Purpose: In this article we list some common questions regarding how label creation and printing works when first setting up and using the Sendcloud platform. You can always contact us for more help.
I connected my shop to my Sendcloud account, and now I want to print my first label. What do I do?
Once your online shop is integrated with Sendcloud, all of your orders from within the last 30 days will be imported into your incoming order overview. The system retrieves new orders every 4 minutes. Simply select the orders you want to print labels for and press the button "Create labels."
Your labels will be downloaded in pdf format so you can print them and stick them to your parcel, or will print automatically if you have configured your label printer in your account settings.
I want to change an order before I print the label - how do I do that?
Simply select the pen icon next to the order you want to change to edit the order. In the order detail view you can change the shipping method, address, insurance amount, contact details, and other order information. You can use the dropdown arrow to make quick changes to the shipping method and insurance.
I printed my first labels - where are they now?
Once your labels are printed they will appear in the Created labels tab. Once they have been given to the carrier or dropped at a parcel shop and have received their first scan from the delivery driver, they will appear in the Shipped tab where you can see all tracking information along the delivery journey.
I want to create a label for an order that has not been placed on my online store. How can I do that?
You can manually create labels by clicking on the "+New shipment" button on the top right of your screen. You will be taken to a form that you can fill out with your customer's details and the order details. Once you have entered all the necessary details, you can click Create label to save the form and print the shipping label.
The price of the label will be indicated at the bottom of the form.
You can also create labels by uploading a spreadsheet of orders from a .CSV file by clicking the Upload file button to the right of the New shipment button by saving and uploading a formatted file. Here is an article to help you upload a .CSV file to mass import your orders to your Sendcloud platform.
I created my labels, now how do I print them?
Once you've created your labels, they will appear in the Created labels tab. Select the labels you want to print and press the Print button.
With Sendcloud, all your labels are created in standard A6 format (105 x 148mm). You can either use a standard laser-jet printer using plain paper or A4 size sticker paper (so you can print 4 labels per A4 sheet), or a specialised thermal label printer which will produce self-adhesive labels in A6 format ready to be stuck on your packages.
Click here for more information on setting up your printer for automatic label printing.
I created a label and realised there was an error after I created it. How can I modify it?
Once a label is created, it cannot be changed. For tracking purposes, you will need to cancel the label. Afterward, you can either manually create a new label or duplicate the old one. See section "How do I cancel my label?"
Do I have to pay for a label that I cancelled but did not ship?
Please be aware that labels must be cancelled before 23:59 the same day as label creation, otherwise you will be charged for the label. However, If you miss the same day cancellation deadline, don't worry - you will be charged on your next invoice, but as long as you cancel the label within 42 days from label creation, the costs will be reimbursed on the following invoice. Click here for more info.
Once created, how long is my label valid for?
The validity of a shipping label depends on the carrier and the destination country. In general, it can range from 14 to 60 days. However, to avoid any issues, we recommend using the label within 7 days.
For more specific information about the validity of individual labels, we recommend reaching out to our customer service team.
I created a label but did not use it or ship the parcel - what do I do with it?
We advise you to cancel any label created and unused because you will be charged for the label on your invoice. Click here for more information on how you are charged for labels.
How do I cancel my label?
To cancel a label, select the label you want to cancel from the Created labels tab and select Cancel from the dropdown menu. You can also cancel more than one label at a time. From the "Labels Created" tab, select the labels you want to cancel and click the "Cancel" button.
What happens to labels after I cancel them?
Cancelled labels will appear in the Cancelled tab as an archive for your administrative purposes.
My parcel has been returned to me. Can I ship it again using the same shipping label?
No, you cannot use the same shipping label for a return. Each shipment, even if it’s the same parcel, is treated as unique and identified by its tracking number. Once the shipment has been returned, the tracking number is already used, and it cannot show any new scans. Using the same label could lead to tracking and delivery issues. Instead, you can duplicate the label to create a new, valid tracking number for the return. For more details on how to duplicate a label, click here.
I want to send a follow-up parcel to the same address. Can I use the same shipping label?
No, all parcels must be delivered with an individual label. The shipment label acts as your parcel’s identity card, so it is vital to identify and track each individual parcel.
Can I re-create or duplicate a cancelled label?
You can select a cancelled label from this tab and duplicate it to create a new label using the same details. Note that duplicating a label will mean you are charged again, and you will receive a new tracking number.
Important note about insurance: Any duplicate is considered a new shipment, which means that the duplicated shipment will not have insurance enabled automatically. To add insurance to your duplicate shipment, enable it (again) before creating the label.
What's the difference between cancelling and deleting a label?
If you choose to delete a label instead of cancelling it, the entire order will be deleted and you will no longer be able to view it in your account. The label will also be cancelled, but it will not appear in the Cancelled labels tab. We only recommend deleting a label if it's necessary for GDPR purposes, because once deleted, it can no longer be retrieved.
I can no longer find the order for which I have already created a label. Where is it?
Your already labeled orders are automatically hidden from "Imported Orders" to facilitate their processing. To see your orders already processed, simply go to the Created labels tab, apply the filter of your choice or use the search bar. Alternatively, in the Incoming orders tab, press +filter, select Processing status from the dropdown and apply the Already processed filter.
When I try to create my label, I do not see the estimated price of my shipment displayed. What is going on?
For our customers using their own carrier contract and therefore their own negotiated rates with a carrier, the estimated price of the shipment is displayed at Zero (0.00 €). This is due to the fact that it will not be Sendcloud which will invoice you for this shipment but the selected carrier, in accordance with the pricing that you have negotiated.
How can I create a label for an international shipment (outside the European Union)?
Your orders imported to international destinations appear automatically with the mention "Contains errors". This is because you need to add additional information that you will use for editing the customs document (CN23). To enter this information, click on the stylus to access the details of the order. Click here for step by step instructions on enabling CN23 form printing from your Sendcloud account.
Once all the elements have been added, click on save. Your order is ready to be processed. We invite you to consult this article dedicated to international shipping for more information on this subject, as additional customs forms are often required when shipping internationally.