Creating a New Product

In some cases, you may want to create a new product manually in ShipHawk TMS. To do so, from the main menu, select Product > Create a New Product:

(This action can also be accessed on the Product Catalog page, from the Actions drop-down.)

Entering Product Data

In PRODUCT, enter the product data and product shipping data. Product data refers to basic information used to describe the item. Product shipping data refers to how a product will be shipped.

Sku: Provide a unique product identification code in this field. The SKU field is a required field.

Name: Provide a unique name to identify your product. This name is the one most users will use to search your product. E.g. “wooden table” or “cotton/polyester t-shirt.”

UPC (Optional): Provide a Universal Product Code. UPCs consist of 12 digits. See: UPC Symbols

Description: Enter a unique description for the product that further helps identify the item.

Child Sku: If the current product SKU contains multiples of a child SKU, enter the SKU of that child product in this field. This child SKU is a lower packaging level than the product SKU currently being created.

Child Sku Qty: Enter the number of child SKUs required to make up a parent SKU.

Child Sku Qty Min: The minimum number of child SKUs that must be purchased in order to ship using the parent SKU instead of the child SKU.

Price: Enter the retail rate or suggested manufacturer’s list price of this product (do not factor in discounts).

Image URL: You can attach an image of the product to your Product Catalog by pasting the Image URL in this field.

Product Category: Existing product categories are recommended as you type, or you can enter a unique value to create a new category. Each Product can be mapped to one Product Category.

Product Subcategory: Existing product subcategories are recommended as you type, or you can enter a unique value to create a new product subcategory.

Product Category and Product Subcategory settings allow you to:

Sort and filter product lists in the ShipHawk UI and Product CSV files to quickly find, view, and edit Product settings.
Create and manage rules based on Product Category instead of basing rules on specific SKUs.

Product Category and Subcategory fields can also be mapped directly to ERP fields from ShipHawk. Once mapped, these fields will be automatically synchronized to reference fields in the ERP when products are synchronized.

Ships Individually: Check this setting only if the product packs individually and ships in its own individual shipment. If checked, the system will create a separate proposed shipment for this item.

NOTE This setting does not pertain to products that are packaged in its own box but can still be shipped in the same shipment as other items or packed with other items on a pallet. The item must have its own shipment.

Serialized or Lotted: Select the toggle for either Serialized or Lotted options if your items contain either serial or lot numbers.

This setting affects the behavior of pack verification during the item fulfillment workflow.

(Default is No: neither serialized nor lotted.)

Adding KIT SKUs

The KIT SKUS section includes fields for entering kit information. These fields are optional and should only be completed if the product SKU being created contains a kit-component/Kit SKU. Click Add SKU to add additional kits as needed.

Show as one line item for customs: This setting shows the kit SKU only on customs documentation. It does not show the kit-components as separate line items on Commercial Invoices.

QTY: The quantity of each kit-component/Kit SKU in this Kit.

SKU: Enter the SKU code for each kit-component/Kit SKU.

% of Total Value: The percentage of the total kit value this kit-component/Kit SKU represents.

Adding Items

The ITEMS section includes fields for entering item data, including pop-up windows for including Dangerous Goods Details, International Customs Data, and Advanced Packing Settings. To add additional items, click Add Another Item.

Item Description: Enter a name to identify the item.

Price: Enter the value of the item.

Commodity Description: Enter a description to help identify the item.

QTY: Enter the quantity of this item.

Item Type: Describes how the item exists in the warehouse. The fields that populate below Item Type are contingent upon what item type is selected. The following are common item types you can select to classify your item:

Unpacked: An individual item that requires packing before shipment.

Parcel: A box that can only be shipped using a parcel service. You cannot ship a parcel using LTL services. These items cannot be palletized.

Box: A shortcut for creating a Handling Unit Item Type with Handling Unit Type “Box” that can be shipped using LTL or parcel carrier. Smart Packing will not attempt to palletize items configured as “Box”. The primary purpose for selecting Box has been to force the Smart Packing to consider the item as “already packed” but this setting is no longer typically used. Do not select this option if you wish to palletize the item. To force the Smart Packing to consider the item as “already packed” use the Unpacked item type, and then for set Unpacked Item Type, enter “Box”. This tells ShipHawk that the item itself does not require packing, and that it may be packed with other items into larger boxes or onto pallets.

