How to automate your fulfillment process, reduce manual work, and scale your logistics with ease.
ShippyPro’s Automation Workflows let you create intelligent, rule-based actions that trigger automatically. Whether you ship hundreds or thousands of orders per day, automation helps you eliminate repetitive tasks, reduce errors, and speed up your operations.
In this article, you’ll find ready-to-use automation templates for the most common fulfillment and shipping use cases. Each template includes:
- The action used
- A practical step-by-step explanation
- Tips on how to customize it for your business
Use these templates as a starting point to build a logistics system that can grow alongside your business.
Index:
- Automatically Assign the Correct Package Based on the Products
- Automatically create Multi-Package Shipments Based on the Number of Items
- Automatically Preassign a Carrier to Orders in “To Be Shipped”
- Automate the Whole Shipment Flow
- Add Instructions to the Order Based on the Product
- Add Instructions for Cash On Delivery Orders
- Add Phone Number if Empty
- Add Email if Empty
- Prevent Errors Caused by Invalid Address Formats
- Prevent Errors for Invalid State Field
- Prevent Errors for Invalid Order Description
- Prevent Errors for Invalid Company Name
- Prevent Errors for Invalid City Field
- Assign Incoterm Based on the Destination Country
📦 How to Automatically Assign the Correct Package Based on the Product
Trigger: Order imported
Condition: Product name; Product SKU; Product EAN …
Action: Add parcels
Automating package selection based on the product in the order can significantly reduce manual work and packing errors. To configure it, create a new workflow with the “Order imported” trigger.
Add a condition based on Product name, Product SKU, or Product EAN — for example, select orders that contain products such as “Sneakers” or “Shoes.” You can further refine the rule using operators like contains, does not contain, starts with, or is different from, depending on your catalog’s structure.
Once the condition is set, add the “Add packages” action and select the specific package type saved in the “My Packages” section. This way, every time an order containing the selected product is imported, the correct package will be automatically assigned — with no manual selection required.
Give your workflow a name and save it. It’s a simple yet effective way to standardize packaging and make fulfillment smoother.
📦 How to Create Multi-Package Shipments Based on the Number of Items
Trigger: Order imported
Condition: Item quantity
Action used: Add packages
If you frequently ship orders containing multiple items that need to be split into separate parcels, this automation will save you time and prevent packing errors.
To set it up, create a new workflow with the “Order imported” trigger.
Then, add the Item quantity condition — you can define it as a fixed number (e.g., equals 2), a range (e.g., between 2 and 4), or a relative value (e.g., greater than 3), depending on your packing logic.
Next, select the “Add packages” action. Here you can assign multiple packages of the same or different types based on your fulfillment needs. You can choose among the packages saved in the My Packages section or create new ones.
Once saved, the workflow will automatically assign multiple parcels to orders that meet the condition. When you generate the label, ShippyPro will automatically create a multi-parcel shipment — no manual work required.
🚚 How to Automatically Preassign a Carrier to Orders in “To Be Shipped”
Trigger: Order imported
Condition: Any (e.g., Destination country, Store, Payment method, etc.)
Action used: Preassign carrier
Preassigning a carrier as soon as an Order imported allows you to speed up label generation, reduce errors, and maintain full control over your shipping strategy.
To configure this workflow, start with the “Order imported” trigger.
Then define the conditions according to your shipping logic. For example, if you want to apply the rule only to Shopify orders destined for Italy, set the conditions Country = Italy and Store = Shopify. You can also combine multiple filters to create advanced routing rules.
Next, use the “Preassign carrier” action and select the carrier you want to automatically assign to these orders.
Once activated, the automation will preassign the selected carrier to all new orders that meet the criteria. The benefits are numerous:
- Orders are pre-validated according to the carrier’s requirements, allowing you to detect issues before label generation.
- The shipping label will be generated exclusively with the preassigned carrier, ensuring full control.
- Orders can be easily filtered and grouped by carrier in the “To Be Shipped” table, facilitating bulk actions.
This is a key automation for businesses that manage multiple carriers or need to apply strict shipping rules.
