Packing Lists & Dispatch

Packing Lists organise the picking, packing, and dispatch of equipment for projects. Each list guides warehouse staff through a structured workflow — from pulling items off shelves to loading them onto transport and confirming delivery at the venue. Packing lists create a complete paper trail of who picked what, when it was packed, and who acknowledged receipt.

Accessing Packing Lists

To open Packing Lists, click Warehouse in the left-hand sidebar and select Packing Lists. The page displays all packing lists for the selected warehouse, filterable by status, priority, project, and date range.

Packing list numbering

Every packing list is automatically assigned a unique number in the format PL-{year}-{sequence} (e.g., PL-2026-0042). Numbers are sequential within each calendar year and cannot be edited. This ensures every list is uniquely identifiable across your entire operation.

Key fields

Each packing list contains the following core information:

• Project — The project this packing list is for. Each project can have multiple packing lists.
• Warehouse — The warehouse from which equipment will be picked
• Status — The current stage in the packing workflow (see below)
• Priority — Low, Medium, High, or Urgent. Priority determines sort order on the Warehouse Dashboard and triggers visual indicators for urgent lists.
• Assigned To — The warehouse staff member responsible for this list
• Required By — The date and time by which the list must be completed and dispatched

Packing list statuses

Each packing list progresses through six statuses in a fixed workflow:

1. Draft — The list has been created and items have been added, but picking has not started. You can still add, remove, or rearrange items at this stage.
2. Picking — Warehouse staff are actively pulling items from storage zones. The system records picking_started_at and picked_by (the user who began picking). Each item’s status changes from pending to picked as it is collected.
3. Packed — All items have been picked and packed into cases or containers. The system records packing_completed_at and packed_by. At this stage, items cannot be added or removed without returning to Draft status.
4. Loaded — The packed equipment has been loaded onto the transport vehicle. This status is used when there is a gap between packing and actual departure.
5. Dispatched — The equipment has left the warehouse. The system records dispatched_at. From this point, the equipment is considered off-site.
6. Delivered — The equipment has arrived at the venue and delivery has been confirmed, either by warehouse staff or via the public acknowledgement link.

Packing list items

Each item on a packing list tracks the following details:

• Equipment — The equipment item to be picked (equipment_id)
• Serial Number — For serialized items, the specific unit assigned (equipment_serial_id)
• Quantity Requested — The number of units needed for the project
• Quantity Picked — The number of units actually collected from storage
• Quantity Packed — The number of units packed and ready for dispatch
• Storage Zone — The zone where the item is stored (storage_zone_id), shown as a location reference for pickers
• Picked From Zone — The actual zone the item was picked from (picked_from_zone_id), which may differ if stock was moved
• Item Status — Pending, Picked, or Packed
• Priority Flag — Mark individual items as priority (is_priority) to highlight them during picking
• Picker Notes — Free-text notes added by the picker (e.g., “Substituted Model B – Model A out of stock”)
• Sort Order — Controls the display order of items, typically arranged to optimise the picking route through the warehouse

Quality check

After packing is complete, a quality check step ensures accuracy. A designated user (checked_by) reviews the packed items against the list, verifying that every requested item is present, in the correct quantity, and in acceptable condition. The quality check is recorded with the checking user’s name and timestamp.

Quality checks are optional but strongly recommended for high-value or high-priority projects where missing equipment would cause significant disruption.

Public delivery acknowledgement

NexusRMS generates a unique public token for each packing list, creating a secure link that can be shared with the client or venue contact. When the delivery arrives, the recipient can open this link without needing a NexusRMS account and complete the following:

• Acknowledge delivery — Confirm that the equipment has arrived
• Enter their details — Provide their name (acknowledged_by_name) and email address (acknowledged_by_email)
• Sign digitally — Draw a signature on screen (stored as acknowledgement_signature in base64 format)
• Upload a delivery photo — Take or upload a photo of the delivered equipment at the venue (stored as delivery_photo_path)

The acknowledgement records the exact time (acknowledged_at) and the recipient’s IP address for audit purposes. This digital proof of delivery protects your business in the event of disputes about whether equipment arrived on time and in full.

Creating a packing list

To create a new packing list:

1. Navigate to Warehouse > Packing Lists and click New Packing List
2. Select the project and warehouse
3. Set the priority and required by date
4. Optionally assign the list to a specific warehouse staff member
5. Add equipment items from the project’s allocation list
6. Arrange item sort order to optimise the picking route
7. Save as Draft

Items can be added individually or in bulk from the project’s equipment allocation. The system pre-fills storage zone locations so pickers know exactly where to find each item.

Permissions

Creating and managing packing lists requires the can_create_packing_lists permission. Users without this permission can view packing lists but cannot create, edit, or change their status. Approving stock adjustments related to packing discrepancies requires the can_approve_stock_adjustments permission.

Tips

• Optimise sort order for picking routes — Arrange items in the order they appear along the most efficient path through your warehouse. This reduces walking time and speeds up the picking process.
• Use priority flags for critical items — Mark items that are essential to the project (e.g., the main mixing desk) as priority so pickers collect them first.
• Always run a quality check for large lists — A second pair of eyes catches mistakes that the original picker may have missed. This is especially important for projects with ≥50 items.
• Send the acknowledgement link in advance — Share the public delivery link with the venue contact before the delivery arrives so they know what to expect and can acknowledge immediately on arrival.
• Add picker notes for substitutions — If an item is out of stock and you substitute an alternative, record the change in picker notes. This keeps the project manager informed without requiring a phone call.
• Review the Required By column daily — The Warehouse Dashboard’s Due Today stat highlights lists that must go out today. Check this first thing each morning to prioritise your workflow.

Next steps

You have now covered the core Warehouse module workflows. Explore the Stock page to manage stock adjustments and transfers, or visit Inventory Counts to schedule and conduct stocktakes across your warehouse.