Introduction to ShipStation Connect

ShipStation Connect allows you to print more quickly, print from anywhere, share your printers, and use a USB scale for your shipment weights.

ShipStation Connect is a downloaded application that passes print jobs from your ShipStation account to your printer hardware. Think of it as the bridge between the ShipStation database and your printer workstations. 

You are not required to use ShipStation Connect to print your documents from ShipStation, but it does make your printing process more efficient and versatile.

With ShipStation Connect, you can:

  • Use fewer clicks to print labels and other documents.

  • Print documents (labels, packing slips, etc.) from any computer on any network to the printer workstations that have ShipStation Connect installed. 

  • Print documents remotely using ShipStation Mobile.

  • Share printers and scales with any and all users on your ShipStation account.

  • Disable printers you do not wish to appear for users on your account.

  • Manage printer workstation and device names separately from your OS device preferences, so devices have custom names within ShipStation.

  • Pull shipment weights from USB scales with a single mouse click or barcode scan.

  • Pull shipment weights and package dimensions from Cubiscan dimensioners.

  • Assign a default printer for each document type so ShipStation automatically prints the document to the assigned printer and skips the printer selection screen. 

  • Track the print status of packing slips and labels per shipment using Smart Document Tracking.

To use ShipStation Connect, first install it on your printer workstation(s) and then register it using your ShipStation username and password. ShipStation Connect runs in the background and listens for any print commands from your ShipStation account. It then automatically routes the print job to the selected printer.

Once registered, you can manage your device settings in your ShipStation account Printer settings. In the ShipStation Connect Settings you can rename your workstations and devices, as well as share or disable specific devices for the users on your ShipStation account.

Unsupported Printers With ShipStation Connect

Certain printers and configurations are not currently supported when printing via ShipStation Connect.

ShipStation Support cannot troubleshoot issues that occur when using these printers with ShipStation Connect:

  • Wireless and network printers. Printers should be connected to the printer workstation(s) via USB, though some wireless or network printers may work.

  • Rollo label printers.

These limitations are specific to printing with ShipStation Connect. You may still use the Download PDF or Browser Print method to print documents to these printers from your ShipStation account. The label layout, printer preferences, and document options still apply regardless of your print method.

Getting Started With ShipStation Connect Demo Video

This video demonstrates how to install ShipStation Connect for both Windows and macOS, activate it for your account, and print a document from ShipStation through the ShipStation Connect app.

 

Click the chapter markers in the video if you wish to jump ahead to another section.

printer workstations