With the connection to different shipping label providers (carrier, multi-carrier e.g. DHL, UPS, Sendcloud, Shipcloud, Internetmarke, freight forwarder, etc.) you can print parcel stamps from xentral for your shipment/parcel/pallet. The parcel and shipment labels can be created and printed directly in the delivery bill (Warehousing & Logistics → delivery bill) or in the shipping process (auto shipping: Warehousing & Logistics → shipping center).
By default, the most common shipping types are already created in xentral. If you do not find a shipping method in the list, you can also create your own shipping method. Each shipping method can be assigned to a shipping module (DHL, DPD, self pickup, freight forwarding, etc.) in xentral.
Xentral comes with default shipping types already created, which can be set as such in the basic settings. You can use these directly and insert them into documents. The mere shipping type without API connection to a carrier basically provides you with the option to insert and print the shipping type in the document. In addition, you can perform statistical quantity evaluations of the document overviews according to shipping type. If the API connection is to be used for parcel stamp printing from xentral, you must also fill in the setting fields with the portal access data. This way you can print the marks directly from xentral and insert the tracking number via scanner or automatically into the tracking field.
It is possible to edit these pre-set shipping types. Note that the "type" of the shipping type may be used in mappings for online stores in the xentral standard, e.g. the shipping type "DHL" with the same type name "DHL" for Shopware is used as a counterpart in the mapping of the Shopware shipping type "DHL". I.e. an order that is supplied with the shipping type "DHL" by Shopware is then also set to the shipping type "DHL" in xentral.
Shipping types that exist in the store but not in xentral are usually created during the store import. This newly created shipping type therefore requires a field description in xentral and a field description from the online shop/e-commerce connection. Therefore, check and, if necessary, correct the shipping mapping in the respective store interface during the connection and test run of a store.
The most important information about the shipping types:
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Preset shipping types can be selected directly in documents
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Shipping types can be edited. Note mappings if online stores are available or other imports/exports take place
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Shipping types can optionally be assigned to projects
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Shipping types and type names must never be used twice. Each shipping type and its associated type must be unique
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New shipping types can be stored with any module and any shipping mail to your customers, this also applies to existing shipping types
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Shipping types can be deactivated or deleted. The deactivation is recommended if it is not yet clear whether the settings will be needed later
The shipping methods offer you additional features beyond the general ones, such as cash on delivery. You can find information about the individual shipping methods by clicking on the names in the column "Name in xentral".
This alphabetical list gives you an overview of all shipping methods you can use in xentral:
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Shipping methods or parcel stamps |
Name in Xentral |
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Create parcel labels with Amazon Prime |
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Shipping methods: DHL and all functions |
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Shipping methods: DHL Express and all functions |
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Shipping methods: DHL (Old) and all functions |
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Shipping methods: DPD and all functions |
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Shipping methods: DPD AT and all functions |
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Shipping methods: DPD eSolutions and all functions |
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GLS addresses |
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Shipping methods: GLS and all functions |
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Create Internet stamps with Deutsche Post |
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Shipping methods: Austrian Post |
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Shipping methods: Swiss Post |
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Set self pickup in xentral |
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Shipping methods: Sendcloud and all functions |
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Shipping methods: Shipcloud and all functions |
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Create a forwarding agent in xentral |
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Shipping methods: UPS and all functions |
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Create your own address labels |
This is how the mapping of shipping types in xentral works for online stores, for example:
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DHL → DHL
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DPD → DPD
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Express_dpd → Express DPD
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Export_dpd → Export DPD
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GLS → GLS
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No shipping → No shipping
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Self pickup → Self pickup
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Shipping company → Other
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Spedition → Forwarding agency
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Post → Postal service
If no carrier connection is required, you can also set the shipping type "Other" or "Address label". These shipping methods allow you to complete the shipment without a label or with your own fields, e.g. only the tracking field or only the button for self-pickup is selected by you. The address label or other you can individually er- bzw. set. If you want to print the parcel stamps via a CSV file, you can use the shipping methods DPD (CSV) or GLS (CSV). You can find more information here.
New shipping methods can be added to the default ones (special shipping methods, mapping for online stores, etc.). You can create a new shipping method under Administration → Settings → Shipping method → Overview → "+NEW". Select the desired shipping method from the overview.
