Action Bar

The Action Bar is the area at the very top right of the screen where you will be notified of any aspects of Shipmate that require your attention.

General information such as news from Shipmate, updates to your account and notices from carriers are highlighted in the Notifications area. Issues surrounding deliveries are highlighted in the Delivery Warnings area.

You can also easily search for parcels and access your account settings from the profile menu located on the right side of the Action Bar.

Main Menu

The Main Menu occupies the middle section of the screen header and has links to commonly accessed parts of the system.

The Main Menu is divided into two sections: the left section has links to the Dashboard, Parcels and Reports, while the right section allows you to create new parcel labels, either individually or by importing a data file.

Breadcrumbs

The Breadcrumbs area is displayed underneath the main header and is a quick reference to your location anywhere within Shipmate.

This is designed to help you easily find your way around Shipmate and avoid ever getting lost within the system. If you aren’t sure how you arrived at a particular screen, the breadcrumbs area has a structured list of the areas you visited to access the screen you are on, allowing you to click back easily.

Adding Users To Your Account

If more people require access to your Shipmate account, you can create new users through the ‘Settings’ menu. This menu can be accessed by simply clicking on your name in the right hand side of the Action Bar, then clicking ‘Settings’. You can create a new user by clicking on ‘Create New User’ and filling in the user’s details.

Editing Users

To edit a user, click ‘View’ next to the user's name, and then click on the edit button in the overview. In this view you can edit the personal details of a specific user such as email address and phone number.

Removing Users

If you wish to remove a user, you can do this in the same editing menu by unchecking the ‘User account is active’ box.

This action cannot be done to the main Admin user of the Shipmate account.

When a user is made inactive, the status in the user’s profile will change to inactive and the user will move to the ‘Archived Users’ tab.

Restoring Access To Archived Users

Restoring access to Archived Users is as simple as re-checking the ‘User account is active’ box on the edit page. The user will then move back from the ‘Archived Users’ tab to the ‘Active Users’ tab.

User Types And Permissions

A user can either be set up as an Admin User or a Standard User. A user will only be able to access the Shipmate account that you set them up on.

An Admin User can:

• Manage Routing Rules
• Manage Sender Addresses
• Manage a Sender API Key
• Manage Sender Services
• Manage Sender Users
• View Routing Rules
• View Sender API Key
• View Sender Services
• View Sender users

A Standard User can:

• View Routing Rules
• View Sender API Key
• View Sender Services
• View Sender users

Supported Carriers

Carriers are shown in the ‘Carriers’ section of the ‘Settings’ menu. All supported carriers are shown with either a ‘View’ option or an ‘Enable’ option.

Currently Shipmate supports UK delivery services from the following carriers:

• DPD
• Yodel
• Hermes
• Parcelforce
• TNT
• Collect+
• 13-ten
• Asendia
• Parcelink

Enabling A Carrier

To enable a carrier, simply click on the ‘Enable’ button next to the desired carrier. You will be prompted if you truly wish to request the carrier integration to your account, and upon confirmation an email will be sent to support@shipmate.co.uk so we can set this up for you.

Viewing a Carrier Configuration

To view a Carrier Configuration, click ‘View’ next to the desired carrier. This will display useful information about the configuration you have set up for your account.

Disabling A Carrier

Please contact support@shipmate.co.uk to disable a carrier on your account.

Adding A Delivery Service

To set up a new Delivery Service you need to navigate to the ‘Delivery Services’ section in the Shipmate settings by clicking on your name on the right hand side of the Action Bar and selecting ‘Settings’. In the right hand menu there is a ‘Delivery Services’ option, and from here you can create a new service by clicking the ‘Create New Service’ button.

Configuring Service Criteria

When creating a service, you can specify a set of criteria that must be fulfilled to be able to select that service for use. Several different types of attributes can be chosen, and you are not limited to only selecting one type of criteria. You can add as many variables as you want, which means you can create a completely customised service.

There are many options available to use as criteria such as the value of a parcel, the dimensions or the weight. You are also able to specify attributes such as Fragile, Perishable and Hazardous which means you can create a custom service condition for many different types of parcels.

