Explains ShipStation's Scan to Verify and Print feature, its requirements, how to use it, as well as how to add a UPC to a product record.
The Scan to Verify and Print feature ensures that you ship exactly what was ordered every time! The Scan to Verify workflow allows you to scan a UPC or SKU barcode to confirm the picker has the right items to pack, which minimizes packing errors and provides the ability to apply precise package weight for each shipment.
Scan to Verify provides audio and visual feedback when you scan an item barcode. This allows you to detect packing errors and confirm that the contents of every order are correct.
Not Available in ShipStation Legacy
The Scan to Verify is only available in ShipStation's new layout.
The Scan to Verify feature uses ShipStation's barcode scanning functionality. To learn more about how barcodes work, please read our Barcode Overview article.
Two important things to note about this feature:
Scan to Verify does not add products to the order with a scan.
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Scan to Verify is not for inventory management. Ideally, you will have checked the order against inventory before sending a picker off to grab those items.
If an item is out of stock, we recommend you create separate shipments for the in-stock and out-of-stock items.
Before using Scan to Verify, make sure you have done the following:
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Add UPCs and/or Fulfillment SKUs to your product records (details in the following section). We recommend using our CSV import method to add UPCs or Fulfillment SKUs to all of your products at once.
Multiple UPCs or SKUs on Products Not Supported
Scan to Verify does not support using multiple UPC codes or Fulfillment SKUs on a single product.
Install ShipStation Connect on your printer workstation and sign in (if you haven't already).
Connect your label printer to your printer workstation.
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Connect your barcode scanner.
We have successfully tested Scan to Verify with the Symbol DS9208, Symbol LS2208, Socket Mobile s700. However, Scan to Verify should work with any barcode scanner you already use with ShipStation.
You may need to configure your scanner to remove the carriage return (many scanners automatically hit Enter on scan).
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Print your packing slips with either a Scan to View or an order number barcode.
ShipStation's default packing slip template includes the Scan to View barcode already.
Connect a USB scale or use pre-configured order weights.
RECOMMENDED: Set up auto-funding if you use a balance-funded postage provider.
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Set preferences for Scan to Verify to support UPC, Item SKU, and/or Fulfillment SKU for items.
Go to
Account > Workflow Settings > Scan To Verify Items Byto set your preference.
When you scan product barcodes, ShipStation attempts to match the barcode to the UPC value in ShipStation's product records. If you scan UPC barcodes, you must add UPCs to your Product Details to use Scan to Verify successfully.
There are two ways to add a UPC to your products:
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Add the UPC manually to the Product Details UPC field if you need to add or update just a few products.
Review the Update Products individually section of the Update Products article if you need instructions on how to do this.
Upload your UPCs via a product CSV import - the most efficient way to bulk update your products.
Fulfillment SKUs are used by fulfillment services like Amazon to identify products. If you use barcodes in your workflow, you can now scan to verify products using the Fulfillment SKU.
To use this feature, you must enable Fulfillment SKUs in your workflow settings and enter Fulfillment SKUs on product records.
If you scan SKU barcodes that represent your product's fulfillment SKU, you must add Fulfillment SKUs to your Product Details to use Scan to Verify successfully.
There are two ways to accomplish this:
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Under the Products tab, double click on a product to open the product details. Enter the FNSKU in the Fulfillment SKU field under the Shipping tab on the Product Details screen.
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Upload your Fulfillment SKUs via a product CSV import to bulk update your products. Enter the FulfillmentSKU in the FillSKU column in the CSV.
To use Scan to Verify:
Print packing slips for the orders you want to pick and pack.
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Select your label printer (and your scale, if using one) from the drop-down menus at the top of the screen.
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Scan a packing slip barcode.
Type Order Number if Scanner Not Available
You can manually enter an order number into the Find Shipment field, if you are not using a scanner.
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Choose one of three ways to verify the products in the order (each method is tracked and reported differently):
Scan the barcode for each product in the order, - or -
Click Verify to manually verify each line item, - or -
Click Verify All to verify all order items.
Each of these options will change the count for the product until they all have been accounted for. Once the total quantity for an item is successfully scanned, ShipStation considers that item Verified. Once all items are verified, move on to Step 6.
Tip
Set preferences for Scan to Verify to support UPC, Item SKU, Fulfillment SKU, or any combination of the three. Go to Account > Workflow Settings > Scan to Verify Items By Preference to set your preference.
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Click Mark as Verified or press V to use the hotkey.
This will take you to the Configure Shipment Widget to create your label. You may keep any previously configured settings or update your shipping preferences, as needed. If you have a scale connected, ShipStation will automatically apply the weight from your scale to the shipment.
Workflow Setting Available
If you do not want to click Mark as Verified after verifying all your products, you can adjust the Workflow Settings for your account so that ShipStation will automatically move to the Configure Shipment Widget after you verify the last product on an order.
OPTIONAL: If you need to edit any verified items, click Edit Verification to return to the previous screen.
Click the Print Label button or press P to create and print the label.
Repeat steps 4 - 7 for each order in your stack of packing slips.
To view an order's history or to reprint a label, simply scan the barcode on the packing slip again while in the Scan to Verify screen.
See Scan to Verify in Action
Use Barcode Scan Actions to Purchase and Print the Label
To make your workflow even more efficient, use the Purchase and Print Label barcode scan action to remove mouse clicks and hotkeys from your process entirely!
Click Print Barcode Sheet in the Scan to Verify screen.
This will print the Scan to Print Barcode, which you can keep on your workstation. Scan this barcode to purchase and print the labels for each order, instead of clicking the Print Label button or pressing the P hotkey.
Connect a USB scale to automatically apply the package weight to the shipment in ShipStation.
Select the scale during setup, scan each item and place it in the box. Once all items are scanned and the box is packed, place the box on the scale. This will automatically apply the weight from your scale as the weight of the shipment so you can create your label right away.
OPTIONAL: Use a scale as you add items and packing material or void fill. The scale will detect the added weight (bubble wrap, bonus gift, additional products, etc) and adjust as you pack the shipment.
The following details may help to improve your workflow with Scan to Verify:
During Scan to Verify, if you scan an item that is out of your view, a notification will alert you that an out of view item has been counted/verified.
You may need to adjust the barcode size printed on your packing slips to accommodate your scanner. Please review the Change Barcode Size, Type, and Font section of the Scan to Search article to learn how.
Most general-purpose barcode scanners will work, be it USB or Bluetooth. Models we've tested that work well include the Zebra Symbol LS2208 and the Motorola LI4278.
USB scales that don’t fall asleep are ideal, as ShipStation Connect is unable to wake up devices that have turned themselves off due to inactivity.