Crate: A shortcut for creating a Handling Unit Item Type with Handling Unit Type “Crate” that can be shipped using an LTL or parcel carrier depending on the dimensions and weight of the item. Rarely used in ShipHawk. Only use this item type if you explicitly know you are crating items.

Pallet: A shortcut for creating a Handling Unit Item Type with Handling Unit Type “Pallet”. When a Pallet is selected, the User can provide handling unit packages like Box, Drum, Carton, and so on, which are used to accurately define the handling units displayed on the bill of lading. Pallets can only be shipped with LTL carriers.

Unpacked Item Type: This field appears only if you have an Unpacked item type. Enter a word that describes your unpacked item type. You can leave the field blank and it will be set to generic unpacked item by default. Entering an unpacked item type improves the way ShipHawk packs your items.

Pkg QTY: This field appears when you select a Handling Unit (box, crate, parcel) under item type. The number of containers on a pre-packed pallet. For a description of each Handling Unit, refer to Order Details View- Handling Units.

Pkg Type: This field appears only if you select Pallet in the Item Type field. Select the type of container that is packed on this pallet. such as Carton, Box, Bag, or Drum. The options available are determined by your Available Piece Type setting. For a description of package types, refer to Order Details View- Handling Units.

Freight Class and NMFC: If your item may be sent by freight, enter the freight class and NMFC codes in these fields. (Displayed for Unpacked, Pallet, Box, and Crate item types.) See also: https://shiphawk.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/SG/pages/9176243 and https://shiphawk.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/SG/pages/9961532 .

Length/Width/Height: Enter the dimensions of the item you are adding to your product.

Dangerous Goods Details

If you need to input Hazmat information for your item, click the Dangerous Goods Details button at the bottom of the Item section. You will be redirected to the Dangerous Goods Details pop-up window, where you can select a Dangerous Goods Category that best classifies your item.

The fields that populate in this pop-up window are contingent upon what category is selected.

Lithium Batteries

Select the type of battery you are shipping: the shipping regulations can vary depending on what type of lithium battery you are shipping.

Click Add Hazmat Info to add further HAZMAT details as needed:

Limited Quantity

When you select Limited Quantity, click Add Hazmat Info to enter the Hazmat Item Info to enter the details:

Hazmat items must be handled, packaged, and shipped in a specific way. Carriers usually provide shippers with a Hazmat Handbook for information on how to fill out fields with Hazmat data. The UN/NA #, Proper Shipping Name, Technical Name, Hazard Class, Packing Group Information all can be referenced in the Hazmat Handbook.

Example FedEx Hazmat Handbook

Excepted Quantity

When you select Excepted Quantity, click Add Hazmat Info to enter the Hazmat Item Info to enter the details:

International Customs Data

If you are shipping internationally, click International Customs Data to access Manage Customs Data:

Country of Origin: Enter the country of origin or country of manufacture in this field. Clicking on the field allows you to select from a list of countries.

Destination Country: Enter the country to which your item is being shipped.

Harmonized Code: Harmonization Codes (HS Codes) are required for shipping items internationally, these codes are used by customs to identify goods. Enter the code used to identify the type of item you are shipping to ensure you are charged accurately for duties and taxes.

Advanced Packing Settings

Click Advanced Packing Settings to set the item and packing attributes, which will provide additional data needed by Smart Packing.

Item Attributes

Ok to pack in Envelope: Smart Packing packs envelopes based on the dimensions (volume) of the item to be shipped rather than the dimensions of the envelope itself. Unlike boxes which typically have a fixed shape, many envelopes (poly mailers) are flexible and can expand based on the items packed inside. As envelopes expand in height to accommodate the items however, the maximum width and length are reduced. You can specify the length and width dimensions of your envelopes, and ShipHawk will calculate the maximum height that the envelope can reach when being packed with contents. You can also choose to set an optional maximum height field (Max Height), to restrict the maximum packing height for a given container. By default, ShipHawk packs all items from an order into the smallest possible container. However, some items may be too fragile to safely pack in envelopes. You can restrict the types of envelopes used to pack a given item. You can also restrict packing certain items in envelopes: to restrict packing in Envelopes, uncheck the OK to Pack in Envelopes option. Envelope Type options include:

