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Label & Document Print Settings

Explains label layout and other account-wide and individual settings used to print ShipStation documents (labels, packing slips, and more).

This article contains:

ShipStation allows you to determine how your documents print on both an account-wide and individual basis by setting their Document Options.

Account-wide settings include label layout, label and packing slip branding, item print sequence, default printer selection, and much more. 

Label Layout and Document Options

To access and modify account-wide document options for labels: 

  1. Go to Account Settings.

    Closeup of Toolbar. The red box highlights the icon for Settings.

  2. Select Printing from the left-hand sidebar, then choose Printing Setup.

    Settings left-hand sidebar. Under Printing dropdown, red box highlights Printing Setup option.

  3. Click Document Options for Labels. 

    Printing Setup, Label, Options. Red box highlights Document Options action.

The Document Options screen allows you to set the following options:

Option

Details

Shipping Label Format

The printer you use for labels will determine your Label Format. Details provided in the Configure Label Layout section. 

Label DPI

Label DPI is the resolution at which your labels are printed. You can choose 203dpi and 300dpi.

300dpi is the most common, but if you are unsure or your labels are printing out too large or too small, check your printer documentation to see which DPI to use for your model printer. Also make sure to set the same DPI in your printer preferences. 

Order Labels By

Determines the sequence your labels and packing slips print when printing multiple shipments simultaneously (that is, using a batch).

Options include: 

  • None (as selected). This behavior differs depending on if you print from a normal batch or an ad hoc batch. An ad hoc batch occurs when you select and create multiple labels outside of a normal batch.

    • Normal batch: Labels and packing slips print in the sequence you added the records to the batch, not the sequence they appear in the batch's grid. Printing will ignore any grid sorting you have done.

    • Ad hoc batch: Labels and packing slips print in the sequence they appear in the grid, from top to bottom. Printing will respect any grid sorting you have done.

  • Order Date: Most recent first / last

  • Paid Date: Most recent first / last

  • Buyer Name: a to z or z to a

  • Order Number: Lowest first or highest first

  • Item SKU: a to z or z to a

  • Item Name: a to z or z to a

  • Warehouse Location: a to z or z to a

Label Branding

Allows you to print your store logo on your labels.

This setting uses the logo uploaded in the Branding tab of your Store Settings. 

For the carriers that support this feature, the logo will print approximately a 1 in x 1 in image in a predetermine spot on the label. The carrier sets size and location requirements for the logo and neither be modified. 

Label Messages

Define up to three messages to print on shipping labels, including dynamic information about each order (like the order number or customer notes). 

Label messages are limited to 26 characters each. Not all carriers support all three label messages and some do not support any at all. Please visit our Integrations Help guide to find out about label message support for specific carriers.

Shipping Cutoff

Sets the time of day after which the ship date advances to the next day for labels created after that time.

This option is useful when you know what time of day your carrier picks up your packages and you want to continue to create labels for shipments that will be picked up the following day. This sets accurate expectations for your customers when tracking their shipments.

Note

If ShipStation is not respecting your set cutoff time according to your account's time zone setting, please contact ShipStation support to open a support ticket.

Configure Label Layout

ShipStation creates 4" × 6" labels suitable for thermal label printers. If you use an inkjet or laser printer to print multiple labels on a standard letter-size sheet, ShipStation adjusts the label orientation by 90 degrees to print two 4" x 6" labels horizontally on an 8.5" x 11" sheet of paper.

Before you create labels, make sure ShipStation knows which layout to use. The type of printer you use to print labels determines which layout you should select, along with whether or not you want to simultaneously print the label's corresponding packing slip.

  1. Select your shipping label format and whether you want the packing slip to always print with the label. 

    Label Printing Setup, Shipping Label Formats. 4 by 6 selected. Preview shows labels in landscape layout.

    Only choose to print packing slips with labels if they will print from the same printer.

    Format Options:

    • Choose one of the 4" x 6" options if you use a thermal label printer, like a DYMO or Zebra. 

    • Choose one of the 8.5" x 11" options if you use an inkjet or laser printer.

  2. Click Save Changes.

Label Formats with Packing Slips

If you select a label format that includes a packing slip, your label and packing slip will always print together when printing a label. You can still print packing slips separately, but the packing slip format is determined by the label document options. You will not be able to set a unique packing slip format for printing individual packing slips.

FedEx eCom Labels

If you use FedEx eCom labels, contact ShipStation Support to enable this as a format you can choose in your Label Document Options. 

Set Label Layout Demo Video

This video demonstrates how to set your label layout in ShipStation for your label printer, whether you use a thermal label printer or a standard desktop printer.

ShipStation Legacy Layout

This content features ShipStation's legacy layout and may not exactly reflect your current ShipStation layout experience.

Configure Label Messages

Use the Label Messages in Document Options to print additional information on your shipping labels. You can add up to three messages with a maximum of 26-characters, if your selected carrier and service supports them. 

