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Label Print Settings

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ShipStation Content Team

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Explains label layout and other settings that affect how you print labels.

ShipStation allows you to determine how your labels print on both an account-wide and individual basis by setting label Document Options. Learn how to set up your printers for Windows and macOS for label printing.

Account-wide settings include label layout, label messages, print sequence, and cutoff time.

The Ship From Location and Return Address is account specific.

Label Document Options

To access and modify account-wide document options for labels: 

  1. Go to Account Settings.

    Closeup of ShipStation toolbar with outline marking the Settings icon.

  2. Select Printing from the left-hand sidebar, then choose Printing Setup.

    Settings left-hand sidebar. Under Printing dropdown, red box highlights Printing Setup option.

  3. Click Document Options for Labels. 

    Printing Setup page showing the Document Options marked for the Labels Document type.

The Document Options screen allows you to set the following options:

Option

Details

Shipping Label Format

The printer you use for labels will determine your Label Format. Details provided in the Configure Label Layout section. 

Label DPI

Label DPI is the resolution at which your labels are printed. You can choose 203dpi and 300dpi.

300dpi is the most common, but if you are unsure or your labels are printing out too large or too small, check your printer documentation to see which DPI to use for your model printer. Also, make sure to set the same DPI in your printer preferences. 

Order Labels By

Determines the sequence your labels and packing slips print when printing multiple shipments simultaneously (what we call Batch Shipping).

Options include: 

  • None (as selected). This behavior differs depending on if you print from a normal batch or an ad hoc batch. An ad hoc batch occurs when you select and create multiple labels outside of a normal batch.

    • Normal batch: Labels and packing slips print in the sequence you added the records to the batch, not the sequence they appear in the batch's grid. Printing will ignore any grid sorting you have done.

    • Ad hoc batch: Labels and packing slips print in the sequence they appear in the grid, from top to bottom. Printing will respect any grid sorting you have done.

  • Order Date: Most recent first / last

  • Paid Date: Most recent first / last

  • Buyer Name: a to z or z to a

  • Order Number: Lowest first or highest first

  • Item SKU: a to z or z to a

  • Item Name: a to z or z to a

  • Warehouse Location: a to z or z to a

Label Branding

Allows you to print your store logo on your labels.

This setting uses the logo uploaded in the Branding tab of your Store Settings. 

Label Messages

Define up to three messages to print on shipping labels, including dynamic information about each order (like the order number or customer notes). 

Label messages are limited to 26 characters each. Not all carriers support all three label messages and some do not support any at all. Please visit our Integrations Help guide to find out about label message support for specific carriers.

Shipping Cutoff

Sets the time of day after which the ship date advances to the next day for labels created after that time.

This option is useful when you know what time of day your carrier picks up your packages and you want to continue to create labels for shipments that will be picked up the following day. This sets accurate expectations for your customers when tracking their shipments.

Note

If ShipStation is not respecting your set cutoff time according to your account's time zone setting, please contact ShipStation support to open a support ticket.

A batch created in ShipStation when you create labels for multiple orders without first adding them to a normal batch. With ad hoc batches, ShipStation creates a batch in the background to process the shipments in a single action, and that allows you to print the labels all at once. Ad hoc batches are numbered and can be found in Shipments > Batches for further review.

Configure Label Layout

ShipStation creates 4" x 6" labels (approximately 100mm x 150mm) suitable for thermal label printers. If you use an inkjet or laser printer to print multiple labels on a standard A4-size sheet (approximately 8.5" x 11"), ShipStation adjusts the label orientation by 90 degrees to print two 100mm x 150mm labels horizontally on a sheet of A4 paper.

Before you create labels, make sure ShipStation knows which layout to use. The printer you use to print labels determines which layout you should select and whether you want to print the label's corresponding packing slip simultaneously. If you have configured your label layout and the labels are printing incorrectly, review the Print Troubleshooting Overview for a list of articles that may help.

