Shipments

What Are Shipments?

Shipments represent the physical movement of your products from one location to another. Think of them as the bridge between your purchase orders and your final inventory destinations. While purchase orders track what you’re buying and from whom, shipments track how those products actually move through your supply chain.

Why Shipments Matter

Every shipment you create or track provides critical information about physical movement, cost tracking, inventory planning, status monitoring, discrepancy detection, and performance analysis. Shipments tell you where products are going and when they’ll arrive, track shipping costs and customs fees that affect profitability, help predict stock levels through arrival timing, show where shipments are in the fulfillment process, identify when received quantities don’t match shipped quantities, and help you track which routes, carriers, or methods work best.

Types of Shipments in Your System

Your shipments system handles several different types of shipments, each serving a specific purpose. FBA Shipments (Fulfillment by Amazon) are products going directly to Amazon fulfillment centers. These are your main customer-facing shipments, tracked through Amazon’s system with shipment IDs like “FBA-XXXXX”.

AWD Shipments (Amazon Warehouse Direct) go to Amazon’s warehouse direct program, which is different from FBA and used for specific fulfillment models. They have their own tracking and management requirements.

AWD to FBA Transfers represent products moving from AWD warehouses to FBA fulfillment centers. These are internal transfers within Amazon’s network and are important for inventory repositioning.

Draft Shipments are shipments you’re preparing but haven’t finalized yet. They allow you to plan and organize before committing, and can be edited and modified until finalized.

In Progress Shipments are active shipments currently moving through your supply chain. They’re tracked on a visual Kanban board that shows workflow stages from supplier to destination.

Getting Started with Shipments

Accessing the Shipments Section

1. Navigate to the Shipments section in your main menu
2. If you see a blurred screen with an “Upgrade” button, you’ll need to enable the Shipments Management feature for your account
3. Once you have access, you’ll see the main Shipments workspace with multiple tabs

First-Time Setup

When you first open Shipments, you’ll see five tabs at the top:

• To FBA - Your main FBA shipments (default view)
• To AWD - Amazon Warehouse Direct shipments
• AWD to FBA - Transfer shipments between warehouses
• Draft Shipment - Shipments you’re preparing
• In Progress - Visual Kanban board of active shipments

Understanding Feature Access

The Shipments section requires the “Shipments Management” feature to be enabled. This feature allows you to track all your shipments in one place, add detailed shipping costs, get insights into shipping expenses, monitor shipment status and discrepancies, and plan and manage draft shipments. If you don’t have access, you’ll see a clear message explaining what you need and how to upgrade.

Understanding the Shipments Page Layout

Page Header

At the top of the Shipments page, you’ll find the page title “Shipments” which clearly identifies this section. There’s also an “Shipments and Purchase Orders Onboarding” button that provides access to Excel templates for bulk importing, includes video tutorials and help resources, and uses the same template system as Purchase Orders (they work together).

Tab Navigation

Below the header, you’ll see five tabs arranged horizontally. Each tab represents a different type or view of shipments. The active tab is highlighted with an animated underline. Click any tab to switch views, and your current tab is saved in the URL so you can bookmark specific views.

Main Content Area

The main content area changes based on which tab you’re viewing. Table Views (To FBA, To AWD, AWD to FBA, Draft Shipment) show shipments in a sortable, filterable table where each row represents one shipment. Columns show key information at a glance, and you can click any row to see detailed shipment information.

Kanban View (In Progress) displays a visual board with columns representing workflow stages. Cards represent shipments moving through stages, and you can drag and drop them to update status. This view is great for visual workflow management.

Filter and Search Bar

Above the main content, you’ll find several filtering and search tools. The Search Box lets you search by Shipment ID or Shipment Name, updates results as you type, and works across all tabs.

The Product Filter allows you to select specific products to see only shipments containing those products, which is useful when tracking a particular product through the system.

The Marketplace Filter lets you filter by country/marketplace, shows flag icons for easy visual identification, and allows you to select multiple marketplaces or “All”.

The Status Filter filters by shipment status. Options vary by tab type, and multiple statuses can be selected.

The Page Size Selector lets you choose how many shipments to show per page (10, 20, or 50). Larger page sizes show more data but may load slower.

The Column Manager allows you to customize which columns appear in table views. You can show or hide columns based on what you need, and your preferences are saved for future visits.

