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 (labels, packing slips, and more) print on both an account-wide and individual basis.
Account-wide settings include document options like label layout, label and packing slip branding, default printers, and much more.
This article details all the label layout and other options available that determine how each of your documents print.
To access and modify account-wide document options for labels:
The Document Options screen allows you to set the following options:
Option |
Details |
|---|---|
Shipping Label Format |
Format is determined by the printer used to print your labels. Details provided in the Configure Label Layout section. |
Label DPI |
Label DPI is the resolution at which your labels are printed. You can choose from 203dpi and 300dpi. Usually, the default of 300dpi is appropriate, but if you are unsure or your labels are printing out too large or too small, check your printer documentation to see what DPI to use for your model printer. Also make sure the same DPI is set in your printer preferences. |
Order Labels By |
Determines what sequence your labels and packing slips print when printing multiple labels and/or packing slips at once. Options include:
|
Label Branding |
Allows you to print your store logo on your labels. This setting relies on 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 size and location of the logo is determined by the carrier label requirements and cannot 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 is advanced 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 set time zone, 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 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. Layout is dependent on the type of printer used to print your labels and if you want to print the label's corresponding packing slip simultaneously or not.
Select your shipping label format and whether you want the packing slip to always print with the label.
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.
Click Save Changes.
Label Formats with Packing Slips
When selecting a 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 and they will 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 26-characters or fewer, if your selected carrier and service supports them.
You can type a custom message into the fields, or use ShipStation's Field Replacements which will pull order specific information (like order numbers or customer notes) to print on the labels.
To set your label messages, do the following in the Document Options screen:
-
Scroll to the Label Messages section.
-
Type in your message or select a field replacement from the drop-down.
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.
Click Save Changes.
The following information can be added to label messages using field replacements:
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 on an order)
Custom Field #1, #2, #3
Fill SKU #1, #2, #3
Warehouse Location #1, #2, #3
Notes About Label Messages
Label messages are account-wide, meaning 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 label messages are used by each carrier.
The carrier used to for your shipments may have restrictions on what can be included on the shipping label.
Refer to the table below to see if your carrier supports Label Messages or a Store Logo on their domestic shipping labels.
Carrier |
Message 1 |
Message 2 |
Message 3 |
Logo |
|---|---|---|---|---|
No |
No |
No |
No |
|
No |
No |
No |
No |
|
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
No |
|
No |
No |
No |
No |
|
DHL eCommerce (international) |
No |
No |
No |
No |
Limited* |
No |
No |
Yes |
|
No |
No |
No |
No |
|
Yes |
Yes |
No |
Yes |
|
Express 1 |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
|
No |
No |
No |
No |
|
No |
No |
No |
No |
|
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
No |
|
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
No |
|
Yes |
No |
No |
No |
|
No |
No |
No |
No |
|
No |
No |
No |
Yes |
|
Yes |
No |
No |
Yes |
|
Yes |
Yes |
No |
No |
|
No |
No |
No |
No |
|
No |
No |
No |
No |
|
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Yes** |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
*Combines all message locations into a single line of 35 characters max.
**Label messages and branding not available for SurePost labels.
In addition to the document options for labels, ShipStation provides options for the following other types of documents:
To access the Document Options for these types of documents:
Review the sections below for details on what each setting does.
The options for packing slips allow you to customize parts of your packing slip no matter which subscription plan you have. These are account-wide settings.
Option |
Details |
|---|---|
Packing Slip Format |
Format is determined by the printer used to print the packing slips. If Label Format is set to include packing slips, this option is linked to that option and cannot be modified 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, the logo is added 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 choose whether 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 choose whether 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 choose whether to show or hide ShipStation's Scan to View barcode from your packing slips. The Scan to View barcode is a special barcode that allows you to scan with a barcode scanner and pull up the Order Details of that order while in any part of the ShipStation interface. TipIf you plan to use ShipStation's Scan to Print feature, your packing slip must include the Scan to View Barcode. |
Item Locations (New ShipStation layout only. 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. You can use the order summary during your picking process instead of a packing slip if you do not wish a shipment record to be created for the order quite yet.
These 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 choose 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 they are different. |
Simple Summary |
Hides recipient information, date paid, amount paid, and store name. Instead, the simple summary displays only the order number and item details. |
"Scan to View" Barcode * |
Adds a Scan to View barcode to the Order Summary |
*Legacy Layout Only
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 can then be sorted into their corresponding shipments later. The options for pick lists allow you to choose how your pick lists appear.
These 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 choose whether to show or hide item thumbnail images, if they are available. |
Order Number(s) |
Allows you to choose to show or hide the order numbers that contain 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 is not a scannable end of day form, but 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.