Container Loading Calculator Excel and CSV Templates

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Use an Excel or CSV cargo template to prepare your shipment, then import the list into the web planner for a 3D container loading calculation. Keep one row per packed size or SKU with its quantity, unit weight and genuine handling rules. The spreadsheet stores your inputs; it does not optimize a container inside Excel.

This guide uses the 26-column metric cargo format. Its files retain their original 11.63.51 names and bytes. Compatibility with the unchanged import sources in CBM3 11.63.55 was checked on . The earlier real Chrome/Edge file tests described below remain dated 6 October under 11.63.52; they are not new browser tests of this release.

AI illustration of a blank spreadsheet grid, cartons, a measuring tape and scale on a cargo planning desk.
AI-generated explanatory illustration, not to scale. This is a data-preparation concept, not an Excel screenshot, downloadable template preview or verified loading plan.

Choose a Blank or Example Cargo Template

Use a blank file for your shipment or an example file to follow the 55-unit order below. These are cargo-input files, not a bill of lading, VGM declaration or cargo-securing document. Keep the Cargo sheet first in the XLSX workbook. Its Instructions sheet is guidance, not cargo to import.

Choose the file for the task you are doing
FormatSuitable taskWhat to preserve
Blank XLSXPrepare a new cargo list with the instruction sheet available.Cargo first, unchanged headings, numeric input cells.
Example XLSXFollow the two-row, 55-unit example before entering your own order.Review and replace sample rows rather than adding them to your shipment.
Blank CSVProvide a simple cargo-only text list.Heading row, delimiter, character encoding and unit labels.
Example CSVInspect the same sample order without workbook formatting.The two sample rows and handling fields during the practice import.

Fill in at least one cargo row before importing a blank template. Keep the headings and use numbers in dimension, quantity and weight cells. The CSV contains cargo only; it does not contain the XLSX instruction sheet or workbook formatting.

Import Excel or CSV into the Web Planner

  1. Enter the packed outside width, length and height in centimeters, a positive whole-number quantity and the weight per unit in kilograms. Do not enter the entire row’s weight in Weight.
  2. Open Import in the calculator below. Select your XLSX or CSV and choose Preview file. The calculator reads the first worksheet of an Excel file.
  3. Check the valid and invalid rows. For an older file without unit labels, specify its source units. Correct the file if its headings or values are wrong.
  4. Choose Import rows only after checking the preview. This replaces the current cargo table. Export any shipment you need to keep first; Cancel leaves the current table unchanged. If some rows are invalid, importing only the valid rows requires an explicit selection.
  5. Check the selected equipment and imported rules. Press Plan 3D Cargo Loading, then review the placed and unplaced quantities and the selected 3D result.

Basic planning is available without an account in the current free-access configuration. Account-backed saving and sharing have their own sign-in requirements. Selecting a file or importing its rows does not by itself create a verified loading plan.

3D Container Loading Calculator & CBM Calculator VERSION 11.63.56

👤 Checking status...
📖 Tour
⌨️ Shortcuts: Ctrl+N New Row Ctrl+S Save Ctrl+Z Undo Ctrl+Y Redo Enter Add Row (in last row) Tab Next Field

🚢 Load Space & Units

Load Space
Best Fit region
Planning mode

Uses each row quantity as its available ceiling. Equal Quantity FCL currently validates loose cargo only.

Global loading rules

Apply plan-wide constraints before row-level preferences.

No global rules active Hard safety checks always override global and row-level preferences.
Workflow accelerator
Workflow accelerator

Industry loading presets

Apply proven starting rules, then adjust any row or plan rule to match the shipment.

Applies only the selected starting defaults. You can edit any value afterwards.

Equipment restrictions

Model a real load space with an optional door opening, wheel arches and fixed internal obstacles. Empty fields preserve current planning behaviour.

Door opening

Wheel arches

Fixed internal obstacles

Reserve non-loadable space for pillars, machinery or other fixed equipment.
No equipment restrictions are active.

Container Info:

Dimensions: -

Volume: 0.000 m³

Converted: 0.000 ft³

🌍 Transport mode

Do you also want to calculate the freight cost?
CBM3

Total Items

Set handling and route constraints for this cargo row.
Item Name Width [cm] x Length [cm] x Height [cm] Qty Wt/pc [kg] Total [kg] Volume [m³] Density (kg/m³) Est. class Actions
Number of rows to add: 1–100

📊 Summary

📦 Total volume:
0.000 m³
0.000 ft³
⚖️ Cargo / pallet subtotal
0.0 kg
0.0 lb
Logistics & Freight
N/A
💰 Chargeable weight: 0.0 kg
⚖️ Volumetric weight: 0.0 kg
Estimated freight class N/A

Cargo/pallet subtotals and freight estimates exclude additional packing materials and equipment tare. They are not the complete loaded mass.

Total rows: 0
Containers needed: 0
Selected load space Automatic
Ready for cargo data Add dimensions and quantities to calculate the loading plan.
0
🚚 Freight Class Info:

Estimate based on entered cargo density. Confirm the NMFC item, packaged dimensions, handling, stowability and liability requirements.

