Introduction to Actions

What are Actions?

Actions give you a way to automate tasks that are performed on a regular basis, but that you may not wish to do manually each time the task needs to be performed.

Configuring Actions in ShipWorks will:

Save you time by eliminating the need to perform the same manual tasks over and over again
Reduce errors by ensuring tasks that need to be performed are automated
Give you the tools to automate complex workflows

What can Actions do?

Let's take a look at a few examples of the many tasks that Actions can perform.

Run tasks on a schedule:
- Send thank you emails to your customers on a certain day of the week at a certain time of day
- Backup your ShipWorks database every day outside of normal business hours
Run tasks when orders are downloaded:
- Print packing slips, pick lists, or invoices for new orders as soon as they are downloaded into ShipWorks
- Send an email with a discount code to your customers when thier order downloads into ShipWorks
- Generate a shipping label, automatically, when an order is downloaded into ShipWorks
When a custom button is clicked:
- Print packing slips for all orders in a specified Filter with the click of a button
- Email or print a report (or both) for all orders processed on a given day with the click of a button
- Validate the Ship To address for all orders needing to be shipped with the click of a button

How do Actions work?

When configuring an Action in ShipWorks you define two parameters:

When the following occurs: Think of this as the trigger that causes the action to run. You are telling ShipWorks to run the Action when something occurs in the software. Here is a list of the available triggers:
- An order is downloaded
- A download finishes
- A shipment is processed
- A shipment is voided
- A filter's content changes
- At a scheduled time
- A custom button is clicked
Run these tasks: Think of this as defining what you want to happen when the trigger kicks off the Action. You could print, send an email, backup the database and much more. Here's a list of the available tasks:
- Create label
- Email
- Print
- Save a file
- Upload with FTP
- Download orders
- Set the local order status
- Validate order shipping address
- Update online store status
- Play a sound
- Run a command
- Send a web request
- Backup the database
- Purge/delete data from the database
- Print shipments

By combining these two parameters you can automate many of the tasks performed throughout a day of shipping orders.

When an order is downloaded -> Print a packing slip
When a shipment is processed -> Email my customer a thank you email or shipment notification
At 7pm on every weekday -> Backup the ShipWorks database
Much, much more.

Create an Action

Perhaps the best way to learn more about Actions and what they can do is to create one. Here's how to create an action to print the Standard Packing Slip for each order that is downloaded into ShipWorks.

Click on the Manage tab and then click the Actions button. Then, click New Action.
Give the Action a name. For this example we will name the Action Print Packing Slips.
Ensure that An order is downloaded is selected for When the following occurs:.
Click on Add Task and select Print.
Click the With template: drop-down and select the Packing Slips > Standard template.
Click the OK button to save your Action. (You may be prompted to select the printer to which the packing slip should be printed.)