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Using the setup configuration interface (Ship Self Service)

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Malene Tidemann
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Our setup configuration interface (Ship Self Service) enables you to access and configure the setup of your cloud solution. It works for both Ship (web-based book and print solution) and Shipment Server (API solution). The setup interface gives you more freedom to make configuration changes yourself without the help of nShift Customer Service. You can make basic configuration changes to your carriers, rename and duplicate actors, add default addresses, and much more.

If you are running an On-premises solution, you have access to configure the setup locally instead - read more). 


Go to:

 

How to access the Setup Configuration

To access the setup configuration, you must log into nShift Portal using an Owner or Admin user (Read more about user types and roles). 

Go to Ship > Configuration > Actors and Carriers

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Understanding the Setup hierarchy

It is important to understand the hierarchy behind the setup structure before you start making changes to any configurations. The configuration items are accessible on different levels of the hierarchy in your solution. Some configurations are limited to the lowest level, while others are available at multiple levels.

At the highest level is your Location with one or more Actors. When you edit an Actor, you will see a list of all Activated Carriers. Each carrier has one or more Product Groups (sometimes referred to as "subcarriers"). Edit a Product Group to see all the activated Products within that group. Edit a single product to access the features that are available at product level, the lowest level in the hierarchy.

Hierarchy:

  • Location - Overview of all actors.
  • Actor - configurations added at Actor level apply to all carriers and products.
  • Activated Carriers - configurations added to a carrier apply to all products on that carrier and will be used instead of configurations at the Actor level.
  • Product Groups (aka subcarriers) - configurations on a Product Group apply to all products within that group and will be used instead of a configuration on a higher level. 
  • Products - configurations at the Product level apply to that single product only and will be used instead of configurations on a higher level. 

Important information!

Some configuration items are available at multiple levels. It is always the configuration at the lowest level that applies. For instance, a Cash On Delivery Account placed at Actor level will be used on all carriers and products. If you also add a Cash On Delivery Account on a single product, then that will be used on the specific product instead. All other products will still use the account specified at Actor level.


If you are in doubt at which level you should add a configuration, place it at the lowest level possible. It is better to add a configuration multiple times at a low level than once at a higher level. This reduces the risk of unwanted behaviors and errors. 

 

 

Overview of Setup configuration items

Below is a list of the configuration items on each level in the setup hierarchy. Click the Learn more links to get detailed information about the most advanced features.

Click the New Configuration button on each level to add one of the available configuration items that are not already active. 

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Configuration items on Location level

  • Overview of Locations and Actors - see your Locations and the Actors placed under each Location. The Actor ID is used by Shipment Server customers to identify an Actor in the API requests. It is only used by customers using the API.

  • Duplicate - Duplicate an Actor. Access to a new Actor must be given to regular users by going to Settings > User Accounts and then setting the access under the Data Access tab on each user. Carriers will be duplicated 1-1 so you must contact Customer Service if you need to add another customer number to a carrier on the new actor.

  • Rename - Rename an Actor.

  • Edit - Opens the Actor level to access all configuration items on Actor level.

 

Configuration items on Actor level

  • Activated Carriers - See all your Activated Carriers. The column showing the carrier Concept ID is relevant for Shipment Server customers only. The Concept ID is used in API requests to identify a carrier. Read more.

  • Addresses - Add, edit, and delete addresses to be used as default on your shipments, e.g., Sender address. Applies to all carriers and products on the Actor. 

  • API Key - Generate an API key to use for Shipment Server requests or see your existing key if you already have a Shipment Server set up. API Key is only needed to use the API.

  • Cash On Delivery Accounts - Add a Cash On Delivery (COD) account with bank information to be used for Shipments with COD. Applies to all carriers and products on the Actor.

  • Default Currencies - Set up Default Currencies to be used for invoice and insurance amounts. Applies to all carriers and products on the Actor.

  • Default Receiver Country - Configure a default receiver country. Applies to all carriers and products on the Actor.

  • New - Order a carrier from the nShift carrier library. Fill in the form to Customer Service, who will activate the carrier. 

  • Time Zone - Configure the time zone used for all shipments, status events, etc. 

 

Configuration items on Carrier level

  • Addresses - Add, edit and delete addresses to be used as default on your shipments, e.g., Sender address. Applies to all products on the carrier. 