The Five Main Tabs Explained

Overview of Each Tab

The To FBA Tab is the default view when you open Shipments. It shows all FBA (Fulfillment by Amazon) shipments, which are shipments going directly to Amazon fulfillment centers. This is the most common type of shipment for Amazon sellers and includes shipments from suppliers, warehouses, or other sources.

The To AWD Tab shows Amazon Warehouse Direct shipments. This is a different fulfillment model than FBA, used for specific Amazon programs, and has its own tracking and management requirements.

The AWD to FBA Tab shows transfer shipments where products move from AWD warehouses to FBA centers. These are internal Amazon network transfers and are important for inventory repositioning strategies.

The Draft Shipment Tab shows shipments you’re preparing but haven’t finalized. These can be edited, modified, or deleted, making them useful for planning before committing to shipments. The “Create Draft Shipment” button appears when this tab is active.

The In Progress Tab provides a visual Kanban board view showing active shipments moving through workflow stages. You can drag and drop cards to update status, making it great for visual workflow management. It’s organized by stages like “At Supplier”, “In Transit”, “At Warehouse”, etc.

Switching Between Tabs

Click any tab name to switch views. The active tab is highlighted, and your current tab is saved in the URL so you can bookmark specific tabs or share links to specific views. Filters and search terms persist when switching tabs where applicable.

To FBA Tab - Understanding FBA Shipments

What Are FBA Shipments?

FBA (Fulfillment by Amazon) shipments are the most common type of shipment for Amazon sellers. These represent products being sent directly to Amazon’s fulfillment centers, where Amazon will store, pack, and ship them to customers when orders come in.

When You’ll See FBA Shipments

FBA shipments appear when you’re sending products from suppliers to Amazon fulfillment centers, transferring inventory from your warehouse to Amazon, replenishing stock at Amazon fulfillment centers, or when products are moving through Amazon’s inbound process.

Understanding FBA Shipment Information

Each FBA shipment row shows several key pieces of information. The Shipment ID is a unique identifier like “FBA-XXXXX” or “STAR-XXXXX” that’s assigned by Amazon when you create the shipment and used for tracking and reference.

The Shipment Name is a descriptive name you give the shipment that helps identify shipments quickly. It often includes date, supplier, or product information.

Destination shows the fulfillment center code and marketplace with a flag icon indicating which country/marketplace. For example, “LAX9 • US” means Los Angeles fulfillment center, US marketplace.

Source indicates where the shipment is coming from, which could be a supplier name, warehouse, or other source. This helps track the origin of products.

Status shows the current status of the shipment with color-coded badges for quick identification. Common statuses include Working, In Transit, Receiving, Closed, Error, and Cancelled.

SKU Count shows the number of different products (SKUs) in the shipment, helping you understand shipment complexity. For example, “15 SKUs” means 15 different products.

Shipped Quantity is the total number of units shipped, which is the sum of all products in the shipment. For example, “1,250 units”.

Received Quantity is the total number of units received at destination, which may differ from shipped quantity (indicating discrepancies). This updates as Amazon receives and processes the shipment.

Received Percentage shows the percentage of shipped units that have been received, calculated as (Received / Shipped) × 100. This helps identify incomplete shipments quickly.

ETA Date (Estimated Arrival Date) shows when the shipment is expected to arrive, which is critical for inventory planning. It displays in a colored badge matching shipment status, with a red warning icon if no ETA is set.

Days Left shows the number of days until (or since) the ETA date. A green badge means more than 3 days remaining, amber means 3 days or less remaining, and red means past due date. This helps prioritize urgent shipments.

Discrepancy Indicator shows a green checkmark when no discrepancies are detected, or a red warning triangle when discrepancies are found. Hover over the icon for details. This is important for quality control.

Working with FBA Shipments

To view shipment details, click any shipment row to see complete details. This opens the detailed shipment page showing all products, costs, status history, and more.

For filtering FBA shipments, use search to find specific shipments by ID or name. You can filter by status to see only Working, In Transit, Closed, etc., filter by marketplace to see shipments for specific countries, or filter by products to track specific items.

To sort FBA shipments, click column headers to sort by status, ETA date, shipped quantity, etc. Click again to reverse sort order. This helps organize large lists.

Understanding Status Colors

Working (Amber/Yellow) indicates the shipment is being prepared or processed, not yet in transit, and still at origin or being organized.

