Packaging Supplies Inventory

Who this is for

Enough packaging for the next despatch. The sheet counts every box, mailer, roll of tissue and sheet of labels against the reorder level you set, shows what each type of order uses and ends with a list of what to buy.

Makers and small sellers who pack their own orders and have run out of the right size mailer or labels at the worst moment, and anyone about to get busy for a seasonal rush.

What this helps you track

• Every packaging item, its size and where it comes from
• How many are in stock against your own reorder level
• What each type of order uses, so a busy week can be planned for
• When each item was last ordered
• A reorder list to take to the supplier

How to use it

1. Write your business, the date you counted and who counted.
2. List each packaging item with its size or specification and the supplier, then count what is in stock.
3. Set a reorder level for each item from how quickly you get through it, and write how many to order when the count reaches it.
4. Tick, for each type of order you send, which packaging items it uses, so you can see what a run of orders will need.
5. Copy anything at or below its reorder level onto the reorder list at the foot, and tick it off when it arrives.

Formats

• Printable PDF (A4 and US Letter)
• Fillable PDF with form fields
• Fill in online, saved in your browser

The printable is laid out inside a box that fits both A4 and US Letter, so the two files are identical and neither one is scaled. The fillable PDF has real form fields. The online version keeps what you enter in your own browser and builds the completed PDF on your device.

How to print

Download the A4 or US Letter file to match the paper in your printer, open it in a PDF reader and print at 100% — not "fit to page", which shrinks the writing space. Both files leave a 14 mm margin, which clears the unprintable edge on home printers. To print the online version with your entries in it, use the Print this sheet button, which prints only the sheet and none of the page around it. More on printing.

Questions

How do I set a reorder level?

From your own use and your supplier's delivery time. Enough to cover the orders you usually send while a new delivery is on its way is a sensible starting point; the sheet leaves the number to you.

What is the order type table for?

It shows which packaging each kind of order uses, such as a small jewellery mailer or a boxed gift set. When several orders of one type are coming, you can see at a glance which items will run down.

Should branded items like stickers and cards go on here?

Yes. Thank-you cards, stickers, stamps and printed tissue run out as easily as boxes and often take longer to reorder, so they belong on the same count.

How often should I count?

Often enough that nothing runs out between counts, which may be weekly in a busy season and monthly otherwise. Date each count so you can see how fast items go.