  • Cash On Delivery Accounts - Add a Cash On Delivery (COD) account with bank information to be used for Shipments with COD. Applies to all products on the carrier.

  • Default Currencies - Set up Default Currencies used for invoice and insurance amounts. Applies to all products on the carrier.

  • Default Receiver Country - Configure a default receiver country. Applies to all products on the carrier.

  • Document Options - Manage the configurations for the labels and documents available on the carrier. Control which should be printed, stored, emailed, etc. 
  • DGOffice Module - Enter the credentials of your DG Office subscription. User, Password, and Company are provided by DG Office. The checkbox "Use DGOffice Service" must be checked. Check "Keep values during Import, unless empty" if you do not want values in your import file to be overwritten. Read more.

  • Product Groups - Overview of the product groups (subcarriers) on the selected carrier. Read more.

  • Shipment Completion - Configure settings for Shipment Completion. Read more.

  • Test Mode - Used for testing purposes, e.g., testing new configurations. Checked options will override existing configurations, e.g., no bookings will be sent to the carrier and no insurances will be created.

 

Configuration items on Product Groups level

  • Products - Overview of all products on the current Product Group. The Concept id is only relevant for Shipment Server customers and is used to identify a product in the API request. If a product is Restricted it requires a special setup or a special agreement with the carrier to use it. Do not activate a restricted product unless you are sure you have everything in place to use it. Read more.
  • Addresses - Add, edit, and delete addresses to be used as default on your shipments, e.g., Sender address. Applies to all products in the Product Group.

  • Cash On Delivery Accounts - Add a Cash On Delivery (COD) account with bank information to be used for Shipments with COD. Applies to all products in the Product Group.

  • Default Currencies - Set up Default Currencies to be used for invoice and insurance amounts. Applies to all products in the Product Group.

  • Default Receiver Country - Configure a default receiver country. Applies to all products in the Product Group.

  • Document Options - Manage the configurations for the labels and documents available in the specific Product Group. Control which should be printed, stored, emailed, etc. 
  • DGOffice Module - Enter the credentials of your DG Office subscription. User, Password, and Company are provided by DG Office. The checkbox "Use DGOffice Service" must be checked. Check "Keep values during Import, unless empty" if you do not want values in your import file to be overwritten. Read more.

  • Goods Types - Activate and deactivate supported goods types. 
  • Price Calculation - Activate and configure Price Calculation. Applies to all products in the Product Group. Read more.

  • Shipment Completion - Configure settings for Shipment Completion. Applies to all products in the Product Group. Read more.

  • Test Mode - Used for testing purposes, e.g., testing new configurations. Checked options will override existing configurations, e.g., no bookings will be sent to the carrier, and no insurances will be created.

 

Configuration items on Product level

  • Addresses - Add, edit, and delete addresses to be used as default on your shipments, e.g., Sender address. Applies to the specific product.

  • Cash On Delivery Accounts - Add a Cash On Delivery (COD) account with bank information to be used for Shipments with COD. Applies to the specific product.

  • Default Currencies - Set up Default Currencies to be used for invoice and insurance amounts. Applies to the specific product.

  • Default Receiver Country - Configure a default receiver country. Applies to the specific product.

  • Document Options - Manage the configurations for the labels and documents available for the specific product. Control which should be printed, stored, emailed, etc. 
  • DGOffice Module - Enter the credentials of your DG Office subscription. User, Password, and Company are provided by DG Office. The checkbox "Use DGOffice Service" must be checked. "Check Keep values during Import, unless empty", if you do not want values in your import file to be overwritten. Read more.

  • Goods Types - Activate and deactivate supported goods types for the specific product. 

  • Price Calculation- Activate and configure Price Calculation. Applies to the specific product. Read more.

  • Services - Enable and set default services on a product. The Id is used for Shipment Server requests to identify a service. If a service is Restricted it requires a special setup or a special agreement with the carrier to use it. Do not activate a restricted service unless you are sure you have everything in place to use it. Read more.

  • Shipment Completion - Configure settings for Shipment Completion. Applies to the specific product. Read more.

  • Test Mode - Used for testing purposes, e.g., testing new configurations. Checked options will override existing configurations, e.g. no bookings will be sent to the carrier and no insurances will be created.

 

Further reading

Read more about the setup configuration features here:

 

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