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ShipStation Setup

This guide explains how to configure ShipStation so your team never creates labels based on a pre-transformation bundle order.

BundlesIQ protects ShipStation workflows using:

  • Shopify order tags (BIQ_PROCESSING, BIQ_READY, BIQ_ERROR)
  • (Optional) Shopify fulfillment holds as a backstop

What You Will Accomplish

  • Import Shopify order tags into ShipStation
  • Create a "BundlesIQ Ready" view to ship from
  • Optionally add automation rules to make non-ready orders highly visible

Prerequisites

  • Your Shopify store is connected to ShipStation
  • BundlesIQ 3PL Protection is enabled (default tags are fine)
  • You know which tag represents "ready" (default: BIQ_READY)

Step 1: Import Shopify Order Tags into ShipStation

ShipStation can map Shopify order tags into one of its custom fields.

  1. In ShipStation, go to Settings
  2. Go to Selling Channels > Store Setup
  3. Edit your Shopify store connection
  4. Map Shopify Order Tags to Custom Field 1 (or 2/3)
  5. Save

Step 2: Create Saved Views for BundlesIQ States

Your goal is to make "Ready" orders the only place staff works from.

Create these saved views (filters):

View A: "BundlesIQ Ready"

  • Store: your Shopify store
  • Custom Field 1 contains BIQ_READY

View B: "BundlesIQ Processing"

  • Store: your Shopify store
  • Custom Field 1 contains BIQ_PROCESSING

View C: "BundlesIQ Error"

  • Store: your Shopify store
  • Custom Field 1 contains BIQ_ERROR

Recommended workflow:

  • Only create labels from BundlesIQ Ready
  • Treat Processing as "wait"
  • Treat Error as "do not ship" until resolved

Step 3: Warehouse Workflow (What to Tell Your Team)

  1. Work exclusively from the BundlesIQ Ready view
  2. If an order is not in "Ready," do not ship it yet
  3. If an order appears in BundlesIQ Error:
    • Do not ship
    • Resolve the issue in BundlesIQ / Shopify
    • After resolution, the order should move into "Ready" (depending on your refresh cadence)

Optional: Add ShipStation Automation Rules (Visual Warnings)

Automation rules can help you flag orders that aren't ready, but they are not a replacement for the "ship only from Ready view" workflow.

Example rules:

  • IF Custom Field 1 contains BIQ_PROCESSING
    • THEN add ShipStation tag: BIQ_NOT_READY
    • THEN add an internal note: "Waiting for BundlesIQ processing"
  • IF Custom Field 1 contains BIQ_ERROR
    • THEN create an alert: "BundlesIQ error — do not ship"

Important warnings:

  • Avoid using "Don't Import the Order" rules unless you are 100% sure. It is permanent.
  • Automation rules generally run when an order imports / first enters certain statuses. If the order updates later, rules may not re-run automatically.

Troubleshooting

I don't see BIQ tags in ShipStation

  • Confirm the Shopify order in Admin has BIQ tags
  • Confirm your ShipStation store mapping is set to import Shopify order tags into a custom field
  • Refresh the store connection / reimport recent orders

The order appears but still looks wrong (ghost SKU / old line items)

  • Wait a moment and refresh. If ShipStation imported the order during processing, it may not reflect the final state yet.
  • Confirm the order has BIQ_READY in Shopify before shipping.

Orders are stuck in Processing or Error

  • Check BundlesIQ Health / logs
  • BIQ_ERROR means do not ship until fixed

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