Use a USB Scale

Explains how to pull weights from connected scales, lists recommended USB scales, and provides advanced scale options.

You can use most USB scales with ShipStation, as long as they are HID compliant and connected directly to your workstation. Once you have installed ShipStation Connect, and physically connected the scale to your computer, do the following to start pulling weights from a scale for your orders!

Select a USB Scale

This will set the scale as the default scale for this user and this workstation. 

Pull Weight From a Scale

Click the Scale button in the Configure Shipment Widget. 

Red arrow points to the scale button in the configure shipment widget.

ShipStation will read the weight from the scale and enter it into the Weight fields.

Recommended Scales

ShipStation is compatible with most USB scales that are HID-Compliant and are directly connected to your workstation. 

ShipStation has tested the following models:

Many more postage scales are available on the market, with new ones appearing frequently. You are not limited to the scales listed above!

Unsupported Scales

ShipStation is unable to support the following types of scales:

  • SERIAL/COM scales

  • USB scales connected via hubs or extenders

  • Accupost scales, due to a conflict between ShipStation Connect and the software required for Accupost scales.

  • Brecknell scales

Advanced Scale Options

In the ShipStation Connect settings screen, there are a few advanced functions for scales. 

To see the actions available for a scale, hover your mouse over the scale you wish to edit in the list of scales. 

Closeup of a single Scale (here, Dymo M25), as listed in ShipStation Connect.

Click the read scale icon Scale icon with the word READ. to read the scale's current weight.

Click the Edit + pencil icon ICON__SET__SSCNCT__Edit.png to edit the name of the scale and to access the advanced options.

  • This custom name is what all users on the account will see when selecting a scale for a shipment. 

    Edit Device Settings popup. Description to follow in text.
  • The advanced options allow you to set the scale to its high capacity mode or reset it to factory defaults. 

    You can also set the following options:

    Timeouts

    The number of milliseconds ShipStation will wait for a scale reading before it times out.

    The second value is the number of milliseconds ShipStation Connect will wait for a scale reading.

    You may need to increase both of these values if you have an older model scale, but make sure the first value is always higher than the second value.

    Read Wait

    The number of milliseconds ShipStation Connect will wait before attempting to read a weight from your scale.

    If you have a newer scale that quickly determines weight, you can decrease this value to 150, or even 100. Just make sure this value is less than the second Timeouts value.

    Retries

    The number of times ShipStation Connect will attempt to read a weight from the scale.

    If you've decreased the value for the Read Weight, you may need to increase this value.

    Weight Bytes

    The index of the first and second bytes of weight data, respectively.

    The default values match up with how most scales report data, so only change these values if you have a non-standard scale that reports differently.

    Factors

    These values multiply the first and second bytes of weight data by the specified amount. 

    Configure Settings For High Capacity Mode changes these values from 1 to 0.1 so large-capacity scales report weights more accurately.

Weights Incorrect by Factor of 10x

If your scale appears to be reading incorrect weights that are off by a factor of x10 or x100, it may have been set to high capacity mode. Try resetting the scale to its defaults.

Troubleshooting Tips for USB Scales

Here are some common issues experienced by users, potential causes, and available troubleshooting tips.

Issue

How to troubleshoot or resolve

Weights Incorrect by Factor of 10x or 100x.

  1. Disable the scale in ShipStation Connect (see Disable Connect Devices section).

  2. Disconnect the scale physically from the workstation.

  3. Power down the scale and wait 2 minutes.

  4. Reconnect and enable the scale on ShipStation Connect.

  5. Reset defaults and configure for high capacity mode in ShipStation Connect.

Pull Weight with a USB Scale Legacy Layout

Pull Weights With a Barcode Scanner

To learn how to use a barcode scan to trigger the weight for a shipment, review the Other Barcode Uses article on our help center.

The widget in ShipStation where all shipping options are set. The widget appears in the Orders grid Shipping Sidebar, as well as the Order and Shipment Details screens.