In Transit (Indigo/Blue) means the shipment is on the way between origin and destination, tracked through carrier systems.

Receiving (Blue) shows that the shipment has arrived and Amazon is processing and receiving it, with products being counted and checked in.

Closed (Gray) indicates the shipment is complete with all processing finished. This is the final status for completed shipments.

Error (Red) means something went wrong, requires attention, and may need correction or resubmission.

Cancelled (Red) indicates the shipment was cancelled, will not be processed, and may have been replaced by another shipment.

Common FBA Shipment Workflows

Creating a New FBA Shipment

1. Go to Purchase Orders
2. Create or select a purchase order
3. Link the order to a shipment
4. Shipment appears in To FBA tab

Tracking Shipment Progress

1. Open To FBA tab
2. Find your shipment (search or filter)
3. Check status badge for current stage
4. Review Received % to see completion
5. Click to see detailed progress

Identifying Problems

1. Look for red discrepancy icons
2. Check Days Left for overdue shipments
3. Review Received % for incomplete shipments
4. Check status for Error or Cancelled shipments
5. Click shipment to see detailed issues

Planning Inventory

1. Filter by marketplace
2. Sort by ETA Date
3. Review upcoming arrivals
4. Check quantities to plan stock levels
5. Use Days Left to prioritize urgent shipments

To AWD Tab - Amazon Warehouse Direct Shipments

What Are AWD Shipments?

Amazon Warehouse Direct (AWD) is a different fulfillment model from FBA. AWD shipments go to Amazon’s warehouse direct program, which serves different purposes than standard FBA fulfillment. Understanding AWD shipments helps you manage multiple fulfillment channels effectively.

When You’ll See AWD Shipments

AWD shipments appear when you’re participating in Amazon’s Warehouse Direct program, products are being sent to AWD facilities instead of FBA centers, you’re using AWD for specific fulfillment needs, or inventory is being positioned for AWD fulfillment.

Understanding AWD Shipment Information

AWD shipments show similar information to FBA shipments but may have different characteristics. Shipment IDs are AWD-specific identifiers that may follow different naming conventions and are used for AWD-specific tracking.

Destinations show AWD warehouse locations, which are different from FBA fulfillment centers and may serve different geographic regions.

Statuses follow a similar status workflow but are AWD-specific, may have different processing times, and track through the AWD system.

Tracking uses AWD-specific tracking systems that may integrate differently with Amazon’s systems and have different update frequencies.

Working with AWD Shipments

To view AWD shipments, click the To AWD tab to see all AWD shipments in table format. The filtering and search work similarly to the FBA tab, and you can click rows to see detailed information.

AWD has its own fulfillment process that may have different requirements than FBA, different cost structures, and different processing times.

You can use both tabs to compare fulfillment methods, understand which products go where, track costs and performance differences, and make informed decisions about fulfillment channels.

AWD to FBA Tab - Transfer Shipments

What Are AWD to FBA Transfers?

AWD to FBA transfers represent products moving from Amazon Warehouse Direct facilities to FBA fulfillment centers. These are internal transfers within Amazon’s network, used to reposition inventory for better fulfillment efficiency.

When You’ll See Transfer Shipments

Transfer shipments appear when you’re moving inventory from AWD to FBA, repositioning products for better fulfillment, consolidating inventory across Amazon’s network, or optimizing fulfillment center locations.

Understanding Transfer Shipment Information

Transfer shipments show the Source as the AWD warehouse location where products are coming from, which may show warehouse name or code. The Destination is the FBA fulfillment center where products are going, showing the fulfillment center code and marketplace.

Status tracks transfer progress and may have different statuses than regular shipments, showing movement through Amazon’s internal network.

Timing may differ from regular shipments, as internal network transfers may be faster. ETA dates reflect transfer schedules.

Working with Transfer Shipments

To view transfers, click the AWD to FBA tab to see all active transfers. You can track movement between facilities and monitor transfer completion.

Transfer benefits include optimizing inventory placement, reducing fulfillment costs, improving delivery times, and achieving better inventory distribution.

To track transfer progress, monitor status updates, check ETA dates, verify quantities transferred, and ensure successful completion.

Draft Shipment Tab - Preparing Shipments

What Are Draft Shipments?

Draft shipments are shipments you’re preparing but haven’t finalized yet. They allow you to plan, organize, and modify shipments before committing them to the system. Think of drafts as your workspace for building shipments.

