Define how the purchase is counted at every level
List the individual product, the consumer pack, any inner pack and the master carton. Record how many items go into each level and identify which level is purchased, counted at receiving and displayed for the customer. Define a product code for each retail configuration when the same solid format is sold in different pack counts. Ask the packing team which counts are fixed for the proposed order.
Convert a sample order into physical pieces
In a hypothetical tablet order, a retail box holds six individually wrapped tablets and a master carton holds 24 retail boxes. An order for 480 retail boxes needs 2,880 wrapped tablets and 20 full master cartons. If the order rises to 490 retail boxes, record the last carton as a partial with ten boxes. Specify how partial cartons should be marked on the packing list.
Carry the packing hierarchy into the quote and receipt
Ask the supplier to confirm which unit their price covers and whether they quote wrapping, retail boxes and outer cartons separately. Keep each product code, variation and pack count on the same line of the order. Give receiving staff a list of expected cases and retail boxes by code so they can reconcile a partial case without assuming it contains a full carton count.
- Quote line: retail box count and number of wrapped units per box.
- Packing list: full and partial carton counts by product code.