Your First Load Plan
This walkthrough takes you from an empty plan to a fully optimized, export-ready load arrangement. Follow along step by step — by the end, you'll understand the core LOP workflow and be ready to use it with your own cargo data.
Before You Begin
You'll need:
- A LOP account (sign up here if you don't have one)
- Some basic cargo information to enter: item names, approximate dimensions, weights, and quantities
Even rough dimensions are fine for your first plan. The goal is to learn the workflow.
Step 1 — Create a New Plan
- In the left sidebar, click Load Plans
- Click the + New Plan button in the top right
- Enter a name for your plan — for example, "Test Shipment" or "Order #001"
- Click Create
LOP creates the plan immediately and opens the 3D editor. Your plan starts with a single 20' GP shipping container (5,898 × 2,352 × 2,393 mm internal dimensions) already added. You can change the container type or add more containers at any time.
[Screenshot: newly created plan with empty container in 3D viewport]
The container shown in the 3D viewport is a standard ISO 20' General Purpose container. If you're loading a truck, a 40' container, or a custom-dimensioned vessel, you can change it using the container tab at the bottom of the screen.
Step 2 — Add Items
The Items Panel runs along the left side of the editor. This is where you define everything that needs to be loaded.
Adding an Item Manually
- Click the + Add Item button at the top of the Items Panel
- Fill in the item details:
- Name — what this item is (e.g., "Cardboard Box — Medium", "Pallet A", "Drum #3")
- Length, Width, Height — external dimensions in millimeters (mm). For example, a standard European pallet is 1,200 × 800 mm footprint, 144 mm tall.
- Weight — weight of a single unit in kilograms
- Quantity — how many units of this item to load
- Optionally set:
- Stackable — can other items be placed on top of this one?
- Fragile — nothing will be stacked on top regardless of the stackable setting
- This side up — forces the item to remain upright (useful for liquids, electronics)
- Click Add to save the item
The item appears in the Unplaced list on the left — it hasn't been positioned in the container yet. Repeat this process for each item you need to load.
[Screenshot: add item form with example values filled in]
Entering dimensions: LOP uses millimeters. To convert from centimeters, multiply by 10. To convert from inches, multiply by 25.4. For example, a 24-inch box is 24 × 25.4 = 609.6 mm — enter 610.
Importing Items from a Spreadsheet
If you have many items, you don't need to enter them one by one. Click the Import button in the Items Panel to upload an Excel (.xlsx) or CSV file. LOP will map your columns to the item fields and import everything at once.
See the Items documentation for the required column format and import instructions.
Step 3 — Run the Optimizer
Once you have at least one item in the Unplaced list, the planning buttons in the top toolbar become active. Choose the mode that fits your situation:
Quick Plan — Under 2 Seconds
The fastest option. Uses a constructive algorithm to pack items in a single pass — volume-sorted, layer by layer. Best for:
- Checking whether all items will fit at all
- Rough planning when time is critical
- Exploring different container types quickly
Smart Plan — Around 10 Seconds (Recommended)
Runs the constructive algorithm first, then applies a local search that tries thousands of small improvements: swapping item positions, trying different rotations, relocating items to better spots. Best for:
- Everyday shipment planning
- Most commercial loads
- When you want a good result without waiting long
Max Fill — Up to 60 Seconds
The full optimization pipeline. After the constructive and local search phases, it runs a simulated annealing algorithm that explores a much broader range of arrangements to squeeze out the last few percent of utilization. Best for:
- Tight loads where every cubic meter counts
- High-value shipments where optimization time is worth it
- Loads with complex constraints (fragile items, hazmat, mixed weights)
Click your chosen button. You'll see the 3D viewport update in real time as items are placed. For Smart Plan and Max Fill, you'll see a progress indicator — you can view and interact with the current best plan while optimization is still running.
[Screenshot: optimizer running with items appearing in the 3D viewport]
When in doubt, use Smart Plan. It delivers results that are typically within 2–5% of the theoretical maximum utilization, and it takes about the same time as making a cup of coffee.
Step 4 — Review the Results
After the optimizer finishes, take time to review the plan before exporting it.
The 3D Viewport
The main area of the editor shows your container in 3D with all placed items rendered in their assigned positions. Each item has a distinct color for easy identification.