Configuring Service Level Agreements (SLA) Targets

As a Shipmate customer, a carrier will make an agreement with you where they promise to deliver a certain percentage of the parcels you send on time. This percentage can be entered in the ‘Service Level Agreement’ section when creating a new Delivery Service.

Configuring Delivery Costs

The delivery cost is the price that is charged to the customer by the carrier. You can change this amount in the ‘Delivery Cost’ section when setting up a new Delivery Service.

Configuring Service Keys

A service key is a unique key used to identify a specific service and can be used when importing parcels from third party applications to specifically select a carrier and delivery service without using routing rules. This can be found in the ‘Service Details’ section of the Delivery Service set up.

Editing a Delivery Service

When you have existing services, they will all show up under the ‘Active Services’ tab and be sorted by carrier. By clicking ‘Show Services’ to the right of the desired carrier, you can expand the list and display all of the active services available to your account. Each service will display its Type, Name, Description and Price. From here you will be able edit any of the services you have created by clicking ‘Edit’ to the right hand side of the service.

Deleting a Delivery Service

Deleting a delivery service is as simple as heading to your ‘Active Services’ tab, expanding the list of services by selecting ‘Show Services’, finding the service you want to delete and clicking the red bin icon next to ‘Edit’.

This will ask you to confirm the deletion of your delivery service as once a service has been archived it can no longer be used by customers, and any rules associated with the service will be removed from your account. Once a service has been deleted, it will be moved to the ‘Archived Services’ tab. You can reinstate the service by clicking on the restore service icon next to the appropriate service.

Custom Parcel Attribute Data Types

If you wish to create a parcel attribute that isn’t already defined in Shipmate, then you can add your own custom parcel attributes for use on your parcels. Accessing this can be done by clicking on your name in the right hand side of the Action Bar, selecting the settings option and navigating to ‘Custom Parcel Attributes’ in the right hand menu.

Custom Parcel Attributes are used to supply custom information to invoke specific Routing Rules.

There are several different data types for custom attributes:

• Numeric
• Text
• Boolean (True or False)
• Boolean (Yes or No)
• Boolean (0 or 1)
• List

These describe how you will use the attribute when creating a parcel.

Adding Custom Parcel Attributes

To add a custom parcel attribute, select ‘Create Custom Parcel Attribute’ in the ‘Custom Parcel Attributes’ section of the Settings menu. Here you can assign a name and a data type to the attribute and save it for use on parcels.

Editing Custom Parcel Attributes

If you wish to edit a custom parcel attribute, click on ‘View’ next to the attribute you wish to edit then select the ‘Edit’ button. This will take you to an area where you can edit the Name and the Data Type of the attribute and save your changes.

Deleting Custom Parcel Attributes

To delete a custom parcel attribute, click on ‘View’ next to the attribute you wish to delete then select the ‘Delete’ button. A prompt will ask you to confirm the deletion of the attribute and upon confirmation it will then be removed from the available list of attributes.

How Routing Rules Work

Routing Rules are a way of automating your parcel labelling. Shipmate will choose the most appropriate carrier and delivery service based upon rules chosen by you. If you have multiple rules, Shipmate will evaluate each consignment against each rule and then determine the most suitable service automatically, meaning you no longer have to select a service for each individual parcel.

The rules must be active for Shipmate to be able to evaluate them, so make sure to turn on any rules you wish to use. By default, any new rules you create will be inactive until you are happy that they are correct.

Creating Routing Rules

The Routing Rules menu can be accessed by clicking on your name in the right hand side of the Action Bar and navigating to the ‘Settings’ option. On the right hand side you will find a menu with several different options. To create a Routing Rule, select ‘Routing Rules’ from the side menu then click ‘Create New Rule’.

Here you can name your rule, give it a description and choose criteria that the parcel needs to adhere to.

Using Custom Routing Rule Criteria

If you don’t want the rule to apply to every parcel, you can create a rule which only applies to parcels of a specific criteria. Similar to creating Service Condition Criteria, you can specify rules for parcels of different dimensions, weights and values as well as special parcels that could be fragile or perishable. If you have already configured Custom Parcel Attributes, you may also select the values for these attributes required to match your criteria.

Supported File Types

Shipmate supports various types of file for importing Order Files. Shipmate natively supports Comma-Separated Value (CSV) file handling and allows you to easily configure data mappings, allowing Shipmate to handle your files correctly.

