Shipping Management
Official guide · English · Version 9c253d0cf11816df
The Shipping module in DirectSale provides a comprehensive system for managing how products are delivered to your customers. From configuring shipping carriers and setting pricing policies to tracking individual shipments, the shipping section covers the entire fulfillment workflow.
Overview
The Shipping section is organized into three pages, accessible via the tabbed navigation at the top:
| Page | Path | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Shipping (Overview) | /dashboard/shipping |
Dashboard showing shipment statistics, shipping policy configuration, and a list of all shipments with status management. |
| Carriers | /dashboard/shipping/carriers |
Configure shipping carriers, manage API connections, compare rates, and test live pricing. |
| Product Rules | /dashboard/shipping/rules |
Set per-product shipping rules including carrier preferences, delivery type, protection, and more. |
Shipping Overview Dashboard
The main Shipping page provides an at-a-glance view of your shipping operations.
Statistics Cards
Four summary cards are displayed at the top:
| Card | Description |
|---|---|
| Total Shipments | The total number of shipments created across all orders. |
| Active Carriers | The number of shipping carriers you have configured and enabled. |
| In Transit | The count of shipments currently in transit. |
| Cost Strategy | Your current shipping cost strategy (e.g., "Pass to Customer", "Flat Rate"). |
Shipping Policy
The Shipping Policy section lets you configure global shipping settings that affect how shipping costs are calculated and presented to customers.
Cost Strategy Options
| Strategy | Description |
|---|---|
| Pass to Customer | Actual shipping costs from carriers are passed directly to customers at checkout. |
| Free Shipping | All orders ship for free, regardless of order value. You absorb the shipping cost. |
| Flat Rate | A single fixed shipping cost is applied to all orders. Enter the flat rate amount when selected. |
| Free Above Threshold | Orders above a specified amount get free shipping. Orders below the threshold pay the actual shipping cost. Enter the threshold amount when selected. |
Display & Notification Toggles
| Setting | Description |
|---|---|
| Show Estimated Delivery | Display estimated delivery dates to customers during checkout. |
| Show Carrier Name | Display the name of the shipping carrier to customers. |
| Email Tracking to Customer | Automatically send tracking information to customers via email when a shipment is created. |
| Auto-Select Cheapest Carrier | Automatically select the least expensive carrier/service for each shipment. |
Click "Save Policy" after making changes to persist your settings.
Recent Shipments
The shipments table shows all shipments with the following columns:
| Column | Description |
|---|---|
| Order | The order number associated with the shipment. |
| Customer | The customer's name. |
| Carrier | The shipping carrier used for this shipment. |
| Tracking | The tracking code. Clickable if a tracking URL is available. |
| Status | The current shipment status (color-coded badge). |
| Date | When the shipment was created. |
| Actions | Status update dropdown, view order, track, and download label buttons. |
Shipment Statuses
| Status | Color | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Label Created | Gray | A shipping label has been created but the package has not been picked up. |
| Picked Up | Blue | The carrier has picked up the package. |
| In Transit | Indigo | The package is on its way to the destination. |
| Out for Delivery | Purple | The package is out for final delivery. |
| Delivered | Green | The package has been delivered successfully. |
| Exception | Red | There is an issue with the shipment (e.g., delivery attempt failed, address problem). |
| Returned | Orange | The package has been returned to the sender. |
Status Transitions
You can update a shipment's status using the dropdown in the Actions column. The available transitions depend on the current status:
| Current Status | Can Transition To |
|---|---|
| Label Created | Picked Up, Exception |
| Picked Up | In Transit, Exception |
| In Transit | Out for Delivery, Delivered, Exception |
| Out for Delivery | Delivered, Exception |
| Exception | In Transit, Returned |
| Delivered | (terminal -- no further transitions) |
| Returned | (terminal -- no further transitions) |
Filtering Shipments
Use the status dropdown above the table to filter shipments by status. Select "All Statuses" to see everything.
Who Can Access Shipping?
Access to shipping features is role-dependent:
| Role | Shipping Overview | Carriers | Product Rules |
|---|---|---|---|
| Owner | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Admin | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Manager | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Operator | Yes | -- | -- |
| Accountant | -- | -- | -- |
| Viewer | -- | -- | -- |
Info: Operators can view shipments and update their statuses but cannot configure carriers or product rules. This allows fulfillment staff to manage day-to-day shipping operations without accessing configuration settings.
Next Steps
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Zones & Restrictions -- Destination patterns, carrier assignments and blocked destinations.
-
Configuring Carriers -- Learn how to add shipping carriers, connect APIs, and compare rates.
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Rates & Product Rules -- Set per-product shipping rules, delivery preferences, and protection levels.