You can type a custom message into the fields or use ShipStation's Field Replacements to print order-specific information (like order numbers or customer notes) on the labels. 

To set your label messages, do the following in the Document Options screen:

  1. Scroll to the Label Messages section.

    Label Printing Setup popup. Red box highlights Label Messages panel with 3 message fields

  2. Type in your message or select a field replacement from the drop-down.

    Label Messages popup. Red arrow points to Message #2 dropdown menu options. SKU #1 selected.

    To add multiple field replacements to a single field, type in the additional field replacements exactly as they appear in the drop-down, including the square brackets. You may include separators, like commas, if desired.

  3. Click Save Changes. 

Label Message Field Replacements

You can add the following order data to the Label Messages fields by selecting the field replacement from the Label Message field drop-down menu:

  • Order #

  • Store Company Name

  • Ship Date

  • Order Date

  • SKU #1, #2, #3

  • Product #1, #2, #3

  • Dimensions

  • Weight

  • Notes from Buyer (corresponds to Customer Notes)

  • Custom Field #1, #2, #3

  • Fill SKU #1, #2, #3

  • Warehouse Location #1, #2, #3

The following field replacements are not available from the drop-down menu, but you can still use them by typing them into the Label Message fields:

  • [Buyer Name]

  • [Store Name]

  • [Carrier Name]

  • [Internal Notes]

  • [Recipient Name]

  • [Recipient Phone]

Notes About Label Messages

  • Label messages are account-wide, which means ShipStation will print label messages on all labels that support them.

  • Label messages cannot be customized per store or per carrier.

  • Not all carriers or services support printing label messages. When available, label messages will print on the label in the location determined by each carrier, which can vary between carriers and services.

  • Some carriers also support adding label messages to customs forms (CN22 and CN23) or commercial invoices.

    Visit the carrier articles in the Integrations Help guide for details on how each carrier prints label messages.

Carriers That Support Label Messages

The carrier you use may have restrictions on what you can include on the shipping label.

Refer to the table below to see if your carrier supports adding Label Messages or a Store Logo on their labels.

Carrier

Message 1

Message 2

Message 3

Logo

Access WorldWide

No

No

No

No

Amazon Buy Shipping

No

No

No

No

APC

Yes

Yes

Yes

No

Asendia

No

No

No

No

DHL eCommerce (international)

No

No

No

No

DHL Express

Limited*

No

No

Yes

DHL Express through ShipStation

No

No

No

No

Endicia

Yes

Yes

No

Yes

Express 1

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

FedEx

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

FedEx from Parcelcast

No

No

No

No

FedEx International MailService

No

No

No

No

FirstMile

Yes

Yes

Yes

No

Globegistics

Yes

Yes

Yes

No

IMEX

Yes

No

No

No

Landmark Global

No

No

No

No

Lone Star Overnight (LSO)

No

No

No

Yes

Newgistics

Yes

No

No

Yes

OnTrac

Yes

Yes

No

No

RR Donnelley

No

No

No

No

SEKO

No

No

No

No

Stamps

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

USPS

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

UPS

Yes**

Yes

Yes

Yes

*Combines all message locations into a single line with maximum of 35 characters.

**Label messages and branding not available for SurePost labels.

Add Label Messages to Forms

You can use ShipStation's Label Messages to add text to some international labels, customs forms, or commercial invoices, if the selected carrier and service supports it.

Carrier

Label Messages Supported

DHL Express

Commercial Invoice: Label Message 1, 2, 3

Fedex

Commercial Invoice: Label Message 1, 2, 3

UPS

Commercial Invoice: Label Message 1, 2, 3

USPS

CN22: None

C72: None
field replacement

A batch created in ShipStation when you create labels for multiple orders without first adding them to a normal batch. With ad hoc batches, ShipStation creates a batch in the background to process the shipments in a single action, and that allows you to print the labels all at once. Ad hoc batches are numbered and can be found in Shipments > Batches for further review.

field replacement

Other Document Options

In addition to the Document Options for labels, ShipStation provides options for Packing Slips, Order Summaries, Pick Lists, and Shipment Manifests.

To access the Document Options for these types of documents:

  1. Go to Account Settings.

    Closeup of Toolbar. The red box highlights the icon for Settings.

  2. Select Printing from the left-hand sidebar, then choose Printing Setup.

    Settings left-hand sidebar. Under Printing dropdown, red box highlights Printing Setup option.

  3. Click Document Options for the document type you wish to modify.

    Printing Setup document options for document type, print to, document format, and other document options.

Packing Slip Document Options

Document Options for packing slips allow you to customize parts of your packing slip regardless of your subscription plan.

Packing Slip Setup popup. Format, Order Items by, Store Logo, Item Prices, Item SKUs, Scan to View barcode, & Item Locations.

Packing slip Document Options are account-wide settings.

Option

Details

Packing Slip Format

The printer you use determines the packing slip format.

If you set the Label Layout to include packing slips, you cannot change the packing slip format here.