By arrangement, Shipmate can also support file types including XML, Plain Text File and JSON among others. If you wish to configure one of these file types, please contact support@shipmate.co.uk to arrange the implementation of a file importer. There may be a charge for this service.

Configuring a New Order File Mapping

An Order File Mapping is already configured as the ‘Default’ option for Shipmate.

When creating a new mapping, you need to match the columns on your text file with the fields Shipmate needs to process your orders and generate parcel labels.

Ensure each of the fields marked with a blue asterisk (*) are matched to a column from your file, then give the file type a name so you can easily select this type of file next time you use it. A good example might be “eBay Order File” or “Magento Orders”.

For any measurements, select the units that your import will be in. These values will be converted to generic Shipmate values (grams and centimetres).

Printer Compatibility

Shipmate has been designed to work with almost any printer, including many of the popular thermal label printers by Zebra, Citizen, Toshiba and Honeywell.

If your label printer supports ZPL-II, this is the recommended method for printing labels. If not, Shipmate can also output labels in PDF format for printing on any supported printer, including standard laser and inkjet printers.

Labels for most carriers are in the standard 6x4 inch format, so please ensure you use suitable media in your printer.

Print Media for Thermal Label Printers

We recommend using 6x4” Direct Thermal labels from a reputable manufacturer and supplier to ensure optimal print quality. All labels output by Shipmate are in 6x4” format and many carriers stipulate this as part of their integration testing criteria.

Don’t be tempted to opt for the cheapest possible labels as they can often produce inferior results such as poor definition on barcodes, which can lead to scanning issues.

Print Media for Laser and Inkjet Printers

We recommend using the A4 S16 Integrated Label for use on Shipmate as this has a 6x4” peel-off area. Shipmate supports this media type in both top-right and bottom-left orientation by default. If you use any other type of media or have your own custom stock, please contact support@shipmate.co.uk to ask us to set up a bespoke template for you. Provided the label area is 6x4” we should be able to accommodate any paper size and layout.

Shipmate Web Application - Book Individual Parcels

An individual parcel label can be created by selecting ‘New Parcel’ from the right of the Main Menu. From here you can click ‘Create New Parcel’. You may then enter the parcel and delivery details into the on-screen form.

Shipmate Web Application - Import Order File

To access the upload area, click the ‘Import’ button from the right of the Main Menu, then simply upload your file by dragging it to the drop-zone area or by clicking the ‘Choose File’ button to find the file on your computer.

Shipmate Windows Application - Import Order File

If you wish to import order files using the Shipmate Windows app, there is a dedicated guide to help you through this process. You can find this at shipmate.co.uk/guides/windows-application

Shipmate API

If you wish to generate labels using the Shipmate Windows API, there is a dedicated guide to help you through this process. You can find this at shipmate.co.uk/guides/api.

Shipmate Plugins for Third Party Applications

We are currently in the process of writing plugins for popular third party applications. If you require a direct integration with your platform, let us know and we will prioritise development accordingly.

Parcel and Order Reference Numbers

Shipmate requires a unique reference for each of your parcels and orders in order to help reconcile them in your account. Most order systems will generate a sequential unique number for each of your orders and be capable of outputting unique references for each parcel.

Throughout Shipmate you may discover Order and Consignment references - these are the same thing. Parcel references are for each individual parcel within a consignment should there be more than one. For example if your order / consignment reference is 123456 and comprises two parcels, you may have parcels with references 123456-01 and 123456-02.

Required Details

The following details are required to create a parcel label inside Shipmate:

• Unique Parcel and Order Reference
• Delivery Name
• Delivery Address
• Town/City
• Postal Code
• Country
• Weight
• Dimensions (width, depth, height)
• Contents value

Contents Properties

It is sometimes necessary to declare the type of contents inside a parcel, to ensure the correct delivery service is selected. Default properties you can choose from include Fragile, Perishable and Hazardous. While optional, these properties should be selected in the circumstances where they should be used for compliance reasons and to meet your obligations under contractual agreements with the carriers.

Custom Parcel Attributes

If you have configured your account to accept Custom Parcel Attributes, you can add them when entering your parcel details. The information entered may then be used to route your parcel according to predetermined routing rules.

