Container loading plan: from Excel packing list to 3D plan
To build a loading plan from a packing list, each row needs six things: item number, carton count, carton length, width and height, and gross weight. Most errors come from wrong units, or from mixing weight per carton with total weight.
The columns you need
| Column | Example | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Item / SKU | PB-1020 | One row for each carton size |
| Cartons | 240 | Number of cartons, not units of product |
| Length, width, height | 60, 40, 40 | Outer carton size, not the product size |
| Gross weight | 18.5 | Per carton, or total if the column says so |
Common mistakes
- Units of product instead of cartons. A row for 2,400 pieces in 240 cartons must use 240.
- Inner box size. Use the outer carton's measured size. A carton that is 1 cm larger than stated can cost a whole row.
- Net weight. Payload checks need gross weight, including packaging.
- Total rows. A subtotal row counted as an item doubles the cargo.
- Merged cells. Merged item names leave empty rows that software may not read properly.
- One item, two carton sizes. Use separate rows for different sizes.
How LoadTrue reads your file
LoadTrue imports .xlsx, .xls and .csv files and looks for common English and Chinese headings such as "Qty", "Ctns", "G.W." and "箱数". It reads units from the headings (cm, mm or inch; kg or lb), and handles columns labelled as total weight by dividing by the carton count. Total rows are skipped, and you can match columns by hand when a heading is not recognised.
If a file is too messy, download the template in the app, give the template and your packing list to any AI assistant, ask it to reorganise the data, and check the result before importing.
From file to plan
- Check the imported rows against the packing list total.
- Choose the container type or types. See container dimensions.
- Review the 3D plan and the number of containers.
- Use the plan on site and record the load.
For a quick check on one carton size, use the calculator. For a full list, import it into LoadTrue.