- Some shipments require additional documentation to be included for customs clearance or courier compliance. This applies primarily to international shipments but may also be needed for certain domestic deliveries.
- Courier-related documents, such as customs invoices, prescriptions, or declarations of origin, are transmitted electronically to supported couriers. Starshipit supports this functionality for DHL Express and FedEx through Paperless Trade or Electronic Data Transmission.
- In addition to courier documentation, it is also possible to attach general order documents that are stored for reference within the order but not sent to the courier. For example, teams may add quality control forms or photos of packed goods to support internal workflows.
- Supported file types are PDF and JPEG.
Attach courier-related documents
Courier-related documents are required when a shipment must include files such as:
- MSDS (Material Safety Data Sheet)
- Prescriptions or medical certificates
- Fabric certificates
- Licenses or permits
- Declarations of origin
These documents can be attached manually within the order details page or automatically using rules.
To attach a courier-related document manually
- Open the order from the Orders grid.
- In the Order Documents section, select Add Document.
- Upload the relevant file (for example, a customs invoice or license). Note: Order Document will not be sent to the couriers.
- The document appears in the list of attached files. Documents added by rules also appear here and can be viewed, removed, or replaced if required.
- When the order is printed, all attached courier-related documents are transmitted electronically to DHL Express or FedEx if Paperless Trade or Electronic Data Transmission is enabled.
Attach general order documents
General order documents are used for internal reference and record keeping. These documents remain stored with the order and are not transmitted to couriers. Examples include packing photos, checklists, or quality control forms.
General order documents can be added manually or automatically using rules.
To attach a general order document manually
- Open the order from the Orders grid.
- In the Order Documents section, select Add Document.
- Upload the desired file.
- The file remains available within the order for future reference.
Automatically attach documents using rules
Use the Document Manager and rule engine to attach either courier-related or general order documents automatically when orders import.
Step 1: Upload documents to your account
- Go to Settings > Document Manager.
- Open the Uploads tab.
- Select the files to upload.
- Choose a Document Type:
- Customs Invoice (replaces the default commercial invoice)
- Proof of Purchase
- License or Permit
- General Document (for internal use only)
- Click Upload.
Uploaded files appear under the File List tab.
Step 2: Assign documents using rules
- Go to Settings > Document Manager > Rules.
- Select Add a new rule.
- Set the conditions for when the document should be applied.
- Choose the Assign Document action.
- Enter the filename or use variables such as %OurRef% or %TheirRef% to match the order number or reference.
- Rules apply automatically when orders import. To reapply after making changes, select Run Rules from the Document Manager.
Step 3: Print orders
- When an order is printed, all attached documents are included automatically. Courier-related files are transmitted electronically to DHL Express or FedEx, while general order documents remain stored in the order only.
Manage and review order documents
- All attached documents, whether added manually or via rules, appear in the Order Documents section.
- Files can be downloaded, removed, or replaced before printing.
- Orders may include multiple attachments if more than one file meets a rule condition or is added manually.
- Only orders created within the last 90 days are eligible for document attachments.
FAQ
Attached documents appear in the Order Documents section of the order details view.
Files can be unassigned either from the File List in Document Manager or directly within the order details. You can not remove files from an order once the order has been shipped for auditing purposes.
From the File List:
- To remove a single file from all assigned orders, select Unlink in the file’s row.
- To remove all files assigned by a specific rule, select Remove assigned rule.
From the order details:
- Open the order and go to the Order Documents section.
Yes, you can attach the same file to multiple orders.
An order can have multiple files attached if multiple files meet the rule conditions.
In the File List, you can remove a file from your file list by clicking on the Remove option in the file's row.
Document manager does not currently support multiple files with the same name (regardless of whether the file extension is different). When you upload a file with the same name, the new file will override the older file.
All orders less than 90 days old can have documents attached to them. They will just need to meet the conditions that are set in your rule settings.
This depends on the type of document you attached to the order.
- Customs Invoice: You won't be able to download the commercial invoice via the Re-print drop-down > Download commercial invoice or when selecting the Order > Actions drop-down > Download the commercial invoice. This is because we do not store your copy of the commercial invoice on our side
- Proof of Purchase & Permit: Commercial invoice will be able to be downloaded from the account (as long as there wasn't a customs invoice also attached)