Automation Rules can decide what happens at the pack station, including which box to use, whether the label prints automatically, whether a packing slip prints, and whether the order needs a QA scan. Setting these ahead of time removes guesswork from packing and speeds up the station.
Before You Begin
A box named in Set box to use must be active in the account that owns the order. Auto-print shipping labels only works when the box is already set, either by this rule or by another rule above it in the list.
For every trigger and action ShipHero offers, see Automation Rule Triggers and Actions Reference. If you are new to Automation Rules, start with How to Use Automation Rules in ShipHero.
Table of Contents
- How to Create a Packing and Document Automation Rule
- Available Packing and Document Actions in ShipHero Automation Rules
- Common Packing and Document Automation Rule Examples
How to Create a Packing and Document Automation Rule
Note for 3PLs: Select at least one client in the Clients selector before choosing a trigger or an action. Triggers and actions stay unavailable until a client is selected, because every Automation Rule is owned by a client account. Actions that point to one client's own records, such as a warehouse, list, or status, are disabled when you create a single rule for several clients at once. See How to Create Automation Rules for 3PL Clients.
- Go to Orders > Automation Rules.
- Select Create New Rule.
- Enter a Name for the rule.
- Select a Trigger and the value the order must match.
- Select your action from the Action dropdown. See Available Packing and Document Actions below for every option.
- Select Create.
Important
Automation Rules apply only to orders that import after the rule is created. Orders already in ShipHero are not updated retroactively.
Available Packing and Document Actions in ShipHero Automation Rules
| Action | Description | Action Values | Use Case |
|---|---|---|---|
| Set box to use | Sets the shipping box to use. The box must be set to active under Shipping > Boxes. | Select a box. | Removes the need for the packer to guess a box size, which speeds up packing and reduces shipping errors. It also cuts the cost of shipping in boxes that are too large, where carriers bill on volume instead of weight. |
| Auto-print shipping labels | Automatically prints the shipping label once all items in an order have been packed. | On/Off | Use with a preset box to start rate shopping and label generation as soon as every item is scanned. This removes a button click from the packer. See How to Automatically Print Shipping Labels via Automation Rule. |
| Pre-Print Shipping Label | Prints the shipping label as soon as the order is opened at the pack station, as long as a box is already set on the order. | On/Off | Use when packers should have the label in hand before they start scanning items. Pre-print and auto-print block each other, so a label cannot print twice: when a pre-printed label already exists, auto-print is skipped for that order. |
| Set tote QA | Enables tote QA on the order, which requires the packer to scan all items in the tote. This can also be enabled at the user level instead of through automation rules. | On/Off | Use when most orders should be auto-packed but some need a scan check, so you can apply QA to the exceptions only. |
| Do not print the invoice | Stops the invoice or packing slip printing for the order. The button still appears at the pack station, but nothing prints. | On/Off | Use when only certain orders should skip the packing slip. If every order should skip it, change the setting at the packing station to print shipping labels only instead of building a rule. |
| Set gift invoice | Turns the invoice into a gift invoice, also called a packing slip. Gift invoices show neither prices nor the billing address. | On/Off | Use when the recipient should not see what was paid, or when the prices are not real, such as a manual order with zero values. |
Common Packing and Document Automation Rule Examples
| Use Case | Trigger | Action |
|---|---|---|
| Preset the box for a single-item order | SKU is your product SKU and Number of unique SKUs equals 1 | Set box to use, then Auto-print shipping labels |
| Skip the packing slip for a channel | Store Name is the channel | Do not print the invoice |
| Hide prices on gift orders | Order Tag identifies gift orders | Set gift invoice |
| Require a QA scan on high-value orders | Order Total is greater than your threshold | Set tote QA |
Pro-Tip
Set box to use and Auto-print shipping labels work together. Put the box rule above the auto-print rule, or set both in the same rule, so the label prints against a box that is already chosen. For the full firing conditions, the Single-Item Batch exception, and how auto-print differs from pre-print, see How to Automatically Print Shipping Labels via Automation Rule.