Available options: 

  • 4" x 6" (thermal printer)

  • 8.5" x 11" (2 per page)

  • 8.5" x 11" (full page)

Order Items By

Determines the sequence an order's items are listed on the packing slips. 

Order Items By:

  • SKU

  • Name

  • Item Quantity (high to low or low to high)

  • Warehouse Location

  • None: items will be ordered as they appear in the Order Details.

Store Logo

Will add the store logo uploaded in your Store Settings to the packing slip. 

On the default packing slip, ShipStation adds the logo to the top right corner of the packing slip. 

For customized packing slips, the logo will appear where you have designated the [Store Logo] field replacement to appear in the packing slip HTML editor.

Item Prices

Allows you to show or hide item prices on the packing slip. 

For customized packing slips, disabling this option hides any HTML element using the "price" class.

Item SKUs

Allows you to show or hide item SKUs on the packing slip. 

For customized packing slips, disabling this option hides any HTML element using the "sku" class.

"Scan to View" Barcode

Allows you to show or hide ShipStation's Scan to View barcode on your packing slips. 

The Scan to View barcode is a special barcode you scan with a barcode scanner to open the Order Details of that order while in any part of the ShipStation interface. 

Tip

If you plan to use ShipStation's Scan to Print feature, your packing slip must include the Scan to View Barcode.

Item Locations (Not available in ShipStation Legacy.)

This option only selectable if Inventory Tracking is enabled.

Allows you to include the product's Inventory Warehouse Location (set in the Inventory tab of the Product Details) on the default packing slip.

Requirements:

  • Applies to the default packing slip only. For custom packing slips, this setting has no effect, but you can add the [Product Location] field replacement to achieve the same results.

  • Inventory must be allocated to the shipment for locations to accurately display on the packing slip.

Note

There are two fields displayed as Warehouse Location in ShipStation:

  • Product Default Warehouse Location (found in the Shipping tab of the product details)

  • Inventory Warehouse Location (found in the Inventory tab of the product details)

This setting will only display the Inventory Warehouse Location. To display the Product Default Warehouse Location instead, you must customize a packing slip and include the [Warehouse Location] field replacement.

Order Summary Document Options

The Order Summary includes recipient information, date paid, amount paid, order #, store name, customer and internal notes, and ordered items.

V3_SET_DocOptions-OrdSummary.png

The Order Summary Document Options are account-wide settings.

Options

 Details

Sort Orders By

Determines the sequence the orders print on the Order Summary page(s). 

Options are:

  • Order Date: Most recent first / last

  • Date Paid: Most recent first / last

  • Buyer Name: a to z or z to a

  • Order Number: lowest / highest first

  • Item SKU: a to z or z to a

  • Item Name: a to z or z to a

Product Images

Allows you to show or hide product image thumbnails on the order summary.

Product SKU

Allows you to use the product SKU listed in ShipStation's Product Records rather than the SKU imported from the selling channel, if the SKUs are different.

Simple Summary

The simple summary displays only the order number and item details and omits all other information.

"Scan to View" Barcode

Adds a Scan to View barcode to the Order Summary. This is a Legacy only option.

Pick List Document Options

Pick lists provide a list of items including SKUs, Descriptions (Item Names from the orders), Warehouse Location, and quantity. Use pick lists if you need a list of all the items to pick for a set of orders, which you can then sort into their corresponding shipments later. The options for pick lists allow you to choose how your pick lists appear.

Pick List Printing Setup popup. Options include: Summarize By, Order Items by, Product Images, Order Number, Product SKU

Pick list Document Options are account-wide settings.

Options

Details

Summarize By

Allows you to consolidate the same items into a single row with the total quantity or list each item needed individually. 

Options are: 

  • SKU

  • Name

  • SKU and Name

  • Do not summarize items (list each item individually)

Order Items By

Determines the sequence the items print on the pick list. 

Options are: 

  • SKU

  • Name

  • # of items

  • Warehouse location

  • Warehouse location then SKU

Product Images

Allows you to show or hide item thumbnail images, if they are available. 

Order Number(s)

Allows you to show or hide the order numbers associated with each product. 

Product SKU

Allows you to use the product SKU assigned in ShipStation rather than the SKU imported from the selling channel, if they are different.

Shipment Manifest Document Options

The Shipment Manifest is an Insights Report that displays all shipments on a specific day filtered by Provider, Shipping Account, and Ship From Location. This report is not a scannable end of day form but it can be useful if the driver for your carrier requests a manifest that is not part of ShipStation's End of Day feature.

Shipping Manifest Printing Setup popup. Check box for the option: ​​List items for each order in the shipment manifest​​

Enabling the option List items for each order in the shipment manifest will cause ShipStation to add each shipment's items to the manifest underneath its associated shipments. 

A batch created in ShipStation when you create labels for multiple orders without first adding them to a normal batch. With ad hoc batches, ShipStation creates a batch in the background to process the shipments in a single action, and that allows you to print the labels all at once. Ad hoc batches are numbered and can be found in Shipments > Batches for further review.

field replacement

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