When to Use Draft Shipments

Use draft shipments when you’re planning future shipments, need to organize products before finalizing, want to modify shipment details, are preparing shipments but waiting for information, or need to coordinate multiple shipments.

Understanding Draft Shipment Information

Draft shipments show a Shipment Name that must start with “DRAFT-”. This is a descriptive name you assign that helps identify draft shipments, such as “DRAFT-Q1-2024-US-SupplierA”.

Status always shows as “DRAFT”, indicating the shipment is not finalized and can be edited or deleted.

Products are products you’ve added to the draft that can be modified before finalizing, with quantities that can be adjusted.

Destination is the marketplace where the shipment will go. This can be changed before finalizing but must be set before creating the shipment.

Actions include an Edit button that opens the draft editor and a Delete button that removes the draft permanently. These actions are only available for draft shipments.

Creating Draft Shipments

To create a draft shipment, start by navigating to the Draft Tab. Click the “Draft Shipment” tab to see existing drafts or an empty list. The “Create Draft Shipment” button appears when this tab is active.

Next, click the “Draft Shipment” button (top right) to open the draft shipment creation page where you can start building your shipment.

Enter basic information including a Shipment Name that must start with “DRAFT-” and select the Destination marketplace/country. These are required fields.

Add products from your Product Catalog or from Purchase Orders. Set quantities for each product, and you can mix both sources.

Finally, review all products and quantities, check that the destination is correct, then click “Create Shipment” to save as draft. The draft will appear in the Draft Shipment tab.

Editing Draft Shipments

To open the draft editor, find the draft in the Draft Shipment tab and click the Edit button (pencil icon). This opens the draft editor page where you can make your changes.

You can modify draft details by changing the shipment name (must keep “DRAFT-” prefix), changing the destination marketplace, adding or removing products, adjusting quantities, and linking or unlinking purchase orders.

To save changes, click the “Update Shipment” button. Changes are saved immediately, the draft remains in draft status, and you can continue editing later.

Deleting Draft Shipments

Delete draft shipments when they’re no longer needed, created by mistake, replaced by another draft, or when planning has changed.

To delete a draft, find it in the Draft Shipment tab, click the Delete button (trash icon), and confirm deletion. The draft is permanently removed.

Important notes: deletion cannot be undone, so make sure you don’t need the draft. Consider exporting data first if it’s important.

Converting Drafts to Final Shipments

When ready to finalize, ensure all products are added, quantities are confirmed, destination is set correctly, and you’re ready to commit.

The finalization process varies: drafts are typically finalized through other processes, may be converted when linked to purchase orders, or may become active shipments automatically. Check with your workflow requirements.

Best Practices for Draft Shipments

For naming conventions, use descriptive names that include date, marketplace, and supplier. For example, “DRAFT-2024-03-US-SupplierA-Q1” makes drafts easy to find and identify.

For organization, create drafts for planned shipments, use drafts to organize products, group related products together, and plan shipments before finalizing.

For regular cleanup, delete old drafts no longer needed, keep the draft list manageable, archive important draft information, and don’t let drafts accumulate.

For product management, add products systematically, verify quantities before finalizing, check product availability, and ensure products match the destination.

In Progress Tab - Kanban Board View

What Is the Kanban Board?

The Kanban board is a visual workflow management tool that shows your active shipments as cards moving through different stages. Instead of a table, you see columns representing workflow stages, with shipment cards you can drag and drop to update their status.

When to Use Kanban View

Use the Kanban board when you want visual workflow management, need to see shipment progress at a glance, prefer drag-and-drop interfaces, are managing multiple active shipments, or want to track shipments through stages.

Understanding the Kanban Layout

Columns (Stages) represent workflow stages. Each column represents a workflow stage, with default stages including “At Supplier” (products at supplier location), “In Transit” (products being shipped), “At Warehouse” (products at warehouse), “Ready to Ship” (products ready for final shipment), and “Shipped” (products shipped to destination). Stages can be customized in some configurations.

Cards (Shipments) represent shipments. Each card represents a shipment, shows key information at a glance, is color-coded by status or destination, and can be dragged between columns.

Card Information includes the Shipment ID (clickable link), Purchase Order name, Supplier name, Product count and quantities, Estimated arrival date (ETA), Marketplace flag icon, and a “View P/O” button to see the purchase order.

