading
  3. 20Shipment released by an authorized person

A filled-in example

Illustrative, not a benchmark

An example: a shipment of three pallets to an automotive customer (illustrative).

What the example check caught before the trailer left

  1. OK

    Quantity and part number on all three pallets; lots matched to final inspection

  2. Fixed

    One carton label had last week's lot number: reprinted and replaced

  3. Fixed

    Certificate of analysis missing for one lot: printed and added

  4. Recorded

    Photos of labels, parts in a carton, each pallet and the loaded trailer

Two problems fixed at the dock, for a 40-minute delay. The label error traced to a template not updated at a lot change, so the packer's checklist now checks the lot number on the label.
  • Quantity and part number OK on all three pallets; lots recorded and matched to the final inspection records.
  • One carton label had last week's lot number: reprinted and replaced before release.
  • The certificate of analysis for one lot was missing from the packet: printed and added.
  • Photos taken of the labels, the parts in a carton, each pallet and the loaded trailer.

The shipment left 40 minutes later than planned but complete. The label problem was traced to a template not updated at a lot change, and the packer's checklist was changed to check the lot number on the label.

Common mistakes

  • Checking the paperwork, not the pallet

    Open a carton and count. The paperwork says what should be there, not what is.

  • Shipping held lots

    A lot on hold or in quarantine must not reach the dock. Check the status of every lot.

  • No photos

    Without photos it is your word against the customer's when a pallet arrives damaged or mislabeled.

  • Releasing under time pressure

    A truck waiting is not a reason to skip a check. A wrong shipment costs more than a late one.

Download the template

Free to use: print it, copy it and edit it for your team. Enter your name and work email once to download.

Run this template in LeanSuite

In LeanSuite you build quality checks in Lean Creator and schedule them with Daily Standard Work, digital checklists can require number limits, photos and signatures, and a failed check can raise a tag or start a CAPA.

See it in a 45-minute demo

FAQ

Pre-shipment inspection checklist: common questions

  1. The final check of an order before it ships: right part and revision, right quantity, lots released, labels, packaging, paperwork and photos, followed by a release by an authorized person.

  2. Final inspection checks that the product meets its specification. Pre-shipment inspection checks that the right product, in the right quantity, is packed, labeled and documented correctly for the customer. Many plants do both.

  3. They show what left the building: labels, packing and the condition of the pallet and truck. They settle most disputes about damage, quantity or labeling quickly.

  4. Someone authorized to do so, often a shipping lead or quality technician who did not pack the order, so the check is done by a second pair of eyes.

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