  1. Select your shipping label format and whether you want the packing slip to always print with the label. 

    Label Printing Setup, Shipping Label Formats. 4 by 6 selected. Preview shows labels in landscape layout.

    Only choose to print packing slips with labels if they will print from the same printer.

    Format Options:

    • Choose one of the 4" x 6" options if you use a thermal label printer, like a DYMO or Zebra. 

    • Choose one of the 8.5" x 11" options if you use an inkjet or laser printer.

  2. Click Save Changes.

Label Formats with Packing Slips

If you select a label layout that includes a packing slip, your label and packing slip will always print together when printing a label. You can still print packing slips separately, but the label's format setting sets the packing slip format. You will not be able to set a unique packing slip format for printing individual packing slips.

Configure Label Messages

Use the Label Messages in Document Options to print additional information on your shipping labels. You can add up to three messages with a maximum of 26 characters if your selected carrier and service supports them. 

You can type a custom message into the fields or use ShipStation Field Replacements to print order-specific information (like order numbers or customer notes) on the labels. 

To set your label messages, do the following in the Document Options screen:

  1. Scroll to the Label Messages section.

    Label Printing Setup popup. Red box highlights Label Messages panel with 3 message fields

  2. Type in your message or select a field replacement from the drop-down.

    Label Messages popup. Red arrow points to Message #2 dropdown menu options. SKU #1 selected.

    To add multiple field replacements to a single field, type in the additional field replacements exactly as they appear in the drop-down, including the square brackets. You may include separators, like commas, if desired.

  3. Click Save Changes. 

Label Message Field Replacements

You can add the following order data to the Label Messages fields by selecting the field replacement from the Label Message field drop-down menu:

  • Order #

  • Store Company Name

  • Ship Date

  • Order Date

  • SKU #1, #2, #3

  • Product #1, #2, #3

  • Dimensions

  • Weight

  • Notes from Buyer (corresponds to Customer Notes)

  • Custom Field #1, #2, #3

  • Fill SKU #1, #2, #3

  • Warehouse Location #1, #2, #3

The following field replacements are not available from the drop-down menu, but you can still use them by typing them into the Label Message fields:

  • [Buyer Name]

  • [Store Name]

  • [Carrier Name]

  • [Internal Notes]

  • [Recipient Name]

  • [Recipient Phone]

Notes About Label Messages

  • Label messages are account-wide, which means ShipStation will print label messages on all labels that support them.

  • Label messages cannot be customized per store or per carrier.

  • Not all carriers or services support printing label messages. When available, label messages will print on the label in the location determined by each carrier, which can vary between carriers and services.

  • Some carriers also support adding label messages to customs forms (CN22 and CN23) or commercial invoices.

    Visit the carrier articles in the Integrations Help guide for details on how each carrier prints label messages.

Carriers That Support Label Messages

The carrier you use may have restrictions on what you can include on the shipping label.

Refer to the table below to see if your carrier supports adding Label Messages or a Store Logo on their labels.

Carrier

Message 1

Message 2

Message 3

Logo

Chronopost

Yes

Yes

No

Yes

Colissimo

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Delivengo

No

No

No

No

DHL Express

Limited*

No

No

Yes

FedEx

Yes

Yes

Yes**

Yes

*Combines all message locations into a single line with maximum of 35 characters.

**To use Label Message 3, you must also use Label Messages 1 and 2.

Add Label Messages to Forms

You can use Label Messages to add text to some international labels, customs forms, or commercial invoices if the selected carrier and service supports it.

Carrier

Label Messages Supported

DHL Express

Commercial Invoice: Label Message 1, 2, 3

Fedex

Commercial Invoice: Label Message 1, 2, 3

UPS

Commercial Invoice: Label Message 1, 2, 3
field replacement

A batch created in ShipStation when you create labels for multiple orders without first adding them to a normal batch. With ad hoc batches, ShipStation creates a batch in the background to process the shipments in a single action, and that allows you to print the labels all at once. Ad hoc batches are numbered and can be found in Shipments > Batches for further review.

field replacement

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