Purpose
Clear statement of objectives and scope, describing the shipments covered, facility locations, and exceptions to the procedure.
A Shipping SOP reduces delivery errors, supports regulatory and customs compliance, shortens claims resolution, and protects contractual obligations by documenting required records and approvals in a repeatable process.
The Shipping SOP is used by multiple operational and compliance roles across the company.
When maintained and followed, the SOP reduces variance between shifts and across facilities, improving on-time delivery and audit readiness.
Clear statement of objectives and scope, describing the shipments covered, facility locations, and exceptions to the procedure.
Defined duties for shippers, packers, shipping managers, compliance officers, and carriers, including escalation paths for exceptions.
Standards for packaging materials, palletizing, weight limits, hazardous goods marking, and barcode/label formats required by carriers.
Required paperwork: bills of lading, commercial invoices, packing lists, export declarations, customs forms, and signed authorizations.
Criteria for choosing carriers, contract compliance checks, service-level expectations, and fallback options for capacity events.
Steps to log, investigate, and document damage or loss; timelines for carrier claims and internal corrective actions.
| Field | Configuration |
|---|---|
| Template | Create reusable SOP template with mandatory fields and attachments. |
| Signer Order | Define approval sequence for packer, supervisor, and shipping manager. |
| Authentication | Enable email or SMS signer verification for external carriers. |
| Notifications | Set alerts for pickups, exceptions, and missed cutoffs. |
Choose distribution channels that match recipient capabilities and evidence needs.
Ensure the chosen platforms support tamper-evident storage, audit logs, and controlled access for compliance and claims support.
Confirm shipments before carrier cutoff time for same-day dispatch.
Book international freight at least 5–10 business days before shipment for ocean/air lanes.
Provide complete export/import documentation before arrival to avoid holds.
File damage claims within carrier-required windows, typically 7–21 days.
Retention begins on shipment completion or signed delivery date.
Assemble the authorization or affidavit needing notarization.
Signer must appear before the notary when required by law.
Notary performs ID verification and records details in the journal.
Add required witness signatures when the form or state mandates them.
Notary completes certificate, date, and seal affixed.
For RON, retain the audio-video record per state rules.
Distribute notarized documents to carrier and customs broker as needed.
File the signed notarized original in the records system for retention.
| signNow | DocuSign | Adobe Sign | PandaDoc | HelloSign | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Starting Price | $8/user/mo | $15/user/mo | $14/user/mo | $19/user/mo | $15/user/mo |
| Free Trial | Yes, 7-day trial | Varies | Varies | Varies | Varies |
| Bulk Send | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
| Audit Trail | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| HIPAA Compliant | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
A growing logistics firm standardized its shipping SOP to centralize carrier selection and documents.
A property management company needed consistent supply deliveries across projects.
Export the signed SOP as a PDF/A document to ensure long-term preservation and maintain visible signatures and embedded audit metadata for compliance.
Generate a CSV manifest of shipment line items and weights for bulk reconciliation and upload to carrier or ERP systems.
Include an audit certificate showing signer email, IP, and timestamps to support claims and legal proof of execution.
Bundle BOL, invoice, packing list, and signed SOP into a compressed ZIP for secure transfer to carriers or brokers.
The Shipping Manager approves carrier selection, verifies declared value and hazardous material statements, and is authorized to sign dispatch and export documents on behalf of the company.
The Warehouse Supervisor confirms packing, weights, and labeling accuracy, signs the packing confirmation, and records the pickup verification in the SOP system.