⚙️ How to Automate the Whole Shipment Flow
Trigger: Order imported
Condition: Any (e.g. Store is Shopify + Destination country is Italy)
Actions used: Format address, Add parcel, Generate label
This is a great example of how to fully automate your shipping process using multiple actions within the same workflow. Instead of performing each task manually — cleaning the address, selecting the right packaging, and generating the label — this setup lets you handle it all in one go.
Start by creating a new workflow with the trigger “Order imported”.
Next, add a condition to target the right group of orders, such as Store is Shopify and Destination country is Italy, depending on your fulfillment logic.
Then, add the following actions in sequence:
- Format address – This action will automatically correct common address issues such as overly long street names, invalid characters, or misplaced house numbers.
- Add parcel – Choose the parcel type you typically use for these orders. This ensures the right packaging is always selected without manual input.
- Generate label – Select your preferred carrier to instantly generate the shipping label as soon as the Order imported and processed.
Once saved, this workflow will automatically process each order that matches your conditions — from address formatting to label creation. This means your shipment is ready within seconds after being imported, and all that’s left to do is print the label.
It’s the ultimate way to streamline your operations and scale your logistics efficiently.
🏷️ Add Instructions to the Order Based on the Product
Trigger: Order imported
Condition: Product name, SKU, or EAN
Actions used: Add note, Add tag
This template is extremely useful for automatically adding operational instructions to orders based on the products they include. Whether you want to flag orders containing out-of-stock items, fragile goods, or hazardous materials, this workflow ensures the right tags or notes are added automatically.
Start by creating a new workflow with the trigger “Order imported”. Then, set a condition such as Product SKU or Product name — for example, if a specific SKU represents a fragile or restricted item.
Next, choose the “Add note” or “Add tag” action. For instance, you could write a note like “Out of stock – put on hold”, or add a tag like “Fragile”.
Once saved, this workflow ensures that every order containing the selected product is automatically annotated. Your team will immediately see the instructions when fulfilling the order — no need for manual checks. This reduces errors, saves time, and helps standardize how special items are handled during the fulfillment process.
💵 Add Instructions for Cash On Delivery Orders
Trigger: Order imported
Condition: Payment method
Actions used: Add note, Add tag
Cash on Delivery (COD) shipments often require special handling — such as calling the customer before dispatch or confirming payment instructions. With this automation, you can add notes or tags to COD orders instantly, so your team knows exactly what steps to follow.
Create a new workflow with the trigger “Order imported”. Then set the condition Payment method equals Cash on Delivery (make sure it matches the exact wording imported from your sales channel).
For the action, select “Add note” and write a message like: “Call the customer to confirm”. You can also add a tag if your team uses tags to filter and prioritize shipments.
Once saved, this workflow ensures that every COD order is automatically flagged with the appropriate instructions — helping you reduce delivery issues, ensure proper coordination, and maintain a smooth customer experience.
☎️ Add Phone Number if Empty
Trigger: Order imported
Condition: Recipient phone number (is empty)
Action used: Add recipient phone number
Missing phone numbers are a common issue at checkout, but many carriers require a valid phone number to accept or deliver a shipment. This workflow solves that by adding a default phone number to orders where the recipient hasn’t provided one.
Start by creating a new workflow with the trigger “Order imported”. Then set the condition Recipient phone number is empty.
For the action, choose “Add recipient phone number”, and insert a default number — such as your Customer Service line. You can also use a generic placeholder, as long as it respects valid formatting with the country prefix.
Once the workflow is saved, ShippyPro will automatically fill in the missing number during import, helping you:
- Prevent errors at the label generation step
- Avoid shipment blocks due to incomplete recipient details
- Ensure carriers can reach someone if needed
It’s a simple fix that helps avoid a surprisingly frequent and costly issue.
📧 Add Email if Empty
Trigger: Order imported
Condition: Recipient email is empty
Action used: Add recipient email
Just like with phone numbers, email addresses are essential for delivery notifications and carrier communication. If the field is missing, it can delay the shipping process or create customer service headaches.
To fix this, start a workflow with the trigger “Order imported”, and set the condition Recipient email is empty.
Then, select “Add recipient email” and enter a default address — such as your support@yourcompany.com email or a dedicated tracking inbox.