For a completely new shipping method, click on the "Custom" shipping method:
Then the following overview appears:
Fill in the following fields:
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Description → Enter your freely chosen, short description of the shipping method. However, this may only exist once in the system, otherwise duplications will occur. This designation appears in the software interface when the shipping type is selected in the document. As of version 19.1, you can also translate the shipping type names for the other document languages by clicking on the "gray globe" icon
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Type → Specify the type of the shipping method. However, this type may only exist once in the system, otherwise duplications will occur. You can set the type as long as there is no connection for this shipping type to an interface and no mapping is necessary or the shipping type is only needed for information purposes/as a variable on the document. If a shipping type refers to a shipping type from an online store, the type is fixed. You make settings for this in the store interface. If a shipping type refers to a logistics parcel label interface, e.g. automatic parcel label printing in the logistics process, you must also use the correct type
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Module → Select a module from the drop-down menu. This is a required field! If you leave this field empty, Xentral will automatically select the default module that matches the shipping method. However, if you leave the field empty for the shipping method Custom, this shipping method will not be saved
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Project → Optionally assign a project to the shipping method. You can view already created projects by clicking on the "magnifying glass" icon
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Active → Check the box to activate the shipping method, which will appear as a selection option in the documents and in the shipping center, among other things
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No postage check → By checking this box, you globally deactivate the postage check in the order. This is typically the case for the shipping type "self-collector"
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Printer parcel label → From the drop-down menu you select the printer with which you print your parcel label
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Printer Export → From the drop-down menu you select the printer for the export papers
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Shipment mail → From the drop-down menu you can select how the e-mail about the shipment sent to the customer should look like. "Standard behavior" means that a standard tracking email will be sent, "no shipping email" means that no tracking email will be sent for this shipping type and "own text template" means that an own text template for the shipping confirmation will be used for this shipping type, regardless of the project and logistics process
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Text template > This field appears if you have selected "Own text template" in the drop-down menu for dispatch mail. You can find the templates in the document templates, which you can access by appending "/index.php?module=business_letter_templates&action=list" to your link
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Label template > Here you can choose a XML template for the labels. You can view and edit these templates in the Labels module (Administration > System > Labels)
Finally, click the "Save" button at the bottom right.
The new shipping type can now be used in xentral.
Important
Avoid duplications to already existing shipping types in designation and type. The module can also be used multiple times, e.g. if you want to use the module "DHL" as designation in xentral in different variants.
Existing shipping methods can be accessed via Administration → Settings → Shipping methods → Overview and edited by clicking on the "pencil" icon.
Below you will find information about where you can select and use the shipping methods.
You can insert a shipping method directly into a delivery bill (Warehousing & Logistics → Delivery bill). To do this, click in the delivery note and select the shipping method from the drop-down menu in the "Shipping method" field and then click "Save".
In the delivery bill, in the "Parcel label" tab, you print out the parcel label directly. The prerequisite is that the parcel label printout is available for the selected shipping method. With the "Print parcel label" button you start the printing of the parcel label.
You can also print a parcel label individually directly at the packing table in the logistics process:
You can also print the parcel stamps as a batch when starting the shipping process. You can find the setting in the project under Master data → Projects → Settings → Logistics/Shipping.
The "Print parcel stamp" function only works if:
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You have activated the process starter autoversand_manual/autoversand_plus
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You use picking procedures with a shipping center
The orders are then processed for the 1st commission level via the "Shipping transfer" tab. You can mark the orders to be processed there and print or complete them via "Auto shipping".
You can also add a shipping method directly to an address (Master data → Addresses → Edit a single address → Details → Other data). To do this, click in the address and select the shipping method from the drop-down menu.
You can also set a shipping method as the default shipping method in the basic settings (Administration → Settings → System → Basic settings → Settings → Tax/currency). If a customer does not have a default shipping method, it will be used as default when creating a document.
In addition, the shipping methods are also used in the shipping center or you can set or edit them there. If you want to use a different shipping method for the delivery bill than originally specified, click the "Select other shipping method" button.
An overview of all shipping methods created in the system will appear. Select your alternative from the list and click on the "Change shipping method" button.
Another application of the shipping methods can be found in the "Shipping rules" module, where you specify which shipping service provider (carrier) is used in which scenarios. You can find all further information here.
To be able to fully use a shipping method in xentral and to ensure an uncomplicated communication between online stores and xentral, you apply the shipping method mapping. You can find more information here.
You can send an automatic shipping confirmation with a tracking number with Xentral. To do this, follow these steps:
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Make sure you have an email address set in the basic settings.
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Go to Master Data > Project > Settings > Logistics / Shipping for your project and check the box Shipping Confirmation/Tracking in the area Stage 2 (pack) at dispatch station.
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Select your desired shipping method under Administration > Shipping methods and then select Default behavior option in the Shipping mail field.
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Make sure there is a template of type Versand under Administration > System > Business Letter Templates. This template can be modified as desired. You can find more information about business letter templates in this article.
xentral has interfaces to all common shipping service providers, including DHL, DHL Express, DPD, UPS, GLS, Hermes, Post AT and Post CH. Likewise, the shipping interfaces Sendcloud, SevenSenders and Shipcloud are connected to xentral.
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In the automatic shipping process (auto-shipping), you can print parcel stamps under Warehouse → Shipping Center. Depending on the logistics settings in the project, the printout is done automatically or at the push of a button.
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If you continue manually to the delivery bill, you can also print the parcel stamp manually from the delivery bill.
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After printing the parcel stamp, you can scan the tracking number or enter it manually to store it in the corresponding order/delivery bill. Alternatively, xentral can automatically store the tracking number there.
The tracking number can also be printed as a variable on the delivery bill or invoice to show it to the end customer.
Settings in the shipping method:
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Is the correct shipping method set in the delivery bill (in which a connection to the parcel service provider is also set)?
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Is the correct setting saved in the shipping method? (an error message may appear when printing the parcel label).
Transfer to the printer:
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is a file created after generating the parcel label (button ""Print parcel label"") (check in the shipping service provider portal)?
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Is this file then also stored in the Xentral printer (Tab: Spooler) as a PDF?
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if the package tag is in the spooler and is not printed out, the printer connection does not fit.
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