How to Automate Shipping Label Generation from Orders

The gap between receiving an order and getting it out the door is where shipping operations either scale or collapse. For a warehouse processing 200+ orders daily, manually selecting carriers, entering addresses, comparing rates, and printing labels can consume 3-4 hours of staff time. Automated shipping label generation eliminates this bottleneck entirely, turning order placement into a hands-free fulfillment trigger.

This guide covers the complete setup for automating shipping label creation using ShipStation as the shipping engine and Make.com as the orchestration platform.

Step 1: Configure ShipStation Automation Rules

ShipStation's built-in automation rules are the foundation. These rules automatically assign shipping parameters to incoming orders based on conditions you define. Set up rules for:

• Carrier assignment: Route orders to specific carriers based on destination, weight, or value. For example, USPS Priority for packages under 1 lb, UPS Ground for 1-10 lbs, and freight for anything heavier.
• Service level mapping: Map the customer's selected shipping speed (standard, expedited, overnight) to the correct carrier service code.
• Package type selection: Automatically assign package dimensions based on the SKUs in the order. If SKU-A always ships in a 12x10x6 box, create a rule that sets that package type.
• Insurance and signature: Auto-apply insurance for orders above a dollar threshold and require signature confirmation for high-value shipments.
• Warehouse assignment: If you ship from multiple locations, route orders to the nearest warehouse based on the ship-to ZIP code.

Figure 1: Automated carrier selection based on package weight and order characteristics

Step 2: Connect Order Sources to ShipStation

ShipStation has native integrations with most e-commerce platforms, but for custom order sources (B2B portals, phone orders, PO-based orders), you need Make.com to bridge the gap:

• Native integrations: Connect Shopify, WooCommerce, Amazon, and eBay directly through ShipStation's store settings. Orders import automatically.
• QuickBooks orders: Use Make.com to watch for new sales orders in QuickBooks and push them to ShipStation via the API, mapping customer name, shipping address, and line items.
• Email/PDF orders: If you process POs via email (see our email-to-order guide), add a ShipStation creation step at the end of your parsing workflow.
• Custom portals: If customers place orders through a custom B2B portal, use webhooks to send order data to Make.com, which transforms and forwards it to ShipStation.

Step 3: Enable Auto-Label Creation

With automation rules set and orders flowing in, configure ShipStation to generate labels automatically. This requires the "Automatic Label Creation" feature in ShipStation's automation settings:

• Enable "Create Labels Automatically" for orders that match your automation rules with 100% confidence (all fields populated, address validated).
• Set a time delay (e.g., 15 minutes) to allow for order modifications or cancellations before the label is purchased.
• Configure address validation through ShipStation's built-in USPS address verification. Orders with invalid addresses should be routed to a hold queue instead of generating labels.
• Set up batch printing so labels are sent to your thermal printer (Zebra ZP450 or DYMO 4XL) in batches at defined intervals, or in real-time as they are created.

Address validation is the most critical step. A single wrong ZIP code results in a returned package, a re-ship, and unhappy customer. Always validate addresses before label generation and auto-correct when confidence is high.

Step 4: Build Rate Shopping Logic

Blind carrier assignment leaves money on the table. Implement rate shopping to automatically select the cheapest carrier for each shipment within the delivery window:

• Define shipping SLAs: Standard orders must arrive within 5-7 business days. Expedited within 2-3 days. Overnight by next business day.
• Query multiple carriers: For each order, use ShipStation's rate comparison to query USPS, UPS, and FedEx simultaneously. Select the lowest rate that meets the SLA.
• Factor in dimensional weight: Some carriers charge by dimensional weight, which penalizes light but bulky packages. Your rate shopping should calculate both actual and dim weight to compare accurately.
• Account for surcharges: Residential delivery surcharges, fuel surcharges, and peak season surcharges can dramatically change the cheapest option. Include these in your comparison.

Step 5: Set Up Post-Label Automation

Label generation is not the end of the workflow. Configure these downstream automations:

• Tracking notification: Automatically email the customer their tracking number and carrier information the moment a label is created.
• Inventory update: Decrement your inventory sync system to reflect shipped quantities.
• Invoice trigger: For net-terms customers, fire the invoice creation workflow when the shipment event occurs.
• Packing slip generation: Auto-print packing slips alongside labels so warehouse staff can pick, pack, and ship in a single pass.
• Daily shipping report: Generate an end-of-day summary showing total shipments, carrier breakdown, total shipping cost, and any exceptions.

Figure 2: Automated actions triggered after each shipping label is created

Expected Results

After implementing automated shipping label generation, you should expect:

• 90% reduction in label creation time: From 2-3 minutes per order to seconds.
• 15-25% lower shipping costs: From automated rate shopping across carriers.
• Near-zero address errors: From automated validation before label purchase.
• Same-day shipping rate above 95%: Orders placed before your cutoff time ship the same day without human intervention.

Take our automation readiness quiz to evaluate your current shipping operations, or explore the full order-to-cash pipeline to see how shipping automation fits into the bigger picture.