A manifest is a single-page document with a barcode carriers use to accept all your packages into transit at once, instead of scanning each one individually. Most carriers require a manifest before they'll accept a large batch of packages or complete a scheduled pickup. USPS calls their manifest a SCAN Form.
This article walks you through creating a manifest in Shippo.
How to create a manifest or SCAN Form
To create a manifest in Shippo:
- Open the Shipments page from your dashboard.
- Click Create Manifest in the top right corner.
- Review the labels available to add, then click Create Manifest.
Example manifest
Manifest tips
Generate your manifest the same day you create your labels
This is standard practice for most carriers. Once you've created your labels for the day, generate your manifest on the Shipments page before the day ends.
Go to the Shipments page to generate your manifest.
Carriers won't let you generate a manifest for labels created the day before, and we can't override that requirement.
Your “Shipping From” address must match the sender address on your labels
The Manifest screen shows your “Shipping From” address in the top right corner. This needs to match the sender address you used when creating your labels, it may differ from the return address printed on the label itself.
Your “Shipping From” address is pre-filled with the default sender address from your Addresses page. If you used a different sender address for your labels, update “Shipping From” before generating the manifest, or you'll see an error.
For USPS international labels, your return address and sender address also need to match the sender address used on the manifest, or you'll see an error there too.
Manifests are filed under the submission date that matches your label date
The “Submission Date” field is pre-filled with today's date, since you can only generate a manifest on the current date. Once generated, though, you'll find it listed in “Manifest History” under the submission date that matches your label date, not necessarily the date you generated it.
For example, if your label date is 8/29, enter 8/29 in the Submission Date field to find that manifest link. The date shown next to the link is when the manifest was actually generated, which can be the same day or later.
Why are some labels missing from my manifest?
USPS calculates manifest/SCAN Form cutoffs in Central Time. Labels created after 12:30 AM Central Time (CST in winter, CDT during daylight saving time) get pushed to the next day's manifest. If labels are missing, change your submission date to the next calendar day and they should appear.
12:30 AM Central Time works out to 10:30 PM Pacific, 11:30 PM Mountain, and 1:30 AM Eastern, and these offsets hold whether it's standard or daylight time. Keep your timezone in mind when you generate manifests or SCAN Forms. For example, a label created at 11:00 PM Pacific on March 1 needs a submission date of March 2, since 11:00 PM Pacific falls after the 10:30 PM cutoff.
Labels in a manifest that errored out can't be manifested again
If a manifest or SCAN Form throws an error, reach out to our Support team, they're happy to help you troubleshoot. Once a label is linked to a failed manifest, though, we can't get it manifested for you. Each of those labels will need to be scanned individually by the carrier instead.
USPS may generate more than one manifest
USPS often splits different shipment types across separate SCAN Forms, so you may see several links to download under Manifest History. That's expected, just make sure to print each one.
SCAN Forms can be split out by Priority Mail Cubic rates, other Priority Mail rates, First Class Package, and more.
Can you create more than one manifest a day?
Yes, you can create as many manifests or SCAN Forms as you need in a day.
If you create a batch of labels in the morning and generate a manifest right away, that manifest covers those labels. Create another batch later in the day, and you'll want to generate a second manifest, it'll only include the new labels, not the ones already covered that morning.
Carrier-specific processes
We support manifests for USPS, Canada Post, Purolator, Australia Post, Newgistics, and DHL eCommerce.
Canada Post
Only contract customers with their own Canada Post account can create manifests. Without a contract ID added to Shippo, you'll get an error trying to create one. Shipping more than 50 shipments a day under contract, you'll need to create manifests to transmit shipments for billing. Shipping fewer than 50 a day, you can typically skip the manifest, though it's worth confirming with Canada Post directly. If a contract customer doesn't close out a shipment day with a manifest, Canada Post may bill and transmit those shipments on your behalf.
If you create labels with Shippo's master Canada Post account, you don't need to print a manifest at all, since that information is sent to Canada Post automatically every time you create a label with that account.
Australia Post
All Australia Post customers need to manifest their daily shipments, regardless of volume, to avoid a fine. Labels must be manifested within 30 days of creation.
Manifesting a return shipment doesn't produce a physical form, but it's still sent to Australia Post electronically. Physical forms only come back for outbound shipments.
Newgistics
When you request a manifest for Newgistics transactions, we send a “Client Manifest Information” (CMI) file to Newgistics.
Unlike USPS, Newgistics doesn't return a physical document to scan. Providing an accurate manifest means fewer package exceptions, since it gives Newgistics a reference for package-level details. Manifests need to post by 11 PM PST the day before a shipment is scheduled for pickup.
DHL eCommerce
DHL eCommerce requires end-of-day manifests. We transmit the electronic data, and you'll print two copies of the Driver's Summary Manifest (DSM) it generates to hand to your DHL driver at pickup or drop-off.
UPS & FedEx
Creating a UPS or FedEx label in Shippo means you don't need to print an End of Day report, the way you would with something like UPS WorldShip. That information is sent to UPS or FedEx automatically every time you create a label with us.
If your driver asks for an End of Day report at pickup, let them know it's already been sent electronically through your third-party label service. Your labels are pre-scanned, so drivers don't need to scan each package individually.