3PL operators can create and manage Automation Rules for their client accounts directly from the 3PL account. Rules for every client you manage appear on one page, so you can build a rule for several clients at once, copy an existing rule to another client, and activate or deactivate rules in bulk without signing in to each client account.
Before You Begin
You must be signed in to a 3PL account. ShipHero shows only the client accounts you are permitted to manage. Client accounts continue to see and manage their own Automation Rules as before.
For how Automation Rules work in general, including triggers, actions, and rule order, see How to Use Automation Rules in ShipHero.
Table of Contents
- What You Can Do with Automation Rules from a 3PL Account
- Multi-Client Creation vs Cross-Client Duplication of Automation Rules
- What 3PL Automation Rule Duplication Does Not Copy
- Get Started with 3PL Automation Rules
What You Can Do with Automation Rules from a 3PL Account
Go to Orders > Automation Rules from your 3PL account to reach all of the capabilities below.
| Capability | What it does |
|---|---|
| View rules across clients | Shows every Automation Rule for the client accounts you manage, with a Client Name column so you can tell which client owns each rule. |
| Filter by client | Narrows the rule list and the Lists panel to a single client. The filter appears when more than one client is available. |
| Search rules | Finds rules by rule name, trigger, or action. |
| Create a rule for one client | Builds a rule using every option that client supports, including the client's own vendors, warehouses, lists, and statuses. |
| Create a rule for several clients | Creates the same rule once for each selected client. Options that point to a single client's records are unavailable. |
| Bulk manage rules | Selects multiple rules, then activates, deactivates, deletes, or duplicates them in one action. |
| Duplicate rules to other clients | Copies a rule to one or more destination client accounts when the rule's contents are valid for every destination. |
| Create and manage lists | Creates a list for one client or several clients, and deletes lists in bulk. Each list is owned by a single client. |
Multi-Client Creation vs Cross-Client Duplication of Automation Rules
Both features put the same rule in more than one client account, but they start from different places and behave differently. Choose based on whether the rule already exists.
| Feature | Use it when | Resulting rule status |
|---|---|---|
| Multi-client creation | You are building a brand new rule and want the same rule in several client accounts. | Active, because new rules are active by default. |
| Cross-client duplication | A rule already exists in one client account and you want a copy in other client accounts. | The same active or inactive status as the source rule. |
| Same-account duplication | You want a second version of a rule inside the account that already owns it. | Always inactive, so you can review it before it runs. |
What 3PL Automation Rule Duplication Does Not Copy
Duplication copies rule configuration only. It does not copy a client's product catalog, connected carrier accounts, addresses, or credentials. Values that belong to one client, such as a client-owned list or a Change SKU action, cannot be carried into another client account.
Important
Review every copied rule before you rely on it. ShipHero validates that referenced records exist in the destination client, but it does not confirm that the rule produces the outcome you want for that client's orders.
Get Started with 3PL Automation Rules
| Article | What it covers |
|---|---|
| How to Create Automation Rules for 3PL Clients in ShipHero | Creating a rule for one client or several clients, plus the options that require a single client. |
| How to Duplicate Automation Rules in ShipHero | Copying a rule inside one account or between clients, which values are blocked, and why a duplication is rejected. |
| How to Manage 3PL Client Automation Rules in ShipHero | Filtering by client, searching, bulk activate, deactivate and delete, and when rule reordering is unavailable. |
| How to Create and Manage Automation Rule Lists in ShipHero | Building the lists that rule conditions check against, including creating a list for several clients at once. |
| Troubleshooting: Why Is My Automation Rule Not Working? | Common reasons a rule does not fire, including rules left inactive after duplication. |