Final answer:
A packing slip authorizes the warehouse to remove goods from the warehouse and send them to the shipping department. It acts as a checklist to ensure the correct items are being shipped, and is not used for receiving goods, inspecting them, or generating invoices.
Step-by-step explanation:
A packing slip is a document typically included with a shipment of goods that provides details of the contents of the package. It is primarily used to inform all parties involved— including the warehouse, carrier, and recipient—about what should be inside the packages. In a warehouse setting, a packing slip authorizes the warehouse staff to remove goods from the warehouse and send them to the shipping department, in preparation for the goods to be dispatched to the customer.
The packing slip serves as a kind of checklist for the warehouse team to ensure that the correct items are pulled from the storage locations and that the order is complete before it moves on to be shipped. It is also used to verify the order upon receipt by the customer. Essentially, the packing slip ensures that the items pulled match the items that were ordered, essentially functioning as an organizational and confirmatory document within the fulfillment process.
So, when answering the student's question: A packing slip authorizes the warehouse to Remove goods from the warehouse and send them to the shipping department. It does not typically involve receiving goods, inspecting them (though it could be used as part of an inspection process), or generating invoices as these tasks are handled by different documents or processes.