You can generate UPS labels through ShipStation after you've connected an active UPS account. This article covers the following:
- Registering your UPS account with ShipStation
- Configuring UPS Account Settings
- Errors with UPS account registration
- Errors when creating UPS labels or getting rates.
Register your UPS account with ShipStation
If you don't already have a UPS account, the first step is registering for an account through UPS.
Please note: ShipStation does not provide UPS accounts or negotiated rates. Please refer all questions about registering for a UPS account and discounted rates you may qualify for to your UPS representative.
Before you begin: If your UPS account is older than 90 days, this process will require your most recent UPS invoice.
1. Head to your Account Settings (the wrench icon in the upper right).
2. Select Shipping and then Carriers & Fulfillment from the sidebar on the left.
3. Click on Add a Provider Account.
4. Choose UPS from the list of options and click the green Connect button.
5. Click Next, then read through the UPS Terms and Conditions.
6. Select Yes, I agree and click Next.
NOTE: These options will appear once after you've read the UPS Terms and Conditions. You must agree to the terms and conditions before you can connect your UPS account to ShipStation.
7. Fill in the Primary Contact Information for your UPS account.
If you're not sure where to find this information, this article provides a step-by-step guide for locating the information through UPS.com.
NOTE: If this is a new account, uncheck the option I have received an invoice in the last 90 days so you can skip the invoice step.
8. Click Next once the information is completed.
Enter your Invoice Information
1. On a UPS invoice from the last 45 days, locate the Invoice Number, Invoice Date, Control ID, and Invoice Amount.
2. In ShipStation, fill out the Invoice Number, Invoice Date, Control ID, and Invoice Amount where requested. You can also choose to have ShipStation display your negotiated rates.
3. Click Next when complete.
NOTE: The Negotiated Rates setting only affects the estimated rates displayed in ShipStation. UPS will charge you based on the actual shipments and your contract with them, not the estimated rate displayed in ShipStation.
If all the information was entered correctly, the connection should be successful, UPS and ShipStation will now be connected so you'll be able to create UPS labels.
However, if any of the information was not entered correctly, the invoice information is incorrect or out of date, or the UPS account is not currently active, you may see an error. See below for details on these errors and the next steps you can take to resolve the issue.
Configurable UPS Account Settings
After you've connected your UPS account, go to Settings > Shipping > Carriers & Fulfillment, then into Account Setting to adjust the following configurable settings.
Account Nickname: Account name that will be displayed in certain areas in ShipStation.
UPS Account #: Non-configurable, based on account number used during connection.
Account Type: Daily Pickup, Occasional Pickup, or Customer Counter. Based on how you present the package to UPS. If Negotiated Rates are enabled, this should be Daily Pickup.
Enable Negotiated Rates: Can be toggled to disable or enable negotiated rates for rate estimates. If enabling negotiated rates, a recent invoice will be required.
Use the UPS Carbon Neutral shipping program: Helps offset the environmental costs of shipping. See UPS information page for details.
Enable Ground Freight Pricing: Allows access to Ground Freight Pricing rate estimates. See UPS Ground Freight Pricing in ShipStation for more details.
Enable Consolidation Services: Adds Consolidation Service shipping options in ShipStation. Your UPS account must already be qualified for these services before they can be used. See UPS Mail Innovations for more details.
Enable Use Order Number as the Package ID on UPS MI Labels: Uses Order Number in Shipstation as Package ID for UPS Mail Innovations labels only.
MI Endorsement: Used with Mail Innovations Consolidation Service.
MI Cost Center: Used with Mail Innovations Consolidation Service.
Errors: UPS account registration
Below is a list of common UPS account registration errors, their typical cause, and how you can resolve them. Don't hesitate to contact ShipStation support if you have any questions or trouble resolving any errors.
| Error | Cause | Solution |
|---|---|---|
| Request cannot be processed, please contact UPS customer service at 1-888-851-4901 | Billing or other UPS account issue. | Contact UPS at the number provided. Leave a voicemail if no answer. Other UPS departments cannot typically assist. |
| PostalCode and/or CountryCode input does not match those associated with the AccountNumber | The address entered does not match the Primary Contact Information for the account. | Log into UPS.com to gather address information required. See finding my contact information for UPS registration for steps on accessing that information. |
| Unable to verify negotiated rates. Please review invoice information and resubmit. | Invalid invoice or account does not have access to negotiated rates. | If you do not already have access to negotiated rates, do not select the option to Enable Negotiated Rates. If you do not have a recent invoice, you must check with the UPS accounts payable department. You can also get billing help online or call UPS Billing at 1-800-811-1648 to request a duplicate invoice. |
| Request cannot be authorized due to invoice not found in UPS billing system | Invalid invoice information or outdated invoice. | If you do not have a recent invoice, you must check with the UPS accounts payable department. You can also get billing help online or call UPS Billing at 1-800-811-1648 to request a duplicate invoice. |
| Request cannot be authorized due to account is locked out, please try again after 24 hours | Attempted registration with invalid invoice information too many times. | Contact UPS directly to unlock the account. Ensure you have the correct invoice information for future attempts. |
| Missing or Invalid Shipper Number | Error in UPS account number entered. | Check the account number entered to ensure there are no spaces and the account number is correct. |
| Register Web service is temporarily unavailable. | ShipStation unable to register the account with UPS. | Temporary issue typically related to server maintenance. Check the ShipStation status page or contact support for updates. |
| Licensing system not available. | ShipStation unable to register the account with UPS. | Temporary issue typically related to server maintenance. Check the ShipStation status page or contact support for updates. |
Errors: Creating UPS labels or getting rates
Below is a list of common UPS errors seen when creating labels or getting rates, their typical cause, and how you can resolve them. Don't hesitate to contact ShipStation support if you have any questions or trouble resolving any errors.
| Error | Cause | Solution |
|---|---|---|
| The Userid is currently locked out please try again in 5 minutes. | ShipStation's access credentials are out of date and need to be updated. | Wait 5 minutes, then go to Settings > Shipping > Carriers & Fulfillment into Account Setting for UPS. Choose the Remove Account option. Once removed, add the account back to ShipStation. |
| Request cannot be authorized due to account is locked out, please try again after 24 hours | ShipStation's access credentials are out of date and need to be updated. | After the 24-hour lock expires, remove and re-add account as described above. You can also contact UPS directly to unlock the account. |
| The accessory is not valid with the selected option. | Service, package, or shipping option not compatible | The service and package are not compatible, or an "Other Shipping Option" (like Saturday Delivery) is selected for the shipment which is not allowed. Remove any options which are not permitted for the shipment type. |
| Missing or invalid shipper number | Error in UPS account number being used for shipment. | If seen after successful connection of UPS account, this error is typically related to 3rd Party Billing. Check to ensure 3rd Party Billing information is using a valid UPS account. |
| Missing or invalid ship from company name | No Company Name in Ship From Address. | This is required for some UPS shipments. Either add it to the Ship From Address or add a company name to store-specific branding. See this article for more details. |
| The Shippers shipper number cannot be used for the shipment | Billing or other UPS account issue. | Contact UPS directly at 1-800-742-5877 or through their website support page. |