In Xentral, the shipping method Other is used if you are not using an official shipping service provider integration. Each sales order in Xentral needs to have a shipping method selected so that sales orders can be processed.
Note
If the shipping method Other is saved in a sales order in Xentral, no shipping label is created. Thus, this shipping method works as a placeholder so that internal processes and other automatisms within the system can be carried out correctly.
In this article, you’ll learn about the concrete cases in which you use the shipping method Other.
The shipping method Other is used any time that you are not using a direct shipping service provider integration, such as DHL or DPD. This may be the case for various reasons. Take a look at the following practical examples to learn if the shipping method Other is relevant for you:
-
Own product delivery: If you deliver products to your end customers yourself - no matter if this pertains to some or all sales orders - you are not working with one of the usual shipping service providers. In this case, you are using the shipping method Other as a placeholder and provide it with the name “Own delivery” in the settings. This way, you make sure that those sales orders are processed correctly in Xentral.
-
Cooperation with fulfillment service providers Are you working with a fulfillment service provider who is storing your products and shipping them to your end customers? Then, you don’t need any shipping service provider integrations in your own Xentral. Since a shipping method is still required for the data exchange between you and your fulfillment service provider, you are using the shipping method Other in this case as well to assign to sales orders that are transmitted to the service provider.
Tip
The integration of fulfillment service providers in Xentral works via the Transfers module. More information on this is available in the article Overview: Integrating fulfillment services providers (3PL).
-
Using shipping service providers without a Xentral integration: Are you working with shipping service providers that do not have direct Xentral integrations, such as freight services or specialized transportation companies? The shipping method Other is used for such cases. This way, the sales order can be finalized internally, the delivery can be documented in the system and invoices can be created without needing an official shipping service provider integration.
-
Edge cases in (international) shipping: Are you selling technical devices or other products that need special care during transportation and are thus handled by specialized transportation companies? Shipping processes like this are also set up using the shipping method Other, since such shipping services are not available via direct integration into Xentral.
To use the shipping method Other in Xentral, you need to set up the shipping method first. To do so, proceed as follows.
-
Use the Smart Search to search for Shipping methods.
-
Click on + NEW in the upper right corner.
-
Click on Other.
-
Carry out the settings as described in the table below.
-
Click on Save.
|
Setting |
Explanation |
|---|---|
|
Designation |
Enter a name for the shipping method that will later be displayed in Xentral during order processing. The designation is only visible to you and your employees. Make sure that each designation exists only once in Xentral so that the shipping method can always be uniquely identified. |
|
Type |
This is an internal field label that is required for mapping to your online stores and other sales platforms. ImportantDo not change this type! |
|
Module |
Select the correct module from the drop-down menu. The module name has to be identical to the name of the shipping method that you are currently setting up. |
|
Project |
Optional: Assign a project. This assignment is required if you want to limit the shipping method to a specific sales channel or project (for example, a specific branch office). Leave the field empty in case the shipping method should be used across all projects. |
|
Active |
Activate this option after you have carried all the necessary settings for the shipping method. NoteYou can deactivate shipping methods that are no longer in use later. Note, however, that deactivated shipping methods will only be displayed in documents that have already been created. In newly created documents and in user interfaces such as the sales order overview or in the customer data, a deactivated shipping method is no longer available for selection. You can also delete shipping methods. However, this will also delete the shipping history. Therefore, you should only delete incorrectly created shipping methods that you have not used productively. |
|
No postage check |
You can use this option to deactivate the postage check in the sales order. If the postage check remains active, a red sales order traffic light icon will be displayed in case no postage item is included in the sales order. This prevents the postage item from being forgotten during manual order creation. Consider whether you want to activate or deactivate this option based on your own workflows and how you work with Xentral. If you typically create many orders manually in Xentral, it may be useful not to activate this option, so that the postage is always reliably included in the sales order, especially for high-priced products or international shipments. |
|
Printer shipping label |
Select the printer you want to use by default for the shipping labels from the drop-down menu. Note that only printers that you have already set up in Xentral can be selected here. Depending on how and where the shipping process is handled in your company, you can select exactly the printer you need here - whether directly at your desk or at the packing table in the warehouse. |
|
Printer export |
Only relevant for international shipping: From the drop-down menu, select the printer to use by default for customs forms (CN23). |
|
Shipping email to buyer |
Determine rules regarding the way shipping notifications should be sent to your customers by email as soon as the shipment is on its way. The following three options are available: Default behavior: The existing logistics settings from the project are used. You can carry out these settings in the Settings > Basic Settings > Projects > Open Project > Tab: Settings > Tab: Logistics / Shipping menu. In the Stage 1 (Pick/Order Picking) and Stage 2 (Pack) sections, you can activate the check boxes named Email to inform your customers about the status of order processing. No shipping mail: No shipping information will be sent by email for this shipping method. Custom text template: For this shipping method, the selected text template will be sent via email. You need to create this template in advance in the Settings > Basic Settings > Receipts > Text templates menu. Then select the desired template from the Text template drop-down menu. This selection will not use the project’s logistics settings for this shipping method. |
|
Deliveries supported |
When setting up the shipping method, this option is activated by default. Once you have carried out all the other necessary settings and set the shipping method to Active, you can select the shipping method in sales orders, delivery notes and in the dispatch center. |
|
Returns supported |
Activate this option to allow your customers to send returns for sales orders originally created using this shipping method. |
|
Preferred return shipping method |
Select a preferred shipping method for returns. If you create a return for a sales order in Xentral with the present shipping method, the shipping method selected here is automatically preselected in the return order. This setting is only relevant in cases of manual return creation. |