Working with the Kanban Board

When viewing shipments, cards show in their current stage column. Scroll horizontally to see all stages, and scroll vertically within columns if there are many shipments. Cards are sorted within each column.

For searching, use the search box at the top to search by shipment ID or purchase order name. You can filter by ETA date using “eta:YYYY-MM-DD” format, and results update in real-time.

To move shipments, click and hold a card, drag it to a different column, and drop it to update status. The system saves the new position automatically.

To view details, click the “View P/O” button on a card to open purchase order details, or click the shipment ID link to open the shipment detail page.

Card colors may be color-coded by status, marketplace flags show destination, visual indicators show urgency, and status badges show the current state.

Kanban Workflow Stages Explained

At Supplier means products are at the supplier location, waiting for production or preparation. This is the first stage for new shipments. Move to the next stage when ready.

In Transit means products are being shipped between origin and destination. This may include multiple transit stages, and you can track through carrier systems.

At Warehouse means products have arrived at the warehouse and are being processed or stored. They may be consolidated with other shipments and are preparing for final shipment.

Ready to Ship means products are ready for final shipment. All preparation is complete, they’re waiting for carrier pickup, and final checks are completed.

Shipped means products have been shipped and are on the way to the final destination. This is the final stage before arrival, and you can track through delivery.

Customizing Kanban View

For column management, columns represent workflow stages. Default stages are provided, and stages can be renamed or new stages can be added in some configurations.

For card organization, cards are sorted within columns and can be reordered by dragging. Position indicates priority or order, and the system remembers positions.

For filtering, search filters all visible cards. You can filter by shipment ID, purchase order, or ETA date.

Best Practices for Kanban View

For regular updates, move cards as shipments progress, keep status current, update when stages change, and maintain accurate workflow.

For visual organization, use card positions for priority, group related shipments, keep columns organized, and maintain a clear visual workflow.

For status tracking, monitor card movement, identify bottlenecks, track average times in stages, and improve workflow efficiency.

For team collaboration, share the Kanban view with your team so everyone sees the same status. This enables clear visual communication and helps coordinate activities.

Searching and Filtering Shipments

Search Functionality

Basic Search uses a search box at the top of each tab that searches Shipment ID and Shipment Name. Results update as you type, and it works across all table views.

Search Tips: You can type partial shipment IDs, search by shipment name keywords, use case-insensitive search, and clear search to see all shipments.

Advanced Search (Kanban) in Kanban view supports date filtering. Use “eta:YYYY-MM-DD” format, for example “eta:2024-03-15”, to find shipments with that ETA date.

Product Filtering

Selecting Products uses a product selector dropdown where you can browse your product catalog and select one or multiple products. This shows only shipments containing the selected products.

Use Cases include tracking a specific product through the system, finding all shipments with a product, monitoring product movement, and analyzing product shipping patterns.

Clearing Product Filter: Click X on selected products or select “All Products” to return to showing all shipments.

Marketplace Filtering

Selecting Marketplaces uses a marketplace selector that shows flag icons. Click to select countries/marketplaces, and you can select multiple marketplaces. The “All” option shows everything.

Visual Identification: Flag icons make selection easy, you can see which marketplaces are selected, there’s clear visual feedback, and quick marketplace identification.

Use Cases include focusing on specific countries, comparing marketplace performance, regional shipment management, and marketplace-specific analysis.

Status Filtering

Available Statuses vary by tab. Common statuses include Receiving, Closed, In Transit, Working, and Cancelled. You can select multiple statuses.

Status Filter Use helps you focus on specific stages, find problematic shipments, track active shipments, and monitor completed shipments.

Status Colors: Status badges are color-coded for quick visual identification, consistent across the system, and easy to spot at a glance.

Combining Filters

Multiple Filters can be used together: search + product + marketplace + status. Filters work together, and results show shipments matching all filters, making this a powerful combination for finding specific shipments.

Filter Persistence: Filters persist when switching tabs where applicable, search terms are saved in the URL, you can bookmark filtered views, and share filtered views with your team.

Clearing Filters: You can clear individual filters or reset all filters to return to the default view and start a fresh search.

Customizing Your Table View

Column Manager

Accessing Column Manager: Click the icon/button near the search box to open the column management dialog. This shows all available columns with checkboxes to show/hide columns.

Available Columns include:

Discrepancy shows if discrepancies are detected. A green checkmark means no issues, while a red warning indicates discrepancies found. This is important for quality control.