Providing Parcel Information

The parcel information screen will ask you to provide various details about the parcel such as its dimensions, value and weight. You can also specify if there are any special properties about the contents of the parcel. If you have defined any custom parcel attributes, these will be available for selection as well.

This information will be used in the later stages to recommend you a Carrier and Service which fits the parcels requirements.

Providing Recipient Details

As part of the label generation service, the recipients details will need to be provided. This includes the usual name and address as well as optional contact details.

Selecting a Carrier & Service

After you have provided all of the relevant information, Shipmate will automatically check through your active routing rules and select the best service for your parcel.

All of the routing rules that apply to the parcel will also be available if you wish to change the selection that Shipmate has made for you.

Generating the Label

To generate the label, simply click the ‘Generate Label’ button and you will be taken to a screen where you can see an overview of the consignment details.

Printing Labels

You can download labels for printing by clicking the ‘Download Label’ button. This will download the label as a PDF document you can then print as you would any other document.

Printing Labels using Shipmate WebPrint™

Our WebPrint™ technology connects your printer with web and mobile applications that integrate with Shipmate, meaning you can print labels in the correct format easily and without having to use the print dialogue each time. Compared with printing labels manually, it works like magic and saves you a huge amount of time and reduces potential for error.

If you wish to print labels using the Shipmate Windows app, there is a dedicated guide to help you through this process. You can find this at shipmate.co.uk/guides/windows-application.

Importing Orders from eBay

If you generate orders through eBay, you can request a download of your sales records for use within Shipmate. You can upload your order data by using the steps outlined above in the ‘Importing Order Files’ section.

Importing Orders from Amazon Marketplace

If you generate orders through Amazon, you can receive scheduled order reports which you can then import into Shipmate. You can upload your order data by using the steps outlined above in the ‘Importing Order Files’ section.

How to Search for Parcels

After you have been using Shipmate for a while, there is no doubt that you will have a lot of parcel data within your account. We have added a search feature for this reason so you are able to locate your parcels with ease.

To access the search feature, click on the ‘Parcels’ tab on the left hand side of the Main Menu. To the right of the page you should see a button with a magnifying glass on it. Clicking on this will reveal the ‘Advanced Parcel Search’ section where you can input information such as the Parcel Reference, Recipient Name, Address and Date Range.

These fields don’t need to take in the complete query as the search feature will return all parcels matching the search criteria. If you are not sure of the full parcel reference for example, just put in everything you do know and Shipmate will return a full list of all matching parcels.

The more information you give to the search, the narrower the results will be.

How to Cancel a Delivery

If for any reason you wish to cancel the delivery of a parcel, you can do this by clicking on ‘View’ in the parcel information section of the consignment details, or by clicking on the parcel reference in the main ‘Parcels’ view. At the bottom of the screen in ‘Parcel Options’ there will be an option to cancel the delivery.

You can also use the menu on the right hand side of each parcel, and directly select ‘Cancel Delivery’. This will ask you for confirmation that you really want to cancel the parcel. If you cancel the parcel, it will not be delivered and you will not be able to see any information relating to that parcel. You will have to re-create the parcel if you change your mind and want to send it again.

Parcels Report

The parcels report allows you to see parcels that fit a specific search criteria. You can search for parcels using the Parcel Reference, Recipient Name, City, Postcode or a specific Date Range or any combination of the 5 options.

Shipmate searches for any parcels meeting all of the criteria that is set, so if you provide a surname and a postal code, Shipmate will return a list of all parcels with the given surname and postal code. This helps you narrow down potentially large results.

Carrier Performance Report

The carrier performance report is filtered on a month-by-month basis. The main dashboard for the carrier performance page will show you each carrier and an overview of the current SLA they have with you, how many days the SLA has been met and the overall performance.

If you click the ‘View’ menu for a carrier you can look at All Parcels and parcels both in and out of SLA. Once in this view, you can apply filters to the reports allowing you to broaden and narrow your search as you see fit.

The carrier-specific view gives a more detailed look into the performance of the carrier. You can see information such as how many parcels have been sent with the carrier, how many of these were within or outside of the SLA and what the longest and shortest delivery times have been.