🚢
Shipping Recommendation
N/A Select a container and add cargo to see recommendation

💡 💡 Packing Optimizer

Add cargo data and select a container to see intelligent packing advice.

For the complete planning sequence, see the container loading plan guide. Choose equipment that matches your actual shipment rather than relying on the page’s 20DC starting selection.

For mixed cargo, keep each different packed size in its own row. Do not replace several carton sizes with an average box or a single total-CBM row: the planner needs their actual dimensions and quantities to evaluate a physical arrangement.

What the 26 Cargo Columns Mean

Keep the default values for ordinary cartons unless you need a different handling rule. The last column is optional. Older 25-column files remain readable. Unknown column headings are not a reliable way to add new loading constraints.

Metric cargo input columns
ColumnHeadingHow to fill it
AItem NameA useful SKU or package label.
BShapebox or cylinder. Width is the diameter for a cylinder; its Length may be blank.
CStackableyes or no. Use no when the unit must not support another unit.
DPRO support profileKeep default for ordinary cargo. rigid_static_v1 is an explicit rigid-unit assumption for the separate PRO static model, not a safety approval.
EPallet Requiredyes only with required in Loading method; otherwise no. Keep the two fields consistent.
FLoading methodfloor_only, preferred or required. This describes pallet policy, not the optimization method.
GPallet type selectionauto with Pallet Type blank; fixed with a known Pallet Type identifier.
HPallet TypeLeave blank for auto. A fixed identifier must exist in the destination’s pallet library.
IMaximum loaded pallet height (cm)Optional total loaded pallet height limit, including the pallet base. Accepted input range is 10 to 360 cm.
JSharing ruleseparate, compatible or group_only. Sharing unused pallet space is opt-in.
KPallet mix groupRequired for group_only. Use an existing destination group identifier, not a new descriptive name.
LWidth (cm)Positive packed outside width, or cylinder diameter.
MLength (cm)Positive packed outside length for a box; may be blank for a cylinder.
NHeight (cm)Positive packed outside height.
OQtyPositive whole-number quantity for this row.
PWeight (kg)Mass of one packed unit, not total row mass. A missing mass is not a measured zero.
QRotation Modehorizontal keeps the entered height upright; full3d explicitly permits other faces; none keeps the entered orientation. Missing box rotation defaults to horizontal.
RThis Side Upyes keeps the unit upright even if a broader rotation mode was requested.
SFragileyes or no. Apply the handling restriction appropriate to the actual package.
TMax stack (kg)Optional permitted supported mass above the unit. Blank is no entered limit, not proof of unlimited physical strength.
ULoading priority1 for high, 2 for normal, 3 for low.
VDrop-off Stop0 for no stop, otherwise a nonnegative whole-number stop identifier.
WLoading NoteA warehouse instruction. Free text does not add a geometric or mechanical constraint.
XIndustry presetcustom, paper_rolls, barrels, furniture or mixed_warehouse_picks. Review the actual row rules as well as the preset label.
Ycustomizedyes or no, recording whether preset rules were customized.
ZLoaded pallet dataLeave blank for ordinary cargo. Preserve generated pallet-transfer JSON unchanged; do not construct it by hand.

For an already loaded pallet, use the complete outside envelope and gross unit mass: include the pallet base height and tare once. Keep horizontal rotation, This Side Up set to yes and Stackable set to no unless stacking is explicitly allowed. Do not palletize that loaded unit again. Manually entered dimensions are not proof of a verified pallet-loading plan.

Cargo CSV/XLSX exports can also contain calculated volume, density and estimated freight class. These are not extra handling permissions. Cargo files exclude private CSC/VGM and transport records; those use the separate private-record transfer.

Check Cargo CBM and Weight in Excel

For a box row measured in centimetres, total cargo volume is width x length x height x quantity / 1,000,000. With this template’s columns, the row-2 check is =L2*M2*N2*O2/1000000. Known row mass is quantity x unit mass: =O2*P2. Keep any separate analysis worksheet behind Cargo so that it does not become the first sheet imported. These are explanatory checks, not formulas installed in the supplied input template.

Independent arithmetic for the two example box rows
RowQuantityCargo volume (m³)Known mass (kg)
Example cartons458.640900
Example cases1012.0001,250
Entered total5520.6402,150

This box formula is not a cylinder-volume formula. It also cannot prove container fit. Orientation, stacking, support, door passage, working clearance and the selected equipment still matter. Do not count the same loaded pallet base or tare twice, or treat an unknown mass as a measured zero.

Follow the Checked 55-Unit Example

Cargo rows in the example files
ItemWidth (cm)Length (cm)Height (cm)QuantityUnit mass (kg)Rotation
Example cartons6080404520horizontal
Example cases10012010010125horizontal

The order totals 55 units, 20.640 m³ and 2,150 kg. Both rows are stackable boxes, use floor_only and default support, and have no entered maximum stack mass or delivery stop. Palletizing and additional equipment restrictions are off.

