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  2. ShipStation Help Guide
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Use Shipping Presets

This article defines shipping presets, how to create and manage them, and how to apply them to orders.

Shipping presets allow you to set various shipping configurations in advance and apply them quickly through the Presets menu or using Hotkeys. 

A preset can contain the following settings: 

  • Ship From Location

  • Shipping Service

  • Package Type

  • Confirmation

  • Insurance

  • Weight

  • Size (package dimensions)

Set as few or as many as you need in each preset, and assign a Hotkey combination to each preset if desired. 

Create & Manage Presets

To create a new preset:

  1. Go to the Orders grid and select an order.

  2. Click Apply Preset in the Shipping section of the sidebar and choose Manage Presets.

    Apply Preset pop-up menu, Red box highlights available Presets

    If you do not see the sidebar, ensure that the Show Sidebar option is ticked on the Order Grid.

    V3_ORD_ShowSidebar_MRK.png

    Alternatively, you can select Manage Presets from the Other Actions menu, without first selecting an order. The remaining steps will be the same.

  3. Click New Preset in the Presets pop-up.

    V3_ORD_PresetPU_NewPreset_MRK.png

  4. Click Add Shipping Options and choose which settings you want to add to this preset.

    New Preset pop-up. Arrow points to Add Shipping Options dropdown

  5. Give the preset a name (required) and assign a hotkey shortcut (optional). 

    Use Barcodes to Apply Presets

    If you assign Hotkeys to your presets, you can print the Hotkeys as barcodes so they can be scanned and quickly applied to orders. Just click Print Hotkeys and Barcodes in the Manage Presets screen to print the barcode sheet.

  6. Save the preset when finished.

View a short demo of this process in the GIF below:

GIF demonstrates how to Add a Preset from the Other Actions menu.

Edit or Delete a Preset

  1. Open the Manage Presets pop-up.

  2. Select the Edit or Delete option.

    Manage Presets popup. Red box highlights 2 Action buttons: Edit & Delete

  3. If editing, make your preset changes and save.

Apply a Preset

You can manually apply a shipping preset to single orders or multiple orders. 

ShipStation will apply the preset settings to the order(s) and automatically return rates when possible. 

Apply Preset to a Single Order

  1. Select the order in the Orders grid.

  2. Click Apply Preset in the shipping details, or press the Hotkey combination on your keyboard. 

    Apply Preset pop-up menu, Red box highlights available Presets

  3. Select the preset you'd like to apply. 

Apply Preset to Multiple Orders

  1. Select the orders you wish to apply the preset to in the Orders grid. 

  2. Click the Preset drop-down from the Shipping Sidebar:

    V3 Bulk Apply preset from the Shipping sidebar. Shows Select a Preset drop-down

    Or, preset the Hotkey combination on your keyboard.

    Alternately, click Bulk Update and then choose Apply Shipping Preset:

    Arrow points to Bulk Updates menu, red box highlights Apply Shipping Preset option in drop-down

  3. Select the preset you wish to apply.

  4. Click either Update Selection or Apply Preset.

Scan Barcodes in Place of Using Hotkeys

If you use a barcode scanner in your shipping workflow, try printing your preset Hotkeys as barcodes. This allows you to scan the barcode instead of using your keyboard to apply presets more quickly.

You can print a sheet of your presets as barcodes by clicking Print Hotkeys & Barcodes in the Manage Presets window.

V3_PU_Manage_Presets-Hotkey_Barcode_MRK.png

Notes About Presets

  • Hotkeys: If you have assigned a hotkey to a preset, you can use the hotkey to apply presets either individually or in bulk.

  • You can add as many Shipping Presets as you need to ShipStation. However, you can only assign up to 36 presets to hotkeys. The available hotkeys are listed in the Manage Presets pop-up.

  • You can use the settings icon next to the Shipping Options drop-down menu ICON_SET_SHP_SCSsettings.png to sort the list of services by carrier or by account. If you have multiple accounts with a carrier, we recommend sorting by account so you can specify which account to use with the preset. If you sort by carrier, the service you choose will always use the account designated as the primary carrier account.

    To sort by account instead of by carrier, choose the Postage Provider option.

    New Preset pop-up. Arrow points to the Shipping Options settings that opens the Sort by menu.

  • You cannot currently use automation to apply presets.

    For more information on using automation to configure shipping options, review our Automation articles.

Hotkeys

Use Shipping Presets Legacy Layout

If you are using the ShipStation Legacy Layout, follow the instructions below to create and apply shipping presets.

Create & Manage Presets

To create a new preset:

  1. Go to the Orders grid and select an order.

  2. Click Apply Preset in the Shipping section of the sidebar and choose Manage Presets.

    If you do not see the sidebar, ensure that the Show Sidebar option is ticked on the Order Grid.

    Close-up of Orders page. Red arrow points to Show Sidebar checkbox.

  3. Click + Add a Preset in the Presets pop-up.

    Shipping Presets pop-up. Red box highlights the button that reads: + Add a Preset.

  4. Tick the checkbox next to each preset option you wish to set and assign the preset values.

    New Preset pop-up. Shipping Configuration box selected & highlighted. Fields to configure Service, Package, & Confirmation.

  5. Give the preset a name (required) and assign a hotkey shortcut (optional). 

    Use Barcodes to Apply Presets

    If you assign Hotkeys to your presets, you can print the Hotkeys as barcodes so they can be scanned and quickly applied to orders. Just click Print Hotkeys and Barcodes in the Manage Presets screen to print the barcode sheet.

  6. Save the preset when finished.

Edit or Delete a Preset

  1. Open the Manage Presets pop-up.

  2. Select the Edit or Delete option.

  3. If editing, make your preset changes and save.

Apply a Preset

You can manually apply a shipping preset to single orders or multiple orders. 

ShipStation will apply the preset settings to the orders and automatically return rates when possible. 

Apply Preset to a Single Order

  1. Select the order you wish to apply the preset to.

  2. Click Apply Preset in the Shipping Sidebar, or press the Hotkey combination on your keyboard. 

    V2_ORD_ShippingSB_ApplyPreset_MRK.png

  3. Select the preset you'd like to apply. 

Apply Preset To Multiple Orders

  1. Select the orders you wish to apply the preset to in the Orders grid. 

    Click the Preset drop-down from the Shipping Sidebar:

    V2_ORD_ShippingSB_BulkApplyPreset_MRK.png

    Or, preset the Hotkey combination on your keyboard.

  2. Select the preset you wish to apply.

  3. Click either Update Selection or Apply Preset.

Scan Barcodes in Place of Using Hotkeys

If you use a barcode scanner in your shipping workflow, try printing your preset Hotkeys as barcodes. This allows you to scan the barcode instead of using your keyboard to apply presets more quickly.

You can print a sheet of your presets as barcodes by clicking Print Hotkeys & Barcodes to PDF in the Manage Presets window.

V2_PU_Manage_Presets-Hotkey_Barcode_MRK.png

Notes About Presets

  • Hotkeys: If you have assigned a hotkey to a preset, you can use the hotkey to apply presets either individually or in bulk.

  • You cannot currently use automation to apply presets.

    For more information on using automation to configure shipping options, review our Automation articles.

Hotkeys
Hotkeys
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