ShipHero's automation rules allow you to automatically apply or release order holds based on specific order conditions — eliminating the need to manually review and hold orders and reducing the risk of human error.
Before You Begin
Automation rules use IF/THEN logic to trigger actions when an order meets defined criteria. If you are new to automation rules, see Orders > Automation Rules for a full overview of available triggers and actions.
For a full list of order hold types and manual hold management, see Overview: Order Holds in ShipHero.
Table of Contents
- How to Create an Order Hold Automation Rule
- Available Order Hold Actions in ShipHero Automation Rules
- Common Order Hold Automation Rule Examples
How to Create an Order Hold Automation Rule
- Go to Orders > Automation Rules.
- Click Create New Rule.
- Give your rule a Name and select a Trigger.
- Select a hold action from the Action dropdown. See Available Order Hold Actions below for all options.
- Click Create.
Important
Automation rules only apply to orders that import after the rule is created. Existing orders in ShipHero are not retroactively affected.
Available Order Hold Actions in ShipHero Automation Rules
| Action | Description | Action Values |
|---|---|---|
| Set Address Hold | Automatically applies or releases an Address Hold for orders meeting the rule's trigger criteria. | Yes / On No / Off |
| Set Fraud Hold | Automatically applies or releases a Fraud Hold for orders meeting the rule's trigger criteria. | Yes / On No / Off |
| Set Operator Hold | Automatically applies or releases an Operator Hold for orders meeting the rule's trigger criteria. | Yes / On No / Off |
| Set Payment Hold | Automatically applies or releases a Payment Hold for orders meeting the rule's trigger criteria. | Yes / On No / Off |
| Set Client Hold | Automatically places orders on Client Hold when the rule's trigger conditions are met. Available for 3PL client accounts only. | Yes / On No / Off |
| Set Hold Until Date ahead X days | Places the order on hold for the number of days specified in the rule, calculated from the time the rule triggers. | Numeric values only |
| Set Hold Until Date ahead X hours | Places the order on hold for the number of hours specified in the rule, calculated from the time the rule triggers. | Numeric values only |
| Set Hold Until Date and Time | Places the order on hold until a specific date and time specified in the action. | Select date on calendar. Enter time in supported format: HH:MM (24-hr, e.g. 14:30) HH:MMam/pm (12-hr, e.g. 02:30pm) |
Important
Client Hold is controlled by the client account that owns the order. 3PL operators cannot set or remove Client Hold — whether manually or through automation rules. Only the client account can apply or release a Client Hold.
Common Order Hold Automation Rule Examples
| Use Case | Trigger | Action |
|---|---|---|
| Hold pre-orders until launch date | Order imports with a specific tag or from a specific sales channel | Set Hold Until Date and Time → launch date and time |
| Hold unpaid orders from a specific channel | Order status is "pending payment" from a specific store | Set Payment Hold → Yes / On |
| Release payment hold when order is paid | Order payment status changes to paid | Set Payment Hold → No / Off |
| Hold high-value orders for review | Order total exceeds a defined threshold | Set Operator Hold → Yes / On |
| Automatically hold client orders pending client approval | Order imports with a specific tag, from a specific store, or meets other defined conditions | Set Client Hold → Yes / On |
Pro-Tip
Combine hold rules with release rules to create a fully automated hold lifecycle. For example, pair a "Set Payment Hold → On" rule triggered at import with a "Set Payment Hold → Off" rule triggered when payment is confirmed.