Shipping Manifest
A shipping manifest is a document or electronic record that lists every package handed to a carrier in one pickup or drop-off, used to confirm acceptance of the whole batch at once.
Why it matters for ecommerce brands
Closing out a daily manifest proves every package was handed to the carrier, which protects your on-time metrics and cuts false 'not moving' complaints. A manifest such as a USPS SCAN form lets one scan accept the whole batch, so packages show as accepted even if some miss individual scans. For example, if 3% of 4,000 daily USPS packages miss an acceptance scan, 120 orders a day could look stuck until a later facility scans them. Make end-of-day close-out a fixed step in the warehouse shipping routine.
Common questions
- What is a USPS SCAN form?
- A SCAN form (Shipment Confirmation Acceptance Notice) is a single barcode that represents all the labels in a shipment. When USPS scans it, every listed package is marked as accepted.
- What is the difference between a shipping manifest and a bill of lading?
- A parcel manifest lists the individual packages handed to a carrier, while a bill of lading is the shipping contract and receipt for a freight move such as LTL or truckload. Both document the handoff, but for different modes.
- Do UPS and FedEx require an end-of-day close?
- Many shipping systems require a close-out to send shipment data to UPS or FedEx, and some FedEx Ground setups print a pickup manifest. Check your shipping software, since unclosed shipments may not upload correctly.