Integrating various shipping service providers allows you to print shipping labels for your packages directly in Xentral.
In this article, you’ll learn which shipping methods are available in Xentral and how you integrate them into further order processing after having successfully set up the shipping methods.
The following shipping service providers can be set up using the respective login data in Xentral and then be used for shipping products to your customers. Click on the respective link to access detailed instructions on the setup of these shipping service providers.
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Note
Do you offer your customers the option to pick up their order by themselves, are you working with a freight shipping provider or do you want to print simple address labels? In addition to cooperating with the shipping service providers listed above, you can of course integrate these use cases in Xentral.
Important additional information this is available in the following articles:
To integrate the shipping service providers that you are using in Xentral, you first create matching shipping methods in the Shipping methods module and carry out the required settings. Use the links in the above list to access detailed information on the basic settings.
Important
You will need the login data that you have received from the shipping service provider to carry out the settings. It’s best to make sure that you have these data ready before starting with the setup. This way, you can start shipping your products as quickly as possible.
Warning
To make full use of the shipping methods that you have created in Xentral and ensure smooth communication between your sales channels and Xentral, you need to carry out a mapping for the shipping methods in the respective shop interface. More precise information on this is available in the Online shops article.
In the following, you’ll find information on the order processing steps that allow you to select your desired shipping method.
Tip
As an alternative to manually changing the shipping method as described in the chapters below, you can also use the Shipping rules module. This way, you can determine which shipping service provider is automatically assigned by Xentral in which scenario. More information on shipping rules is available in the Shipping rules article.
You can select a shipping method directly in the delivery note. To do so, proceed as follows.
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Go to Stock > Delivery note.
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Click on the pencil icon on the right of the delivery note for which you want to change the shipping method.
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Scroll down until you reach the Delivery note section.
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Select the desired shipping method from the drop-down menu Shipping method.
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Click on Save.
The shipping method for this delivery note is changed.
After a delivery note has been transferred to the dispatch center, you still have the possibility to edit or select another shipping method. To do so, proceed as follows.
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Go to Stock > Delivery note.
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Click on the pencil icon on the right of the delivery note for which you want to change the shipping method.
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Open the Shipping label tab.
The so-called parcel label dialog is opened.
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Click on Select another shipping method at the bottom.
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Select the desired shipping method.
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Click on Change shipping method.
You are redirected to the parcel label dialog and can proceed with printing the shipping label.
In the Sell > Contacts menu, you can determine a fixed shipping method per customer address. The selected shipping method will then be automatically preselected for all orders placed by this particular customer. If necessary, you can always manually change this preselected shipping method later during order processing in the delivery note. Proceed as described below to assign a fixed shipping method to a customer.
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Go to Sell > Contacts.
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Click on the pencil icon on the right of the address for which you want to determine a fixed shipping method.
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Then, click on Other data in the Details tab.
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Scroll down until you reach the Postage/shipping method section.
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Select the desired shipping method from the drop-down menu Shipping method.
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Click on Save.
The selected shipping method is saved for the customer. It will automatically be preselected as soon as a sales order placed by this customer is created in Xentral.
In Xentral, you can either print individual shipping labels or let them be printed automatically for several packages at once. In the following, you’ll find additional information on both methods.
If you wish to print individual shipping labels during the logistics process, you can print the labels at the packing table.
Start by opening the module Dispatch center in Xentral. As soon as all required products for a delivery note have been picked, you are automatically forwarded to the so-called shipping label dialogue. There, you create the shipping label for the delivery and change the shipping method if needed.
At the start of the logistics service, you can already have the shipping labels printed out automatically. This means that the shipping labels for orders are automatically printed as soon as you transfer them to auto-shipping in Xentral. To do so, proceed as follows.
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Use the Smart Search to open the Projects module.
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Click on the pencil icon on the right of the project for which you want to set up automatic printing of shipping labels.
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Open the Settings tab.
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Click on Logistics/Shipping.
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In the Stage 1 (picking/order picking) section, activate the option Print shipping label.
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Click on Save.
Important
Note the following requirements for automatic printing of shipping labels
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The process starter autoversand_manuell or autoversand_plus must be activated
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In the project settings, a Picking process that uses the dispatch center must be selected.
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In the project settings, a physical printer (no PDF or document printer) has to be selected for the setting Document printer level 1 (picking).
An additional important step of the shipping process is sending emails including the relevant tracking information to your customers. If you carry out the settings described below, the shipping confirmation is automatically sent as soon as you create a shipping label inXentral and have thus obtained a tracking number for the shipment.
Proceed as follows to automatically send emails with tracking information to your customers.
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Make sure that you have saved an email account in the Settings > Basic settings > Email > Email account menu. This is required to send the shipping confirmation via email.
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Open the menu Master data > Projects > Settings > Logistics/shipping and activate the option Shipping confirmation/tracking in the section Stage 2 (pack) at dispatch station.
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In the Shipping methods module, select the desired shipping method and select the option Default behavior for the setting Shipping mail to buyer.
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Make sure that a template of the type Versand has been created in the Business Letter Templates module. You can fully adjust this template according to your requirements.
Tip
More information on the Business Letter Templates module is available in the Email Templates: Configure Texts for Documents and Notifications (formerly Business Letter Templates) article.