How to Prioritize Expedited and High-Value Orders

Prioritizing expedited shipping and high-value orders in ShipHero involves a combination of Automation Rules, Order Statuses, and Batch Picking Settings. Use this guide to ensure your most important orders are processed first.

1. Create a Priority Automation Rule

The most effective way to handle expedited orders is to automate their priority level as soon as they sync to ShipHero. For more details, see How to Use Automation Rules.

• Example Triggers:
  • Order Tag: Identify tagged priority orders from your e-commerce platform.
  • Order Total: Identify high-value orders based on a specific dollar amount.
  • Customer Email: Identify VIP customers using the email address associated with the order.
• Recommended Actions:
  • Set Priority Flag: Toggle this to Yes. This adds a visual indicator to the order in the dashboard. (Only applied to batch picking if "Optimize Batches by Required Ship Date, then Priority" is used) 
  • Set Allocation Priority: Choose High. This ensures that if stock is low, it is reserved for these orders first. (Not compatible with accounts using Multi Warehouse Allocation Rules)
  • Set Custom Order Status: Move the order to a status such as Expedited to separate it from the standard queue.

2. Configure Batch Picking Optimization

If an order has a Priority flag, the warehouse team must be directed to pick them first. You must adjust your batching settings to favor priority over walking efficiency. For more information, see Optimizing Batch Picking Settings.

1. Navigate to My Account > Settings > App Settings.
2. Locate the setting When Picking Orders Sort By and select ShipHero Optimized.
3. Locate Multi-Item Batch Picking Type and select Optimize Batches by Required Ship Date, then Priority.

Standard settings group orders by location to minimize walking. This configuration overrides that logic to ensure high-priority orders are placed into the first batches generated for the day.

3. Use Custom Order Statuses for Team Routing

If you want a specific team member to handle only expedited orders, use the Custom Status method to route their work. For more information, see How to Use Order Statuses.

1. Create the Status: Navigate to Orders > Order Statuses and add Expedited.
2. Assign to Users: The status assigned to a user can be changed in two ways:
   • On the user settings page: Navigate to My Account > Users. Select a picker/packer and set their Default Order Status to Expedited.
   • On the mobile app: Select the specific status in the mobile app before generating a new batch.

When that user logs into the mobile app, they will only see and pick the high-priority orders filtered into that status.

4. Set Shipping Cut-Off Times

To manage Required Ship Dates accurately, ensure your expedited shipping methods have cut-off times configured. For more information, see How to Map Shipping Methods.

1. Navigate to Shipping > Methods.
2. Locate your store's expedited methods (e.g., UPS Next Day Air).
3. Set a Cut-Off: If your carrier arrives at 4:00 PM, set a cut-off for 1:00 PM.

Any expedited order placed before 1:00 PM will automatically have a Required Ship Date of "Today," forcing it to the top of the picking queue based on your batching rules.