shipcloud for WooCommerce — DHL, DPD, GLS, Hermes, UPS labels and tracking

CatCode Labels with shipcloud for WooCommerce creates carrier labels from a WooCommerce order through your shipcloud account (shipcloud.com), a German service that brings DHL, DPD, GLS, Hermes, UPS and other carriers together in one API. The module takes the address and the weight from the order and puts the label and the tracking number back on it.

What the free version does

A shipcloud box appears on the order screen: choose the carrier, the service and the package type, check weight and size, and press “Create label”. The label PDF opens from the same box. The module reads the list of carriers and services from your shipcloud account, so you only see what you can book. The weight is added up from the products of the order and converted to kilograms; products without a weight use the default weight and size. The address is split into street and house number, as the carriers require. For parcels leaving the EU customs area a customs declaration with the items of the order is added. If an order ships in several boxes, create one more label for the same order. A label can be deleted from the box as long as the carrier allows it, and “Update status” reads the current tracking status of the parcel from shipcloud. The sender address is the default of your shipcloud account or one you enter in the settings. The tracking number and link go into the order notes, the “Processing” and “Completed” e-mails and the order page of the buyer account; optionally the buyer gets a separate e-mail the moment the label is created. If the carrier refuses, the reason in its own words is shown in the box and written to the order notes, and the button works again. A double click creates one label.

What Pro adds

The bulk action “Create shipcloud labels” in the orders list: labels are created in the background, one order per task, and a column shows the tracking number and the label link. The shipping method “shipcloud live price” in the shipping zones: the price shipcloud quotes for the parcel of the cart for the carrier and service you choose, with your surcharge in percent or a fixed amount and a fallback price when shipcloud returns none. It works at the classic and the block checkout. A return label from the order screen (the buyer is the sender), with an optional e-mail to the buyer. Tracking updates: shipcloud tells the shop about every status change of a parcel; it goes into the order notes, is shown to the buyer and can set the order to a status you choose when the carrier has the parcel and when it is delivered. Pickup requests for DPD, GLS, Hermes and UPS in a time window you choose. Carrier rules by destination country and weight. Updates from catcode.com.ua.

Good to know before you start

• You need your own shipcloud account: shipcloud creates the labels and bills them, the module does not sell labels. The API key is in your shipcloud account (your e-mail address in the upper right corner, then API Key). The test key creates free test labels, the live key books real labels that are charged.
• The label price is in euro without VAT. The “shipcloud live price” method takes the number as it is, so a shop in another currency sets the surcharge fields and a fallback price in the shop currency.
• shipcloud quotes a live price under its own carrier contracts. When it returns no price or zero, the buyer sees the fallback price; without a fallback price the method is hidden.
• A label cannot be deleted after the carrier cut-off: shipcloud refuses, and the module shows its text as it is.
• DHL Packstation, pakadoo, cash on delivery and other additional carrier services are not supported.
• Before you remove the plugin, press “Disconnect” at the tracking updates, otherwise the webhook stays registered in your shipcloud account.
• The German texts were written by us; English is the source language. Regional German locales (de_AT, de_CH) use the German translation.

How it works, step by step

1. In your shipcloud account open “API Key” and copy the key.
2. In WooCommerce → shipcloud paste the key and press “Check connection and load carriers”.
3. Choose the default carrier, service and parcel size, enter a sender address if you need one, and save.
4. Open an order, check the weight and size and press “Create label”. The tracking number appears in the order and in the e-mails to the buyer.

Under the hood

• The API key is stored encrypted and is never printed back on the page.
• Requests go to api.shipcloud.io with HTTP Basic, the key is the user name.
• One label per press: a second click while a label is being created adds nothing.
• Compatible with HPOS, the classic and the block checkout; languages: English, Deutsch.

How to install

1. Plugins → Add New → Upload Plugin: choose the zip and activate it.
2. WooCommerce → shipcloud: paste the API key and check the connection.
3. Choose the default carrier and service.
4. Create the first label on one order.

The module is not on wordpress.org yet: the free version and Pro are one archive from this page. Without a key it works as the free version.