How to Automate Shipment Creation

This article is the starting point for automating shipment creation in Swotzy. It covers the data every shipment needs, where each piece comes from, and which parts you can automate.

 

Once every piece of data is in place, a carrier selection rule can complete the shipment for you — assigning a carrier and service and generating the label without any manual steps.

Work through this article as a checklist. If your store already sends everything Swotzy needs, you can start automating right away. If it doesn't, each gap below links to a guide for filling it automatically.

Each piece of data reaches Swotzy in one of two ways: imported with the order from your store, or set by a rule you configure once. Anything not covered by these is entered manually. The goal of automation is to shrink that last group to nothing.

Set up rules in Integrations > Stores > Manage. Defaults are on the left of the screen, Rules on the right. A Defaults field is a shortcut that creates a rule for you — the rule appears in the Rules list afterwards, where you can reorder it like any other.

Before you start, read What Are Store Automation Rules?

Requirements grow with distance. Shipments within the Baltics need the least. Shipments further afield need item details. Shipments outside the EU need customs data on top. Shipments to the USA need one additional change to your item data.

Shipments Within the EU

Ship From

Your sender details are filled in automatically from your Swotzy account. Update them only if you ship from a different address.

Ship To

Field How to automate
Name and Surname Imported with the order
Company Imported with the order
Address 1 Imported with the order
Address 2 Imported with the order
Country Imported with the order
State / Province Imported with the order
City Imported with the order
Postal Code Imported with the order
Recipient Phone Imported, or fill in a missing phone number
Recipient Email Imported, or fill in a missing email address

Package Size

Field How to automate
Length, Width, Height (cm) Set a package size
Weight (kg) Calculate package weight from shipment items, or set a package size

Enter dimensions and weight as accurately as possible. If your values do not match the carrier's measurements, an additional charge may apply. See What is a Reconciliation Invoice?

Item Information

Field How to automate
Title / Description Imported with the order
Quantity Imported with the order
Price Imported with the order
Weight Imported, or set an item weight
Country of Origin Imported, or set a country of origin
HS Code Imported, or set an HS code
SKU Imported, if present in the order

Item information is required for shipments outside the Baltics. It can also be required within the Baltics when you select an express carrier service. Collect this data for every shipment — having it available never hurts, and missing it can block you from using the carrier you want.

Additions

Optional services you can add to a shipment:

Addition How to automate
Signature On Delivery Add an additional service
Insurance Add insurance to a shipment
Dangerous Goods — excepted quantities (IATA), dry ice Manual — automation coming soon

Shipments Outside the EU

Everything listed above, plus the following.

Tax ID

Optional for both sender and recipient.

Field How to automate
Tax ID Type Guide coming soon
Tax ID Guide coming soon

Customs Information

Field How to automate
Duties Payor Set who pays customs duties and taxes
Export Reason — optional Guide coming soon

Duties Payor options:

  • Recipient — DAP incoterm
  • Sender — DDP incoterm
  • Third Party — DAP incoterm

Export Reason options: sale, gift, sample, repair, or return.

Customs Details

Field How to automate
Customs details Add a declaration statement, or upload an invoice or enter details manually

Shipments to the USA

Everything listed above, with one change to your item data:

Field How to automate
HTS Code — replaces HS Code, 10 digits Imported, or set an HTS code for shipments to the USA

Completing the Shipment Automatically

The sections above cover the data a shipment needs. A carrier selection rule handles what comes next.

The rule assigns a carrier and service to your imported orders based on the conditions you define. When an order arrives with everything the carrier requires, the label is generated automatically — no manual steps at all.

If anything is missing, no label is generated. The shipment appears in Shipment Overview with the status Action Needed and waits for you to fill in the rest.

This is why the checklist above matters. Every gap you close brings more of your orders to the point where they can complete on their own.

See How to Automatically Select a Carrier and Service

Before You Start Automating

Your e-commerce store must be linked to Swotzy before rules can act on your orders.

If your store is not linked yet, start here: Integrations

Need Assistance?

If you have questions about automating shipment creation, our support team is here to help.

Contact us at support@swotzy.com

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