UPC and SKU Settings for Barcode Scanning

Updated

ShipStation includes barcode scanning to both verify the products you pack into a shipment and to initiate printing labels for those shipments. To verify shipments, you'll scan either SKU or UPC barcodes for items as you pack.

Configure Scan to Verify by

Depending on your item and warehouse configuration, you may want to scan SKU barcodes or UPC barcodes. In ShipStation, you can scan both SKU and UPC barcodes, but you must enable these options in the Workflow Settings screen in the Scan to Verify Items By section. This setting will determine what types of barcodes Scan to Verify will recognize for your products.

You can find the Scan to Verify ByWorkflow Settings by going to Settings > Shipping > Workflow Settings.

You can select UPC, Item SKU, and Fulfillment SKU.

Scan to Verify Items with options for UPC, Item SKU and Fulfillment SKU.

These options correspond with the product fields in ShipStation. For example, for Scan to Verify to recognize a UPC barcode, the UPC number must be saved in the product default's UPC field.

The Item SKU corresponds to the product's SKU field and the Fulfillment SKU corresponds to the Fulfillment SKU field in the Product Details in ShipStation.

Additionally, Fulfillment SKUs and UPC codes must also be added to product records if you wish to successfully scan those types of barcodes.

Add UPC to Product Records

If you scan UPC barcodes, you must add UPCs to your Product Details to scan your items successfully.

There are two ways to add a UPC to your products:

  • Add the UPC manually to the Product Details UPC field if you need to add or update just a few products.

    Product details general tab with UPC text box highlighted.

    Review the Update Products individually section of the Update Products article if you need instructions on how to do this.

  • Upload your UPCs via a product CSV import - the most efficient way to bulk update your products.

Add UPC to a CSV File

For a faster, more accurate way to add UPCs to your CSV file:

  • Place your cursor in the UPC field of your Product import CSV and scan the product barcode. The UPC will be automatically entered into the field.

  • Remember, each product SKU and UPC in ShipStation must be unique.

SKU stands for Stock Keeping Unit. A merchant’s unique alphanumeric identification code for each product that can be purchased. SKUs differ from universal product codes (UPCs) in that they are not universal. This means that every retailer has their own unique set of SKUs to track their merchandise.

Product records in ShipStation are identified using the SKU by default (though if you don’t use SKUs, this can be modified so Product records are identified by the product name instead).

Stands for Universal Product Code. UPC is a “barcode symbology” uniquely assigned to “trade items” to help track items at the point of sale in an automated way.

ShipStation’s Product Details support adding a UPC, and you can use a barcode scan in the advanced search to find orders with these products as well as with ShipStation's Verify & Print workflow.

Configure Fulfillment SKUs on Products

If you scan SKU barcodes that represent your product's fulfillment SKU, you must add Fulfillment SKUs to your Product Details to verify products successfully.

There are two ways to accomplish this:

  • Under the Products tab, double click on a product to open the product details. Enter the FNSKU in the Fulfillment SKU field under the Shipping tab on the Product Details screen.

    Fulfillment SKU field highlighted in Shipping tab of Product Details window.

  • Upload your Fulfillment SKUs via a product CSV import to bulk update your products. Enter the Fulfillment SKU in the FillSKU column in the CSV.

SKU stands for Stock Keeping Unit. A merchant’s unique alphanumeric identification code for each product that can be purchased. SKUs differ from universal product codes (UPCs) in that they are not universal. This means that every retailer has their own unique set of SKUs to track their merchandise.

Product records in ShipStation are identified using the SKU by default (though if you don’t use SKUs, this can be modified so Product records are identified by the product name instead).

Stands for Universal Product Code. UPC is a “barcode symbology” uniquely assigned to “trade items” to help track items at the point of sale in an automated way.

ShipStation’s Product Details support adding a UPC, and you can use a barcode scan in the advanced search to find orders with these products as well as with ShipStation's Verify & Print workflow.

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