Building a Shipping Playbook for Your Warehouse Team

Every growing business hits a point where shipping knowledge lives in one person’s head. They know which carrier to call, how the BOL should look, which customers need appointments, and where the stretch wrap is. When that person is out sick, everything stops.

A shipping playbook turns that tribal knowledge into a documented process that anyone can follow. It’s not about bureaucracy. It’s about consistency and resilience.

When you need a playbook

You need a documented shipping process when:

• More than one person handles shipping tasks
• You ship more than 10 LTL loads per month
• New employees take weeks to learn the shipping process
• Errors keep happening on the same types of shipments
• You’ve had a customer complaint about a shipping mistake

If any of those sound familiar, it’s time to put procedures on paper.

Daily shipping workflow

Morning: Order review and scheduling

7:30-8:00 AM Review today’s shipment queue. Identify:

• Orders ready to ship today
• Orders that need packaging or final preparation
• Any priority or expedited shipments
• Scheduled carrier pickups

8:00-9:00 AM Prepare quotes and book shipments for orders ready to go. If using a platform like FreightSimple, this takes 2-3 minutes per shipment. Note the carrier, pickup window, and PRO number for each.

Midday: Preparation and staging

9:00 AM-12:00 PM Package and stage freight for pickup.

For each shipment:

1. Pull the order from inventory
2. Inspect products for quality before packing
3. Pack according to packaging standards (see below)
4. Palletize and wrap
5. Label with shipping information
6. Print BOL
7. Stage at the designated dock door or pickup area

Afternoon: Pickups and documentation

12:00-5:00 PM Most LTL pickups happen in the afternoon.

When the carrier arrives:

1. Verify the carrier name matches the booking
2. Direct them to the correct dock door
3. Supervise loading (don’t let drivers rush through)
4. Walk through the BOL with the driver
5. Get the driver’s signature on the BOL
6. Note any pre-existing damage on the BOL
7. Keep your signed copy
8. Update the shipment status in your system

End of day: Reconciliation

4:30-5:00 PM Before leaving:

• Verify all scheduled pickups were completed
• Follow up on any missed pickups (call the carrier)
• Confirm BOLs match bookings
• Update customer notifications with tracking numbers
• Review tomorrow’s shipment queue

Packaging standards

Document your packaging requirements clearly. Every warehouse should have a posted reference for:

Pallet specifications

• Standard size: 48” x 40” GMA pallets only
• Condition: No cracked boards, no missing stringers, no protruding nails
• For cross-border: Heat-treated pallets with ISPM-15 stamp
• Maximum height: 48” above pallet deck (unless marked non-stackable)

Wrapping requirements

• Minimum 3 layers of stretch wrap
• Wrap must extend below top deck boards to anchor load to pallet
• No product overhang beyond pallet edges
• Corner boards on all pallets over 500 lbs or over 36” tall

Carton standards

• Use boxes rated for the weight they’ll hold (check ECT rating)
• Fill void space with packaging material (no air gaps that allow shifting)
• Tape all seams with minimum 2” packing tape
• Heaviest boxes on bottom of pallet, lightest on top

Labeling

• Company name and address
• Consignee name and address
• PRO number or tracking number
• Piece count (“Pallet 1 of 3”)
• Labels on at least 2 sides of each pallet
• “Fragile,” “This Side Up,” or “Do Not Stack” where applicable

BOL preparation checklist

Before giving a BOL to the driver, verify:

• Shipper name and complete address correct
• Consignee name and complete address correct
• Contact phone numbers for both parties
• Piece count matches physical shipment
• Total weight matches (weighed, not estimated)
• Commodity description is specific (not just “freight”)
• Freight class is correct
• NMFC code included
• Dimensions listed for each handling unit
• Accessorials noted (liftgate, appointment, etc.)
• Special instructions included
• PRO number or carrier reference number listed
• PO number or customer reference included

Exception handling

Carrier no-show

If the carrier doesn’t arrive during the pickup window:

1. Call the carrier’s dispatch to confirm status
2. If they can’t pickup today, contact your freight platform for rebooking
3. Notify the customer of the delay
4. Document the no-show for carrier performance tracking

Refused shipments

If a customer refuses a delivery:

1. Get the reason in writing from the carrier
2. Contact the customer to understand why
3. Arrange return shipping or redelivery
4. Document for warranty/quality review

Damaged freight at pickup

If the carrier’s truck or handling damages freight at pickup:

1. Stop loading immediately
2. Photograph the damage
3. Note the damage on the BOL
4. Decide whether to ship or hold the damaged items
5. File a claim if the carrier caused the damage

Training new staff

Use this playbook structure for training:

Day 1: Shadow experienced staff through the full daily workflow. Read the playbook.

Day 2-3: Handle packaging and palletizing under supervision.

Day 4-5: Prepare BOLs with verification by a senior team member.

Week 2: Handle pickups and carrier interactions with supervision.

Week 3: Work independently with end-of-day review by supervisor.

Keep a copy of the playbook at the shipping desk. Laminate the checklists.

How FreightSimple integrates with your workflow

FreightSimple streamlines the quoting, booking, and documentation steps of your shipping workflow. BOLs are generated automatically from booking data, tracking updates flow in real-time, and your shipping history is organized and searchable.

Simplify your shipping workflow and let your team focus on execution.