Shipment ID is the unique shipment identifier, essential for tracking. You’ll usually want this visible, and it’s clickable to view details.

Shipment Name is a descriptive name that helps identify shipments and is useful for organization. It can be hidden if not needed.

Destination shows the fulfillment center and marketplace with a flag icon for country. This is important for routing and you’ll usually want it visible.

Source shows where the shipment originates, such as supplier or warehouse name. This is useful for tracking origins but can be hidden if not relevant.

Status shows the current shipment status with a color-coded badge. This is essential information and you’ll usually want it visible.

SKU Count shows the number of different products, indicating shipment complexity. This is useful for planning but can be hidden if not needed.

Shipped Quantity is the total units shipped, an important metric and key performance indicator. You’ll usually want this visible.

Received Quantity is the total units received, critical for tracking and comparing to shipped. You’ll usually want this visible.

Received Percentage shows the percentage received as a quick completion indicator. This is useful for monitoring but can be calculated from other columns.

ETA Date is the estimated arrival date, critical for planning and important for inventory. You’ll usually want this visible.

Days Left shows days until/since ETA as an urgency indicator. This is useful for prioritization but can be hidden if not needed.

Managing Columns

Showing/Hiding Columns: Check the box to show a column or uncheck to hide it. Changes apply immediately, and preferences are saved.

Reordering Columns: Drag columns to reorder them, arrange by importance, put most-used columns first, and customize to your workflow.

Saving Preferences: Preferences are saved automatically, persist across sessions, are remembered per tab type, and you can reset to defaults.

Resetting Columns: There’s an option to reset to defaults that restores the original column set. This is useful if you’ve customized too much and want to start fresh customization.

Column Best Practices

Essential Columns: Always show Shipment ID, Status, and ETA Date. Usually show Destination, Shipped, and Received. These provide core information, so don’t hide critical data.

Optional Columns: Hide if not using Source or SKU Count. Show if relevant: Received % and Days Left. Customize based on needs and adjust as workflow changes.

Screen Size Considerations: Hide columns on small screens, show more on large monitors, balance information vs. space, and optimize for your setup.

Workflow-Specific Columns: Show columns relevant to your role. For Operations: Status, ETA, Quantities. For Finance: Costs, Discrepancies. For Planning: Dates, Destinations. Customize for your needs.

Understanding Shipment Statuses

Status Types and Meanings

Working (Amber/Yellow badge) means the shipment is being prepared, not yet in transit, still at origin location, and being organized or processed.

In Transit (Indigo/Blue badge) means the shipment is on the way between origin and destination, tracked through carrier, and moving through the supply chain.

Receiving (Blue badge) means the shipment has arrived, is being processed at destination, products are being counted, and the check-in process is ongoing.

Closed (Gray badge) means the shipment is complete with all processing finished. This is the final status with no further action needed.

Error (Red badge) means something went wrong, requires attention, may need correction, and you should check details for issues.

Cancelled (Red badge) means the shipment was cancelled, will not be processed, may be replaced, and you should check for replacement.

DRAFT (Slate/Gray badge, Draft Shipments only) means the shipment is being prepared, not yet finalized, can be edited, and is not active yet.

Status Workflow

Normal Progression follows this path: Working → In Transit → Receiving → Closed. Each stage represents progress, status updates automatically (usually), and can be updated manually in some cases.

Problem Statuses: Error requires investigation, Cancelled means you should check for replacement, shipments stuck in a stage may need attention, and you should monitor for issues.

Status Updates are usually automatic from Amazon systems, but you may update manually in some cases. Updates reflect actual progress, so check regularly for changes.

Interpreting Status Colors

Color Coding: Green/Blue indicates normal progress, Amber/Yellow means attention needed, Red indicates a problem or stopped, and Gray means complete or inactive.

Quick Identification: Colors help spot issues quickly. Scan the table for red badges, check amber for attention, and Green/Blue usually means things are fine.

Status and ETA: Status badge color matches ETA badge for consistent visual language, making it easy to understand at a glance. Red ETA means overdue or problem.

Working with Shipment Data

Viewing Shipment Details

Opening Shipment Details: Click any shipment row to open the detailed shipment page showing complete information including all products, costs, and history.

What You’ll See includes complete shipment information, all products in the shipment, quantities shipped vs received, cost breakdown, status history, timeline of events, and attachments and documents.

