Plans: All plans Platforms: All platforms

Overview

With CSV auto-fetch, you don't have to upload a CSV file every time because we will automatically fetch shipment details as per your import rule and time. This article provides a step-by-step guide to automating shipment data imports into AfterShip using CSV files or Google Sheets, minimizing manual work and ensuring consistent, timely updates.

How to set up CSV auto-fetch:

Go to Shipments in the AfterShip Tracking admin.
Click on CSV import and select the CSV auto-fetch option.
Once you click on the CSV Auto Fetch option, you will be asked to set the import rule. Click on Create new rule.
- Set the Daily import time
- Input the HTTP, HTTPS, FTP or SFTP link that points directly to the CSV file you want AfterShip to download at the time you specify
- Fill in the username and password if the URL is password-protected. With this, you can simply update the CSV file at the URL you specify, and AfterShip will automatically download the file and import the shipments
Click Save to finish the procedure.

CSV Fields

To learn what each field in the template refers to, check our help article on importing CSV files.

All the fields in the CSV file need to be filled, just like the examples given against each of the CSV fields in the article.

CSV auto-fetch using Google Drive spreadsheet

Automatically import tracking numbers to AfterShip using Google Drive Spreadsheet via CSV Auto - Fetch. You can use Google Sheets to use the CSV auto-fetch option.

Step 1: Prepare auto-fetch file

Download the AfterShip CSV Sample.
Create a new Google spreadsheet.
Copy the template from the sample CSV and paste it into the newly created sheet.
Enter the required tracking data within the Google spreadsheet.
Select Share.
Choose the option Anyone with the link can view to make the spreadsheet public for people with the link, in this case, AfterShip Tracking.

Step 2: Upload the CSV file

The process is the same as the CSV auto-fetch. While adding in the Feed URL, just add the Google spreadsheet URL with the tracking you’ve created in the above step.

Additional considerations

tracking_number is the only compulsory field in the CSV, but it would be better if you input courier to ensure more accurate tracking
Keep the header untouched
If you are using Excel for editing the CSV, please make sure you change the format of the cells into text before editing. Otherwise, the tracking number will be truncated, or the phone number "+" sign will be identified as a formula.
Make sure you save the file as a CSV.

FAQs

1. Under what condition duplicate tracking numbers can be imported to AfterShip?

Duplicate or identical tracking numbers can be imported to AfterShip via CSV only when they have different carrier slugs. The same tracking number could have been assigned to shipments of different carriers, making them eligible to be imported to the AfterShip dashboard via CSV manual, auto-fetch, and Google Spreadsheet upload.