In this article, you will find information about how Shipcloud connects to Xentral. If you already have existing contracts with one or more shipping service providers, you can simply deposit them with Shipcloud and continue shipping on your terms. To do so, contact support@shipcloud.io after you sign up.
A general overview of the shipping methods and parcel labels that you can use in Xentral can be found here.
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Shipcloud lets you connect multi-carrier and shipping methods with your own contracts.
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This module allows you to create parcel labels and save the tracking number.
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You can configure package advance notices with Shipcloud.
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You can choose the appropriate shipping services (Standard or Express for DHL and DPD only).
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Not all services of all parcel service providers can be configured and used, e.g. with DHL the visual age check / ID check.
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The Internet number cannot be configured for reference.
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Pick-up can only be ordered directly from the Shipcloud portal, not via Xentral.
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Return labels can only be ordered directly from the Shipcloud portal. Xentral uses shipping labels (and tariffs) for returns. Returns with QR code (DHL) cannot be generated in Xentral.
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Typical use cases:
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You want to connect shipping methods that Xentral does not support directly (e.g. Angel, Sendia, Cargo International).
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If you (e.g. as a fulfillment service provider) use a lot of different shipping methods and contracts, the connection via Shipcloud can be advantageous in terms of administration.
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Shipcloud offers advanced services that unfortunately can only be used via the Shipcloud portal itself, so to use these advanced services you will need to use two systems as a user.
Shipcloud offers the following features:
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Disabling the Additional Service Advance message
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Selection of service type for DHL and DPD
First, register on Shipcloud.com, then select your subscription based on your shipment quantity. To verify that this process worked, log in to Shipcloud and click your login name in the upper right, then Profile.
To set up the shipping method in Xentral, you only need the API key from your account data, which can be found under your login name > API key:
With one click you get to the interface shown here where you can copy the API key:
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At the end Shipcloud receives the Affiliate ID automatically transmitted by Xentral, which indicates which Xentral customer is using Shipcloud.
To use Shipcloud in Xentral as a shipping method, you must first create a new shipping method, which you can create in the menu Administration > Settings > Shipping Methods > Overview > +NEW→ Shipcloud.
Fill in the following fields:
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Designation → Freely select a description for the shipping method. This will be displayed in Xentral e.g. in the order for selection in the drop-down menu
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Type → Specify a type. You can generally choose this as you like, unless it is required for shop mapping or other mappings. Ideally, however, you keep the default
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Module → Select Shipcloud from the drop-down menu.
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Project → Optionally select a project, provided a separate UPS shipping method is created for each project
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Active → By checking, you activate the shipping method and make it visible and usable
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No postage check → Checking does not perform a postage check on behalf
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Printer parcel label → Select the default printer that prints the parcel labels from the drop-down menu
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Printer export → From the drop-down menu, select the default printer that prints the export papers
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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 to you: Default behavior: Logistics settings from the project are used. These settings can be found in the menu Settings > Basic Settings > Projects > Open Project > Tab: Settings > Tab: Logistics / Shipping. In the Level 1 (Pick/Order Picking) and Level 2 (Pack) areas, you use the checkboxes called Email to define the steps that will 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 by email. You need to create this template in advance in the Settings > Basic Settings > Receipts > Text templates menu. Then select the template you want from the Text template drop-down menu. This selection does not use the logistics settings of the project for this shipping method.
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API Key → Enter the API Key from the Shipcloud Customer Portal here
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Standard height → Specify the default height of a shipment in cm. This will be automatically added to the shipping dialog
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Standard width → Specify the default width of a shipment in cm. This will be automatically added to the shipping dialog
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Standard length → Specify the default length of a shipment in cm. This will be automatically added to the shipping dialog
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Shipping Company → Select the shipping method to be shipped via Shipcloud from the drop-down menu. If you use multiple shipping methods via Shipcloud, then create multiple shipping methods in Xentral as well. Only the name, type and shipping company will change here. An overview of this can be found here
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Service → Select the desired service from the drop-down menu. Available are Normal and Express. Note: This field is only transferred for DPD and DHL
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Minimum weight → Specify the minimum weight of a shipment in kg. This will be automatically added to the shipping dialog
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Adjust weight in → To create the shipping label, an accurate calculation of the total weight of the shipment including packaging material is required. For Xentral, the shipment weight is automatically calculated in the background by adding the total weight of the items contained in the order. With the present option, a weight you specify is added to this weight. This creates a total value for the shipping declaration, which is taken into account when creating the shipping label and is automatically reported to the shipping service provider. Decide whether the additional weight of the packaging material should be expressed in kg or Xentral. Use the following setting called Adjust weight to to define the extra weight more precisely.
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Adjust weight to → Use this setting to specify your details for the Adjust weight in setting. Enter the additional weight of the shipment in kilograms or percent depending on the previous selection. Which calculation method and specific values you choose depends on the packaging type of your products and the packaging materials you use.
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Tracking number from position: To correctly adopt the tracking number, you must specify the correct position of the tracking number in the Sendcloud shipping method. The specified number of characters is truncated at the beginning of the tracking number (e.g. at 4 and abcdef, ef is left).
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Tracking no. length: Enter the length of the tracking number. If you leave the field blank, the tracking number will be taken over until the end.
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Disable Additional Service Advance Message → Activating this option disables the Additional Service Advance message, i.e. Shipcloud's advance notice of a package
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Save tracking number to sales order → Checking automatically inserts the tracking number into the field after creating the shipping label and no longer requires scanning by the shipping label
Finally, click on Save at the bottom right.
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If you change your access data with one of the shipping service providers, you will also need to adjust this data in the Shipcloud Portal.
If you use different shipping service providers through Shipcloud, you must create a separate shipping method for each one in Xentral, using unique names for the Type field:
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Angel → angel_de
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Cargo International → cargo_international
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Deutsche Post → dpag
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DHL → dhl
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DHL Express → dhl_express
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DPD → dpd
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FedEx → fedex
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GLS → gls
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Hermes → hermes
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iIoxx → iloxx
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PARCEL.ONE → parcel_one
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Seven Senders → seven_senders
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TNT → tnt
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UPS → ups
Once you have carried out all settings, you can test the parcel label printing in the shipping center or in an individual delivery note. Go to the delivery note and select the shipping method Shipcloud from the corresponding drop-down menu in the Delivery note tab:
Click on Save before navigating to the parcel label dialog.
Afterwards, click on the Parcel label tab in the delivery note and print a shipping label for the included items using the Print parcel label button:
In the Name 2 field, you can optionally enter the company name, and in the Email field, you can additionally enter an e-mail address for DHL and DPD to use the DPD Predict or DHL Notification service.
After your test print is complete, you can cancel the parcel label in the DPD Business Customer Portal.