Navigation: The back button returns to the list, filters are preserved when returning, you can bookmark detail pages, and share links to specific shipments.

Understanding Shipment Metrics

Quantities: Shipped is what you sent, Received is what arrived, the Difference shows discrepancies, and Percentage shows completion rate.

Discrepancies: A red icon indicates issues. Hover for details. There may be quantity differences or product differences, and this requires investigation.

Timing: ETA is the expected arrival, Days Left shows time remaining, Past Due indicates overdue shipments, and this helps prioritize actions.

Costs include shipping costs, customs fees, other expenses, total shipment cost, and cost per unit calculations.

Exporting Shipment Data

Export Options: Export the current view to Excel, which includes filtered results, all visible columns, and is formatted for analysis.

Export Contents include shipment IDs and names, status information, quantities and percentages, dates and ETAs, destination information, and source information.

Using Exported Data: You can analyze in Excel, create custom reports, share with your team, archive for records, and build dashboards.

Bulk Operations and Exporting

Selecting Multiple Shipments

Selection Mode is available in some views where checkboxes appear, allowing you to select multiple shipments and perform bulk actions.

Use Cases include updating multiple statuses, exporting selected shipments, applying filters to selection, and other bulk operations.

Exporting Shipments

Export Current View: Click the export button in the toolbar to export visible shipments. This respects current filters and includes all visible columns.

Export Format: Exports are in Excel (.xlsx) format, formatted for analysis, include headers, and are ready to use.

Export Contents include all shipment data, status information, quantities and metrics, dates and destinations, and complete shipment details.

Using Exported Data

Analysis: Open in Excel to create pivot tables, build charts and graphs, analyze trends, and compare shipments.

Reporting: Share with management, include in presentations, send to stakeholders, archive for records, and create reports.

Backup: Regular exports stored securely maintain history, enable recovery if needed, and support historical analysis.

Tips and Best Practices

Daily Shipment Management

Morning Routine

1. Check In Progress tab for urgent shipments
2. Review shipments with red discrepancy icons
3. Check overdue shipments (red Days Left)
4. Review shipments arriving today/tomorrow
5. Update statuses as needed

Throughout Day: Monitor status updates, check for new discrepancies, update ETAs if changed, respond to errors quickly, and keep statuses current.

End of Day: Review completed shipments, check for issues, plan next day priorities, update any pending items, and prepare for tomorrow.

Organizing Shipments

Naming Conventions: Use consistent naming that includes date, marketplace, and supplier. For example, “2024-03-US-SupplierA-Q1” makes search easier and provides better organization.

Status Management: Keep statuses updated, move Kanban cards regularly, update as progress occurs. Accurate status equals better planning, and your team sees the current state.

Filter Usage: Use filters to focus, save common filter sets, bookmark filtered views, share filtered views, and create an efficient workflow.

Monitoring and Alerts

Key Metrics to Watch include discrepancy rate, on-time delivery rate, received percentage, days until arrival, and status distribution.

Red Flags to watch for include red discrepancy icons, overdue shipments, low received percentages, error statuses, and cancelled shipments.

Regular Reviews: Conduct weekly status reviews, monthly performance analysis, and quarterly trend analysis to identify patterns and improve processes.

Collaboration

Team Communication: Share filtered views, bookmark important views, export data for reports, use Kanban for visual updates, and maintain clear status communication.

Documentation: Add notes to shipments, document discrepancies, record status changes, maintain history, and learn from issues.

Optimization

Workflow Improvement: Identify bottlenecks, track average times, optimize processes, reduce errors, and improve efficiency.

Cost Management: Monitor shipping costs, compare routes and methods, optimize shipment sizes, reduce discrepancies, and improve profitability.

Inventory Planning: Use ETA dates for planning, track received quantities, plan reorders based on arrivals, optimize stock levels, and prevent stockouts.

Conclusion

The Shipments section is your central hub for managing the physical movement of products through your supply chain. By understanding the different tabs, learning to filter and search effectively, and using the various views available, you can maintain excellent visibility and control over your shipments.

Remember to use the right tab for the right purpose, customize your view to match your workflow, monitor statuses and discrepancies regularly, export data for analysis and reporting, and keep information current and accurate.

The more you use the Shipments section, the more valuable it becomes for managing your supply chain efficiently and profitably. Start with the basics, explore the features, and develop workflows that work for your business needs.