Camera controls:
- Orbit — left-click and drag to rotate around the container
- Pan — right-click and drag to move the camera laterally
- Zoom — scroll wheel to zoom in or out
- Camera presets — buttons in the top toolbar let you jump to standard views: 3D perspective, top-down, front, side, and door-facing
After solving, the fill percentage appears as an overlay centered at the top of the viewport. The Center of Gravity minimap in the bottom-right corner shows how well-balanced the load is.
Click any item in the viewport to select it and see its details (position, rotation, weight, constraint status) in the right panel.
[Screenshot: 3D viewport with items placed, camera at 3D perspective angle]
The Score Panel
The panel at the bottom of the screen shows how good the plan is across five dimensions:
| Score | What it measures | Target |
|---|---|---|
| Overall | Composite score across all metrics | Higher is better |
| Utilization | What percentage of container volume is filled | Higher is better |
| Weight Balance | How centered the cargo's center of gravity is | Higher is better |
| Stability | How well each item is supported from below | Higher is better |
| Handling Efficiency | Whether heavier items are low, priority items near the door | Higher is better |
| Damage Risk | How well fragile items are protected | Higher is better (100 = safest) |
A well-optimized plan for a full container typically scores 75–92 overall. Scores below 60 usually indicate that some items couldn't be placed, or that there are significant weight balance or stability issues worth addressing.
Unplaced Items
If any items couldn't fit, they appear in the Unplaced section of the Items Panel with a red indicator. Common reasons:
- The total cargo volume exceeds the container's available space
- An item is too large to fit through the container door
- Hazmat separation requirements prevent certain items from being placed together
If you have unplaced items, consider: adding a second container, removing lower-priority items, or switching to a larger container type.
AI Analysis
Click Analyze Plan in the right panel for a plain-language explanation of the loading strategy. The AI will describe:
- Why items are arranged the way they are
- Which constraints had the biggest impact on the layout
- Specific suggestions for improving utilization, balance, or stability
- Any physical risks identified (e.g., heavy items near fragile ones, poor weight distribution)
[Screenshot: right panel showing AI analysis text]
Step 5 — Export Your Results
When you're happy with the plan, use the toolbar to export:
PDF Report
Click Export PDF to generate a professional load plan document. The PDF includes:
- A cover page with plan summary and key metrics
- 3D views of the loaded container (perspective, top, front, side)
- A complete item-by-item packing list with positions
- A loading sequence (back to front, bottom to top) for the warehouse team
- Compliance notes: weight balance status, any lashing recommendations, warnings
Excel Report
Click Export Excel to get a multi-sheet workbook with the summary, full packing list, compliance data, and loading sequence in separate tabs. This is useful for integration with other systems or for creating your own customized reports.
CSV
Click Export CSV for a flat packing list you can import into a WMS, TMS, or any other system that accepts CSV.
[Screenshot: export dropdown in toolbar]
The PDF report is designed to be printed and handed to the warehouse loading team. It shows exact item positions and a numbered loading sequence so your team knows exactly where each box goes and in what order to load it.
What's Next
You've created, solved, and exported your first load plan. Here are some things to explore next:
- Items — learn about item constraints (stackable, fragile, orientation locks, hazmat tags) and how to import items in bulk
- Item Library — save your frequently used items so you don't have to re-enter them
- Load Planning — go deeper on the optimizer, manual editing, and multi-container planning
- Templates — save your container setup and item list as a template for repeat shipments
- Export & Reports — customize your PDF and Excel reports
Tips for Better Results
- Enter accurate dimensions. The optimizer can only work with the data you give it. Rough dimensions lead to rough plans.
- Mark fragile items correctly. LOP will ensure nothing heavy is stacked on top of items marked fragile.
- Set stackability honestly. If a box will collapse under weight, mark it as not stackable. The plan will be less dense but far safer.
- Use Smart Plan for everyday shipments. Quick Plan is useful for exploration, but Smart Plan is where you'll spend most of your time.
- Save your items to the library. The first time you add an item, save it to the Item Library. The next plan with the same item takes seconds to set up.
- Check the score panel before you export. A low weight balance score (below 50) is a warning sign that needs attention before the shipment leaves.