In the 6 October 2026 Chrome check of the installed 11.63.52 release, the XLSX preview reported two valid rows and no invalid rows. Max Volume and Best Balance each placed 55/55 units in one 20DC planning profile. This is a reproducible example under those inputs, not proof that another shipment with the same CBM will fit. Physical door clearance, packaging strength and securing still need separate checks.

The same row dimensions, quantities, weights and permissions were rechecked with the installed 11.63.55 Worker on 7 October: both standard methods again placed all 55 units in one 20DC. That separate engine check is not a new browser file-import test. After your own calculation, reconcile entered, placed and unplaced quantities rather than relying on the sample’s outcome.

Fix Import Errors Before Replacing Your Table

Examples covered by the retained import-contract checks
InputWhat happensCorrection
Qty = 2.5The row is invalid.Enter a positive whole number.
Width = -60The row is invalid.Use the positive packed outside dimension.
Rotation Mode = tiltThe row is invalid.Use horizontal, full3d or none.
Two Width columnsThe column mapping is invalid.Keep one correctly labelled Width column.
Width (mm)The unit heading is rejected.Convert the values to centimeters and use Width (cm), or use supported inch headings with inch values.
No unit labelsThe preview requires source units.Choose the units actually used by the file, not the units you want after conversion.
Hand-written invalid Loaded pallet dataThe row is invalid.Use the original generated transfer/export data or leave Z blank for ordinary cargo.

Files are limited to 10 MiB. Use no more than 1,000 data-row positions plus the heading row, and remove formatting or other content far below the cargo in an Excel sheet. This is a file-row limit, not a claim that all quantities will fit one container. The 26-column template is the preferred input layout.

If CSV Opens in One Excel Column or Misreads Characters

In Excel, use Data > From Text/CSV and inspect the delimiter and column interpretation before loading. Regional settings can affect normal CSV opening. Keep dimensions and weights numeric, and preserve text identifiers such as SKUs with leading zeros. For incorrect non-English characters, check the file’s encoding in the text-import flow. Retain XLSX when you need the Instructions sheet; CSV saves one worksheet rather than the complete workbook. Do not change global Windows region settings just to fix one shipment file.

Named references: Microsoft Support, Import or export text (.txt or .csv) files and Opening CSV UTF-8 files correctly in Excel, rechecked 7 October 2026. Correct delimiters or characters do not make an invalid cargo quantity or handling permission valid; inspect the CBM3 preview as well.

Keep Cargo Files and Loading Reports Separate

A cargo CSV/XLSX is an input list and rule record, not a saved arrangement. After import, select equipment, calculate and check the actual result. A completed run can still leave cargo unplaced. The PDF documents the selected plan within its reported scope; it is not a VGM certificate or proof of a physical loading route.

When testing another file, retain the shipment you need before replacing its cargo table. Check any exported rows again on return, including dimensions, quantities, weight units and effective rotation. Do not assume a familiar filename identifies the same plan. The 3D result-reading guide explains how to reconcile container and unplaced lists.

Excel Cargo Template Questions

Does this spreadsheet optimize a 20ft or 40ft container?

No. It prepares the cargo list for the web calculator. Excel arithmetic can check entered CBM and weight, but the selected equipment and genuine handling rules must be evaluated in the planner. A total volume below container volume does not establish physical fit.

Can I import mixed box sizes from Excel?

Yes. Keep different packed dimensions or SKUs in separate rows with their own whole-number quantity, weight per unit and rules. Preview all rows, then calculate the intended equipment and review any unplaced units.

Should Weight contain unit mass or total row mass?

Weight (kg) is per packed unit. For the 45-carton example, enter 20, not the 900 kg row total. The quantity supplies the multiplier. Include packaging within the measured unit, and do not silently replace unknown mass with zero.

Why are the files labelled 11.63.51?

They retain their original version label. The same 26-column format remains compatible with the reviewed 11.63.55 import sources. Keep the headings and verify the preview after editing your shipment; a filename alone does not establish that its rows are valid.

Can I keep extra analysis or instructions in the workbook?

Keep Cargo as the first worksheet, with its headings unchanged. Put separate analysis or instructions after it. The calculator imports the first sheet; a summary or instruction tab at the front is not the expected cargo list.

What happens if some rows are invalid?

Correct the file before replacing your cargo table. Importing only valid rows requires an explicit choice and leaves those rejected quantities out of the imported list. Cancel retains the current table. Always reconcile the imported order against the shipment you intended.

References, Compatibility and Check Date

The 26-column files retain their original 11.63.51 labels. Schema compatibility was checked against 11.63.55 on 7 October 2026. The worked browser-import example is dated 6 October under 11.63.52, and the separate current engine result is dated 7 October. These are synthetic examples, not customer shipments. The named Microsoft references support text-file handling, not CBM3 loading performance.

The loading result is a planning estimate under the selected equipment and rules, not an optimum, minimum-container guarantee, transport-safety approval or VGM certificate. See the main CBM3 loading tool for other shipment workflows.

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