Batches allow you to group and organize your orders in ways that best accommodate your specific workflow. The first step in batch shipping is to create a batch. Once created, you can add orders to the batch, assign the batch, and process the batch as needed. To learn more about batches and common uses for batches, review our Introduction to Batch Shipping.
There are three ways to create a batch in ShipStation:
-
Click + Create a New Batch in the Orders tab sidebar.
-
Click Batch and choose Create New Batch in the Orders tab shipping sidebar.
-
Select multiple orders and click the Create Label button to create an ad hoc batch.
Ad hoc batches do not have the same available actions as normal batches but are also recorded under
Shipments > Batches.
These options will create a batch folder of the orders, which is assigned a number. You can rename it to describe the orders in the batch.
You can add orders to a batch from the Orders tab or the Order Details window.
Alternative method: Select the orders and click Batch in the Orders grid Shipping sidebar above the Configure Shipment Widget.
Then select which batch to add the order to from the Add To Batch pop-up.
If you attempt to add an order to a batch and that order is already in a batch, ShipStation will display an alert to let you know and ask if you want to move the orders to the selected batch or exclude them from the batch.
To add an order to a batch from Order Details:
-
Click on the order number in either the Orders or Shipments tab.
-
Click the Batch All button.
-
Select Create New Batch to add the shipments to a new batch or select an existing batch from My Batches.
In the case of orders with multiple shipments, all shipments will be added to the batch. If the order is already in a batch, ShipStation will display an alert to let you know and prompt you to either move the order or exclude it.
Once all orders are added to the batch, you are ready to begin working in your batch.
View Batches in the Orders Tab
Add the Batch column to the Orders tab to identify orders assigned to batches quickly.
In ShipStation Legacy, batches are user-specific, and each user in your account can have up to five open batches at a time.
Unlimited Batches
ShipStation's new layout allows unlimited batches. Switch to ShipStation's new layout to give it a try!
Batches appear on your ShipStation Orders screen, and the open batch number will also display in the Open Batch column of your Orders grid. Once a batch has been processed, you can view specific batch information in Shipments > Batches.
There are two ways to create a batch:
-
Click + Create a New Batch in the sidebar.
-
Select orders in the Order grid and select Add to Batch from the shipping sidebar. In the drop-down menu, select Create New Batch.
There are two ways to add an order to a batch:
-
Drag and drop the orders from the Orders grid to the batch area in the corner of the screen.
-
Select the desired orders, choose Add to Batch from the Shipping Sidebar, then select the batch number where you want to add those orders.
Orders Can Be in Only One Batch
ShipStation will save you from any duplicate shipments by only allowing an order to be in one batch at a time. If you attempt to add an order to a batch but the order is already in another batch (including another user's batch), ShipStation will prompt you to move the order.
Processing a batch means creating the labels for all of the orders contained in the batch.
To create the labels for a batch:
-
Select the batch number from the sidebar in the Orders tab.
You should then see all orders contained in the batch in the Orders grid.
-
Click the Process Batch button.
A screen will then display the batch’s progress. You can close this window and the batch will continue to process in the background.
When the batch is finished processing, a pop-up will appear with your available options.
From here you can print labels, packing slips, and other documents.
-
Click the Labels button to print the labels right away.
If you are not ready to print, close this window. You can print at any time from the Label Queue or by selecting the shipments from the Batches screen in the Shipments tab and clicking Print.
You can also mark a batch as printed, add notes, or archive the batch in the Batches screen.
Process Batch Best Practice
The best practice when using batches is to use the Process Batch button. If you instead select the orders within a batch and click Create Labels, this will cause ShipStation to auto-create a new batch with these orders and then process within this new batch.
When this occurs, you may see the orders remain in your previously created batch, even though their status has changed to Shipped. If this happens, simply cancel the open batch, and select the new batch from your Label Queue or Shipments > Batches window to print the labels.
Archiving a batch will hide the batch from the batch page. Use this option to close batches that have finished printing and do not need further attention.
You can always find these batches again later by using the search bar or by selecting Archived under the Batches option in the left-hand sidebar.