This articles describe the two ways a retailer can setup and configure order-specific packages with dimensions and weight, explore carrier service rates, create labels for an order and finally ship it.
The process can be performed interactively from shipment details, or guided through a multi-step wizard from Sales order details.
Creating Shipping Labels for an Order Shipment
The process starts from a committed sales order. Navigate to tab Shipment and configure the label .
When you create a label one shipment at a time, the process starts by selecting the carrier service and package type for the shipment. The package type list includes both custom package types defined in application settings and carrier-specific package types available for the selected carrier service. If no carrier service has been selected yet, only generic package types are shown. Custom package types can also include pre-configured dimensions, which helps reduce manual data entry during label creation.
Next, enter the package dimensions and weight. Dimensions can be filled automatically from the selected package definition or entered manually when needed. Package weight is also set automatically when the products in the shipment have weights defined. If product weights are not available, the shipper can weigh the package and enter the value directly. When weight is calculated automatically from product data, the system also adds the weight of the empty package.
Once all required shipment details have been provided, Finale retrieves a shipping rate for the selected service and package. The displayed rate includes both the cost and the estimated delivery delay.
At that point, the user can create the label. Before doing so, the user can also change the carrier service or package type to compare other available shipping rates and delivery options.
After the label is created, the tracking number displays. The user can then print the shipping documents or, when supported by the carrier, void the label.
How to Create Shipping Labels From a Sales Order
Another shipping process starts from the sales order view. Starting from a committed sale order, select command Create label and ship order.
Using this command, users are taken through a multi-step wizard to configure packages. The wizard starts with an info message, a frame to capture package information, followed by another to select sublocation and shipping dates.
If the label is created from a rate with a delay, the estimated delivery date is initialized from the date shipment sent. Changing "date shipment sent" automatically updates "estimated delivery date" using the rate's delay. The estimated delivery date can also be overridden if required.
The summary is presented in a confirmation step before creating the label.
The resulting frame offers commands to print label and packing slip.
Further readings
To lean more about label creation and how to ship in batch, see article How to create carrier labels in batch in Finale.
To learn more about address verification to improve shipping accuracy, see article dedicated to address verification in Finale.
To learn more about defining custom containers to ship your orders, see article about creating and defining custom package types.