ReadyToShip’s automation rules can perform common order-management tasks automatically, reducing the amount of manual work required when preparing orders for shipment.

Each rule has three main parts:

ReadyToShip supports two rule types:

⚠️ Important: Changes made when a rule runs cannot be undone through Automation. Always use Dry run and review the matching orders before running a new or updated rule.

When creating an automatic rule, consider turning Active off before saving it. You can then perform a dry run before activating the rule.

Enter a clear, easily recognisable name.

Use a name that describes both the orders being matched and the action being performed. For example:

The note is optional. Use it to explain what the rule does or include information that staff should know.

Rules default to Automatic.

Select Manual if a user should decide when the rule is applied.

The Active toggle is turned on by default.

When building a new automatic rule, turn Active off if you want to save and test the rule before it begins processing imported orders.

You can also deactivate an existing rule without deleting it.

Turn on Stop after this rule if ReadyToShip should stop checking subsequent rules when this rule matches an order.

Leave it off if other matching rules should also be allowed to apply.

Select Add Condition Group to add your first trigger.

A trigger is the order detail you want ReadyToShip to check. For example:

A condition specifies how the order’s value should be compared with the value in the rule.

Available operators depend on the selected trigger and can include:

For example, use Between to match shipping postcodes from 3000 to 3999 without creating separate Greater than and Less than conditions.

Where appropriate, include a shipping-country condition with postcode rules. This prevents similar-looking international postcodes from matching unintentionally.

Use Is any of when several values should produce the same result. For example, a single condition could match shipping states VIC, NSW or QLD.

Use Is none of when you need to exclude several values.

A rule can contain multiple conditions within a group and multiple condition groups.

Configure a group to match:

Multiple groups let you combine ALL and ANY logic in the same rule.

For example, you could require the shipping country to equal AU and then allow the shipping state to be any of VIC, NSW or QLD.

After configuring the triggers, select Add Action.

Available actions include:

You can add more than one action to a rule.

For example, a rule matching a particular SKU could use Modify Packages to apply a saved package and Assign Carrier and Service to select the preferred shipping service.

When you select Assign Carrier and Service:

Available order options vary depending on the selected carrier and service.

The following rule assigns Express Post to Australian orders within a particular postcode range.

Set the condition group to match ALL conditions.

Save the rule with Active turned off, then use Dry run to confirm that it matches only the intended orders.

After saving a rule, the Matching orders card displays recent imported orders that match its triggers. Orders are checked from newest to oldest.

Turn on Include completed orders if you also want the preview to consider completed orders. This can help you check how the rule would have matched previously processed orders.

Including completed orders in the preview does not apply the rule’s actions to those orders.

Use Dry run to simulate running the rule without applying its actions.

Dry run is important because changes made by running a rule cannot be undone through Automation. Use it whenever you:

Review the results carefully. If the rule matches too many or too few orders, update its conditions and perform another dry run.

[Screenshot: Matching orders card showing Include completed orders, Dry run and Run Rule.]

If eligible imported orders match the rule, they will appear in the Matching orders card.

⚠️ Warning: Selecting Run Rule applies the actions to matching orders. These changes cannot be undone through Automation.

Use Dry run first and confirm that only the intended orders match. When you are satisfied with the results, select Run Rule.

If no existing orders match, an active automatic rule will still be checked when new orders are imported.Automatic rules

Automatic rules run against each imported order from top to bottom. The first-listed rule has the highest priority.

Drag and drop rules in the Automation list to change their order. Place specific rules above broader rules so that exceptions are handled first.

For example, place a rule for a particular SKU above a general rule applying to every order going to the same state.

Turn on Stop after this rule when no subsequent rules should apply after a match.

[Screenshot: Automation list showing drag handles, rule order, rule type and Active status.]

Manual rules never run automatically. They are useful for repeatable processes that should still require a person to decide when they are applied.

To run a manual rule:

ReadyToShip checks the rule against imported orders that are active and not already part of a shipping run. Actions are applied only to matching orders.