eCom Lightspeed

Multi-Item Cartonization Planner

Estimate how many cartons a multi-item order needs before anything reaches the packing bench. Enter each product with its dimensions and quantity, add the box types you keep in stock, and get a suggested carton count with a per-carton packing summary and fill rates.

Order and carton inputs

All dimensions are in inches. Carton sizes are interior dimensions — the usable space inside the box.

Products

2 of 20 rows · up to 999 units each

Shipped size of one unit. Weight is optional and uses lbs.

Name
Length
Width
Height
Qty
Weight

Carton options

1 of 10 types

Enter interior dimensions (usable space inside the box), not the outer size. Max weight is optional and uses lbs.

Name
Length
Width
Height
Max weight

Ready to plan

Enter your products and carton options above, then select Plan packing. Rows with missing or invalid values are skipped and listed as plan notes.

How this estimate works: items are placed with a layer-based greedy heuristic (sorted by volume, shelf-style levels). The result is a practical estimate — not the mathematically optimal packing — and dimensional fit does not guarantee a safe real-world pack. Verify with a test pack before buying packaging.

How It Works

  1. 1

    List every product in the order with its shipped dimensions and quantity, then add the carton types you can ship in using their interior (usable inside) dimensions.

  2. 2

    The planner expands the order into individual items, sorts them by volume, and places each one with a layer-based greedy heuristic — flat shelf-style levels inside each carton, testing all six rotations.

  3. 3

    Open cartons are filled first. When a new carton is needed, the planner opens the smallest carton type that still accepts the item, and respects optional per-carton weight limits.

  4. 4

    Review the suggested carton count, what goes in each carton, the fill percentage, and any items that could not be packed — with the reason why.

Example

  1. Order: 4 mugs (4 × 4 × 4 in each) and 1 book (12 × 9 × 2 in). Carton option: 12 × 12 × 12 in interior.
  2. The book is placed flat on the bottom layer, then the four mugs sit side by side on a second layer inside the same box.
  3. Result: 1 carton, roughly 21% full — one box, one label, no oversize surprises.

Accuracy & Limitations

  • The packing plan is a heuristic estimate produced by a greedy layer algorithm — it is practical, not the mathematically optimal arrangement, and it does not model padding or packing skill.
  • Carton dimensions are treated as interior dimensions. Enter the usable space inside each box, not the outer measurements printed by the manufacturer.
  • Planning is capped at 300 items per run; larger orders are truncated and the plan says so in a note.
  • Product weights are optional and assumed to use one consistent unit — lbs with inches, kg with centimeters. Weight checks only apply when every item in a carton has a weight.
  • A dimensional fit is not a guarantee of a safe real-world pack — verify the suggestion with a test pack before buying packaging.

Frequently Asked Questions