Shipmate for Online Retailers
Introduction
The Shipmate Web Application for Online Retailers allows you to quickly and easily set up your Shipmate account to start sending Parcels.
You can configure your Carriers, Delivery Services and Routing Rules using our simple interface as well as start sending Parcels via the new Parcel form or by importing a CSV of orders from your Order Management Software.
Within Shipmate you can track the status of all of your Parcels with our unified tracking events as well as receive proactive notifications when there is a problem with a delivery.
This help guide explains how to configure your account and start sending Parcels with Shipmate.
Configuring Your Account
Your Account
By clicking on your name in the right hand side of the Action Bar and selecting ‘Settings’ you will be taken to your account page. On this page you can edit information such as your Company Name, personal details and addresses.


Managing Users
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
Carriers
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.
Carrier Manifest
To make paper manifests easier to access Shipmate has a useful tool that allows the Carrier Manifest to be downloaded into a PDF file. Using the Dispatch Date this function can set up the Manifest from any chosen date.


Delivery Services
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 Attributes
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.


Routing Rules
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.


Order File Mappings
You can upload an order file from almost any platform to import your parcels into Shipmate. Simply download a file extract from your order processing system, choosing options that include a header row and output as a comma separated text, or CSV file.
To access the upload area, click the ‘Import’ button on the right hand side of the Main Menu bar, 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.
Your file will be checked to ensure it can be processed, then you can select the file type from a list of presets you have previously configured, or set up a new one.

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).

Sending and Handling Parcels
Label Specifications
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.
Methods of Generating Labels and Sending Parcels
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.
How Shipmate Handles Parcel Information
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.


Booking 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.

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.

Favourite Deliveries
When Viewing a parcel that needs a lot of attention over, or is desirable to access a lot, you can click the star icon. This will list this parcel as a favourite. Allowing it to be accessed much easier than finding it among all other parcels.
The favourite parcels can be accessed through the Dashboard, Quick Links. This lets you get to what you want quicker.




Importing Order Files
You can upload an order file from almost any platform to import your parcels into Shipmate. Simply download a file extract from your order processing system, choosing options that include a header row and output as a comma separated text, or CSV file.
To access the upload area, click the ‘Import’ button in the top 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.
Your file will be checked to ensure it can be processed, then you can select the file type from a list of presets you have previously configured, or set up a new one.
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”.






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.
Generate Labels using the Shipmate Windows App
If you wish to generate 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.
Searching for Parcels
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.




Cancelling Deliveries
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.





Ediitng Parcel Details
Parcels can also be edited so that if a mistake is made in the parcel details during correction it can be changed without having to start the parcel’s creation again. The Edit button gives you the option of what part of the details need to be edited and even the option to cancel the parcel.


Parcel Delivery Tracking
How Shipmate Tracks Parcels
Shipmate regularly polls the carriers integrated with your account for the tracking information of your current parcels. The orders will automatically update their status so you can easily keep track of your parcels as they make their way to the customer.
Shipmate Tracking Stages
Shipmate shows 5 different tracking stages in the ‘Parcel Details’ screen. You can access this by clicking on the menu to the right of the parcel and selecting ‘View Parcel’.
The tracking status section shows the 5 different parcel states:
- Label Created
- Manifested
- Collected By Courier
- In Transit
- Delivered
These steps are also shown on the main ‘Parcels’ screen. If you hover over the ‘Tracking Status’ section for each parcel, it will display the tracking stage that the parcel has reached.


Viewing Detailed Tracking Events
Detailed tracking events are available to view by clicking on the menu to the right of the parcel and selecting ‘View Parcel’. In the ‘Parcel Information’ section there will be a recap of what has happened to the parcel so far. The recap will show what event happened, what date it happened on and what time it happened, along with a description of the event.


Delivery Warnings
Shipmate can alert you when there are issues with your deliveries in transit, such as delays or failed deliveries. This helps you provide a more proactive customer service by bringing the troublesome deliveries to your attention, rather than you having to find them or wait for your customer to complain.
Delivery warnings are generated regularly based on tracking event data we receive from carriers and appear as notifications in the Delivery Warnings box in the Action Bar. Similar to Notifications, this appears as a red dot over the warning triangle icon, badged with the number of unread delivery warnings since they were last viewed.
Clicking the Delivery Warnings button will take you to the Delivery Warnings screen, where you can view each delivery and the reason behind the warning in greater detail. Each time you view the Delivery Warnings screen any new delivery warnings will be marked as read automatically




Reporting
Reporting
There are two types of reports that Shipmate can generate - a Parcels report and a Carrier Performance report. You can access the reports from the ‘Reports’ section in the header.

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.

Packaging Type
Adding new Packaging Type
When you click Create a new Packaging Type you are presented with fields to specify the details of the preset package. The fields marked with * are required in order to create the Packaging type.


Editing Packaging Type
Once you have created your packaging type you can select the ‘Edit’ button next to the packaging type that is being changed. This is useful in the event that the original fields need to be changed.


Deleting Packaging Type
Removing a Packaging type can be done by clicking the bin icon next to the required packaging type, followed by confirming the package should be removed. This is in the event a package becomes unnecessary or outdated, helping to remove human error.


Editing Packaging Type
Editing the packaging options can be done when a Packaging type is created. This is found by clicking the ‘Edit’ button in the ‘Packaging options summary section’. This allows you to choose what packaging type you want as a default (if any), it also allows packages to include or exclude the packaging weight from the total weight.
Packaging Dimensions override is another feature as part of the packaging options. This changes whether the dimensions of preset packages can be altered during their creation. This is an option as some special cases may require parcel dimensions to be altered.


Systems Integration
CSV File Imports
You can upload a CSV file from almost any platform to import your parcels into Shipmate. Simply download a file extract from your order processing system, choosing options that include a header row and output as a comma separated text, or CSV file.
To access the upload area, click the ‘Import’ button in the top 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.
Your file will be checked to ensure it can be processed, then you can select the file type from a list of presets you have previously configured, or set up a new one.
Windows Application
The Shipmate Windows App allows you to quickly and easily integrate your Warehouse or Order Management System and your label printer with Shipmate. This companion app works in the background and has a number of useful features to help you get the most out of Shipmate and easily generate labels in a fast-paced despatch environment.
If you wish to learn how to use the Shipmate Windows app, there is a dedicated guide to help you through this. You can find this at shipmate.co.uk/guides/windows-application
Plugins
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.
API and SDKs
If you wish to use the Shipmate API, you can find the official documents at shipmate.co.uk/guides/api.
Carrier Information
APC Overnight
Asendia
Collect+
DPD
DPD Local
DX Parcels
FedEx
Hermes
Parcelforce
TNT
Tuffnells
Paper Manifest
Tuffnells may require you to provide a paper manifest on collection of parcels. To do this, select the 'Carrier Manifests' option from the Shipmate Dashboard, select the despatch date you wish to generate the manifest for, then click 'Download Manifest'. This will download a PDF document you can then print and give to the Tuffnells driver.
Yodel
Whistl
XDP Express
Forthcoming Carriers
Although not integrated into Shipmate yet, we intend these carriers to be available in the near future:
- DHL
- Royal Mail
- UKMail
- UPS
Channels
Brightpearl
WooCommerce
Useful Resources
How to integrate Shipmate with Linnworks
Head to the help guide on Linnworks to learn more about configuring Linnworks to output files for Shipmate. Our integration specialists can help you configure your individual installation according to your needs and does not take very long.