All
Poly Mailer / Poly Bag
Padded Envelope / Bubble Mailer
Paper Envelope
Rigid Mailer
Other

Pack “This Side Up”: Normally, Smart Packing will try to rotate an item in all directions to find the ideal packing orientation to minimize package size and shipping rates. For items that should not be rotated, such as a TV or other items that require “This Side Up” labels, you can lock the item orientation by selecting the Pack “This Side Up”. This setting assumes that the ‘top’ of the item is described by the Length x Width dimensions. Smart Packing will still optimize packing by rotating around the Height dimension, but will always keep the locked side ‘up’. By default, the setting is not selected, which indicates that Smart Packing can rotate the item without restrictions.

Can be rolled: When enabled for a given SKU and the item has a height of less than 2 inches, ShipHawk will calculate dimensions of that item when rolled. This feature was designed to support items such as rugs, towels, and apparel.

Rolling always happens along the longest dimension. When an item is rolled, the width does not change, but the length (the longest measurement) and height (the shortest measurement) will be changed for packing purposes based on a ShipHawk diameter calculation formula:

Example: an item with length: 70, width: 54, height: 1 will have the rolled dimensions of length: 13.44, width: 54, height: 13.44.

Can be folded: When enabled for a given SKU and the item has a height of less than 2 inches, ShipHawk will calculate dimensions of that item when folded. This feature was designed to support items such as towels and apparel.

If the item has a height of less than 2 inches, ShipHawk will calculate packable dimensions based on one-half the length (the longest dimension) and two times the height (the shortest dimension). ShipHawk checks the longest dimension (e.g., length), reduces it by half and then doubles the shortest dimention (e.g., height). Smart Packing will fold the item multiple times along the new longest dimension (e.g., either length or width), until it calculates that the item is too thick for further folding based on the following formula:

Example: an item with dimensions length: 30, width: 20, height: 1 will have the folded dimensions of length: 15, width: 10, height: 4. In this case, the initial fold resulted in 15 x 20 x 2, and a second fold resulted in 15 x 10 x 4.

An item cannot be rolled and folded simultaneously. If both Rolling and Folding are enabled, rolling dimensions will be used for packing.

Can be stacked: When enabled for a given SKU and there are multiple items in the order/shipment, ShipHawk will calculate packing dimensions based on the stack of items.

When more than one item is in an order, ShipHawk will calculate the overall dimensions of the combined items at: 1 x Length, 1 x Width, 1 x Height + (Height x Stacking Offset x (Number of Items - 1)).

In other words, the stack height is one full height, plus (a Stacking Offset x Height) increment for every item beyond the first item. The stacking offset field is configured as a percentage of the items height so that it can be more generally applied to more item types with fewer definitions.

The Stacking offset field, where you can enter the stacking offset, displays when ‘Can be stacked’ is selected. The default stacking offset is 0.1:

When stacking, ShipHawk will use the total weight of all items even though the dimensions are combined into a stack.

The maximum stack is up to 8 items. For orders with more than 8 stackable items, ShipHawk will stack them into separate groups of items, organized as evenly as possible. For example, if you have 10 items, they will be stacked in two groups of items, with 5 items in each group.

ShipHawk cannot stack different SKUs. For example, if an order contains 5 red cups (SKU: “plastic_cup_red”) and 3 blue cups (SKU: “plastic_cup_blue”) with identical dimensions and stacking offset, ShipHawk will not calculate a stack of 8 cups.

Packing Attributes

For information on Item Types (Pallet, Box, Loose) and managing packing attributes, see Item Types .

Do not pack with other items when Parcel: If selected, the item will always be packaged alone (Loose) or shipped as a standalone box (Box). If not selected, the item may be packed in a container with other items if more than one item is part of a shipment.

Do not Palletize: If selected, the item will never be stacked on a pallet. If not selected, the item can be stacked on a pallet if LTL shipment is recommended.

Do not pack before Palletize: If selected, the item will be stacked directly on a pallet without first being packed in a container. If not selected, the item must be packed in a container before stacking on a pallet.

Put item on a pallet: If selected, the item must be placed on a pallet.

ShipHawk Guide