Automation Rules can label and prioritize an order so your team can find it and work it in the right order. Custom statuses, order tags, and the priority flag all drive filtering on the Manage Orders page and in picking, without changing what ships.
Before You Begin
A custom status must already exist in the account that owns the order, and the status name in the rule has to match it exactly. These actions change how an order is sorted and found, not what is on it.
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.
Note for 3PLs: A custom status assigned by a rule must match the status in the client account exactly. A status used only by the 3PL shows on the Manage Orders page but reads as No Status on the order detail page. See How to Use Order Statuses in ShipHero.
Table of Contents
- How to Create an Order Classification Automation Rule
- Available Order Classification Actions in ShipHero Automation Rules
- Choosing Between a Status, a Tag, and a Profile
- Common Order Classification Automation Rule Examples
How to Create an Order Classification 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 Order Classification 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 Order Classification Actions in ShipHero Automation Rules
| Action | Description | Action Values | Use Case |
|---|---|---|---|
| Set a custom status | Sets a custom status on the order. A custom status is always an unfulfilled status. | Type in custom status. | Use to separate orders for different workflows: targeting express or priority orders, or keeping large orders apart from regular ones so totes do not overflow. |
| Set order tag | Adds a tag to the order. | Type in tag. | Tags are useful for filtering and searching orders, and for assigning orders to specific warehouse staff. Adding a tag as a second action on every rule you write costs nothing and makes it easy to find what a rule touched later. |
| Set priority flag | Enables the priority flag on an order, which moves it up the picking and packing queues. This is not the same as allocation priority. | On/Off | Use to push expedited or at-risk orders to the front of the queue. In picking, the flag only takes effect if you sort batches by required ship date and priority. |
| Set phone number | Sets a phone number on the order. | Enter a phone number. | Many carriers require a phone number on a shipment. Pair this with the Phone Number trigger to add a valid number when an order arrives without one. |
Choosing Between a Status, a Tag, and a Profile
These three look similar and behave differently over an order lifecycle. Pick based on whether the label needs to survive fulfillment.
| Label type | Behavior | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Custom status | Changes as the order moves, and is replaced once the order is fulfilled or canceled. | Work-in-progress sorting on the floor. |
| Order tag | Stays on the order and is easy to filter and search. | Grouping orders by channel, promotion, or handling need. |
| Warehouse profile | Stays with the order for its whole life, including after fulfillment. | Billing, carrier account selection, and API reporting. |
Common Order Classification Automation Rule Examples
| Use Case | Trigger | Action |
|---|---|---|
| Separate express orders for the floor | Shipping method is an express service | Set a custom status such as Express |
| Tag orders for later filtering | Store Name is the channel | Set order tag |
| Push expedited orders to the front | Order Tag identifies expedited orders | Set priority flag to Yes |
| Add a phone number carriers require | Country is a destination requiring a phone number | Set phone number to your operations number |
Pro-Tip
Statuses change as an order moves through fulfillment, so they are a poor choice for reporting after the fact. When you need a label that survives fulfillment, use a warehouse profile or tag instead. See How to Use Warehouse Profiles in ShipHero and How to Use Order Tags in ShipHero.