Using ShipWorks with Magento (USPS, UPS, Fedex Shipping integration)

In this post we will be exploring the integration of Interapptive’s ShipWorks with Magento.

ShipWorks is a Windows-only desktop application that integrates a number of different shopping carts with the most common shipping services. It uses the Microsoft SQL server as it’s data storage engine, allowing it be installed on multiple computers on the same network.

ShipWorks currently has support for the following shipping methods:

UPS (direct integration)
UPS Worldship
DHL (direct integration)
Fedex
USPS (Label printing, w/out postage)
USPS (via Stamps.com desktop application – domestic shipping only)
USPS (via Endicia desktop application)

Benefits of using ShipWorks

Fast shipping fulfillment
Less error-prone than copy-and-pasting
Integration with multiple different shipping methods
Low cost (max. of $49.95/mo – see pricing)

Disadvantages

Windows-only (this is a common trend with shipping management software)
Desktop-based (as opposed to web-based)

Typical Magento/ShipWorks Order Fulfillment Workflow

Here are the steps a typical order fulfillment process will look like, once the Magento/ShipWorks integration is completed:

Download new orders from Magento by going to “Order > Download Orders” in Magento. This will download all orders since the last order download.
Select all orders that aren’t marked as “Closed” or “Complete”. You can create filters in ShipWorks that will only show orders that match certain parameters. If you offer multiple shipping providers (eg, UPS & Fedex), you’ll want to select and process orders from each shipping provider separately.
Click the button on the toolbar for the shipping provider associated with the selected orders.
You’ll then customize the shipping options (delivery confirmation, insurance, etc…) for the orders. You can do this individually or as a group.
1. Note: I did notice that when you open the shipping label dialog, ShipWorks doesn’t properly associate shipping services imported from Magento to their respective service type in. For example, when you select three orders, one with “USPS Priority” and the others with “USPS First-Class” mail, the “USPS Priority” option is selected for all orders. Here is a screenshot demonstrating this.
Once you’re done customizing the shipping options, you’ll print the shipping labels.
Once an order is shipped, it will be marked as “Complete” in Magento. A Shipment will also be created that will be associated with the associated Order and Invoice. If a tracking number was provided from the associated shipping service, it will be added to the Shipment. This will allow a customer to login to the “My Account” section of the Magento store and see that their order has been shipped.
ShipWorks has the ability to send shipping confirmation emails directly to the customer. This may work fine for many merchants, but there will be those that want Magento to send the shipment confirmation email. Based on my perusal of shipworks.php file, it doesn’t look like a shipment notification email is sent from Magento when a shipment is created. If a merchant wants to have all emails sent from Magento, it would require a small change to be made to the shipworks.php file.

Alternative Solutions for Integrating Magento with UPS, USPS, or Fedex

There are alternatives to using ShipWorks. Here are a few alternatives. If you know of any integration methods that aren’t listed here, please let me know and I’ll add them to the list.

Installation – Magento Script

In order to install the Magento script for ShipWorks, all you have to do is copy the provided shipworks.php file into your Magento installation directory.

Installation – ShipWorks

Here are screenshots of the ShipWorks installation process:

Initial Setup Screen

Installation Location

Database Location Selection

If you choose the “Connect to and existing ShipWorks” database, you’ll see the following:

SQL Server Selection

If you choose the “Create a new ShipWorks database” option, you’ll see this:

: You can either install the packaged version of Microsoft SQL Version, or you can use an existing installation

ShipWorks connects to the Interapptive servers to download the latest version

: You’ll create an SQL account on your newly installed server

After installing MSDE (SQL Server Desktop Engine) and restarting your computer, you'll create a database

Setup ShipWorks user account

Software Licensing Screen

Magento Store Setup Wizard

Shipment Settings

ShipWorks will use these settings to send emails to customers (if you configure it to send email notifications)

ShipWorks Screenshots

Here are some screenshots of ShipWorks in action. More screenshots/screencasts can be found on the Interapptive site.

Once you connect ShipWorks to Magento, you can "Orders > Download Orders" to download all orders from Magento

Orders View - You can view all orders that have been imported from Magento (customer data is blurred).

Customer View - See all customers that are associated with the imported orders. ShipWorks groups all orders for a specific customer together, allowing you to see an entire order history for a customer.

Here is an example of 7 orders being prepared to print labels using Endicia's Dazzle application

This entry was posted on Saturday, August 15th, 2009 at 4:04 pm and is filed under Management. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

21 Responses to “Using ShipWorks with Magento (USPS, UPS, Fedex Shipping integration)”

Carl
August 26th, 2009 at 11:31 am

Thanks for this guide. I have been using a version (apparently older) with my zen cart store and I’m in the process of switching to Magento. I didn’t think it was supported, and here I find out that not only is it supported, but apparently my software is quite out of date . . .