Once active, ShippyPro will automatically add the default email whenever it’s missing. This helps you:
- Ensure proper carrier communication
- Avoid shipping delays due to missing recipient data
- Keep your processes smooth and error-free
❗️Prevent Errors Caused by Invalid Address Formats
Trigger: Order imported
Condition: Optional
Action used: Format address (1 and 2)
If you often encounter errors like “The recipient’s street cannot exceed 35 characters”, this automation is for you.
Invalid or poorly formatted shipping addresses are among the main causes of carrier errors or failed deliveries — especially when street names exceed character limits or data is entered in the wrong field. With this workflow, you can automatically detect and correct these issues before they cause problems.
Start by creating a new workflow with the “Order imported” trigger.
You can leave the workflow without conditions to apply it to all orders, or add a condition such as Recipient country, for example, to apply it only to shipments going to Italy.
As an action, select “Format address (1 and 2)”. This action uses artificial intelligence to clean and standardize the street field in real time. It can shorten overly long street names, correct formatting issues, and move data entered in the wrong field — for instance, a house number written in “Address 2” instead of “Address 1.”
Thanks to automated address formatting, you’ll prevent common input errors and significantly reduce the risk of failed deliveries, delays, or returns — saving time, costs, and frustration for your customers.
🏙️ Prevent Errors for Invalid State Field
Trigger: Order imported
Condition: Recipient state is not empty
Action used: Format state
Many carriers expect states or provinces to be formatted using two-character codes (like “MI” for Milan), not full names. If the format is incorrect, label generation may fail.
Create a workflow with the trigger “Order imported” and the condition Recipient state is not empty, to avoid unnecessary runs. You can also add a condition for a specific country (e.g. Country is Italy) if that’s where this issue is most relevant.
Choose the “Format state” action. ShippyPro will automatically convert full state names into their official ISO code equivalents — for example, “Florence” becomes “FI”.
This workflow ensures all your shipments use valid state formats, avoiding label errors and delivery issues.
🧾 Prevent Errors for Invalid Order Description
Trigger: Order imported
Condition: Optional (e.g. Store, Country)
Action used: Format order description
Some carriers limit the number of characters or special symbols that can appear in order descriptions. If the description is too long or contains unsupported characters, the shipment may be rejected.
Create a workflow with the trigger “Order imported”. You can run it on all orders, or narrow it using conditions.
Choose the “Format order description” action. This will clean up the description, shorten it to meet carrier limits, and remove invalid characters.
This helps avoid failed shipments and saves time otherwise spent fixing errors manually.
🏢 Prevent Errors for Invalid Company Name
Trigger: Order imported
Condition: Optional
Action used: Format company name
Some carriers have strict limits on the length or format of company names in the recipient field. If the company name is too long, your label could be rejected.
Create a workflow with the trigger “Order imported”, and optionally add a condition based on store, country, or customer type.
Then, choose the “Format company name” action. ShippyPro will automatically shorten and clean the company name so it meets carrier rules.
It’s a small step with a big impact — keeping your shipments moving without unnecessary errors.
🏙️ Prevent Errors for Invalid City Field
Trigger: Order imported
Condition: Optional
Action used: Format recipient city
City names often contain accents or special characters (like “São Paulo”, ““Città d’Isernia” or “Quebéc”) that some carriers can’t process. These issues can cause label failures or delivery delays.
To fix this, create a workflow with the trigger “Order imported”.
Select the “Format city” action. This will automatically clean the city field by removing special characters, accents, or unsupported symbols.
This automation ensures city names are always accepted by carriers, helping you avoid frustrating errors and streamline your shipping.
🌍 Assign Incoterm Based on the Destination Country
Trigger: Order imported
Condition: Destination country is Extra EU
Action used: Assign Incoterm
[video tutorial]
International shipments outside the EU often require specific Incoterms such as DDP, DAP or EXW. Forgetting to assign the right Incoterm can lead to customs delays or unexpected costs.
Start a new workflow with the trigger “Order imported”. Set the condition Destination country is Extra EU.
For the action, select “Assign Incoterm” and choose the appropriate type (e.g. DDP).
From now on, every extra-EU order will automatically be assigned the right Incoterm, ensuring:
- Clear responsibility for customs duties
- Smoother border crossings
- Fewer surprises for your customers