Explains label layout and other account-wide and individual settings used to print ShipStation documents (labels, packing slips, and more).
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.
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:
|
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. NoteIf 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. |
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.
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.
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.
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 Field Replacements to print order-specific information (like order numbers or customer notes) on the labels.
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.
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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.
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.
You can use 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 |
In addition to the Document Options for labels, ShipStation provides options for Packing Slips, Order Summaries, Pick Lists, and Shipment Manifests.
Document Options for packing slips allow you to customize parts of your packing slip regardless of your subscription plan.

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:
|
Order Items By |
Determines the sequence an order's items are listed on the packing slips. Order Items By:
|
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. TipIf you plan to use the 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:
NoteThere are two fields displayed as Warehouse Location in ShipStation:
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. |
The Order Summary includes recipient information, date paid, amount paid, order #, store name, customer and internal notes, and ordered items.

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:
|
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 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. |
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 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:
|
Order Items By |
Determines the sequence the items print on the pick list. Options are:
|
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. |
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.

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.