Thanks!
steff
December 12th, 2009 at 12:53 am

HI – this is great info.
Any idea why Shipworks would not be able to download all the orders in my store? I have everything set up, but am only getting 8 order downloaded out of 60?

any ideas of where i can go to figure this out would be appreciated…

cheers,
Steff
ehansen
December 28th, 2009 at 4:30 pm

@steff I would recommend contacting ShipWorks about this issue. You can contact them here: http://www.interapptive.com/company/contact.html
Neil
January 9th, 2010 at 2:22 pm

I’m about 5 days into a 30-day evaluation and so far I’m impressed. We’re bricks and clicks. 90% of our shipments weigh less that 2 lbs.

I currently use a Pitney Bowes Mailstation ($50 month rental) to print regular postage and first class packages, this is a problem in that I can’t do delivery conf without a trip to the post office.

I have to manually enter address info into USPS Click and Ship for priority mail and manually maintain the magento status for each order.

It’s all very time consuming.

With Shipworks and Magento and stamps.com and UPS online I can now do everything from the Shipworks desktop application, and apply delivery confirmation/tracking if I want. I’ll print 44c stamps from stamps.com. Magento status is updated automatically and emails are sent to the customer.

This is going to be a huge productivity win for us.

I’m going to send the mailstation back and cancel the Pitney Bowes account, and my initial service fees (stamps.com and shipworks will be less than $50 – by my calculation they could max out at $64.95/month.

Still another 25 days of evaluation, but so far so good.
ehansen
January 11th, 2010 at 9:05 am

@Neil Thanks for your feedback on ShipWorks. I’d love to hear how the rest of your trial period goes.
Samy
February 5th, 2010 at 8:31 pm

“If a merchant wants to have all emails sent from Magento, it would require a small change to be made to the shipworks.php file.”

Where can we get additional info on how to do the above statement or link with instructions?

Great post BTW!!!
ehansen
February 8th, 2010 at 8:43 am

@Sammy – This is something that I don’t believe has been done by anyone up to this point. I’d recommend contacting Shipworks @ http://www.interapptive.com/company/contact.html to see how much they would charge to make this customization. If they’re not able to make the customization, we can make the customization of the shipworks.php file. If you’re interested, just get in touch with us using our contact form.
PapaCuppa
May 4th, 2010 at 4:12 pm

Is this USA only?

Thanks
ehansen
May 4th, 2010 at 4:17 pm

@PapaCuppa – You’ll want to contact ShipWorks directly with that question: http://www.interapptive.com/
Vijay Das
May 30th, 2010 at 8:32 pm

If you want to save some time on the above integration try a Magento only FedEX module called:
ShipSync – A Magento FedEx API extension that has rate estimations, automatic shipment creation, label printing (including thermal), tracking codes, address validation, and bunch more. $250. I have been using ShipSync for almost a year now for my ecommerce site and I have been very happy with it.
http://www.illapps.com/shipsync.html
ehansen
May 31st, 2010 at 9:28 am

@Vijay – Thanks for the link.
bj0rn
June 16th, 2010 at 3:04 pm

Has anybody compared ShipWorks head-to-head with Webgility’s eCC? I’m trying to figure out the best way to connect Magento with Endicia
Dan
August 1st, 2010 at 10:27 pm

Hello all!
Great post! I am still on the fence, weighing out the advantages and disadvantages. I want to go with shipworks, but can anyone recommend which postage solution works better with is, Endicia or Stamps.com? They both cost about the same and their features are nearly identical, but does one of them play better with Shipworks than the other? Any advice is greatly appreciated!
ehansen
August 2nd, 2010 at 9:03 am

@Dan – I’m not sure if either one of those apps plays better with ShipWorks than the other. One thing to keep in mind is that Stamps.com DOESN’T support international shipping, at least at the time I wrote this article. I would recommend contacting Shipworks (http://www.interapptive.com/company/contact.html) to get their take on which app they’d recommend.
John K
December 27th, 2010 at 10:47 am

Thanks for writing this. I also think you should add ShipSync to the list of other products to look at…

http://www.illapps.com/shipsync.html
Thanik B
June 22nd, 2011 at 9:36 pm

I am wondering if you have tried out TrueShip and, if so, what might be your opinion? I found them from UPS Ready Application provider list.
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