For growing distribution and e-commerce businesses, speed and efficiency are everything. When orders start piling up, manually shipping each one can become an operational nightmare. That’s where batch shipping in Business Central comes in. A game-changing capability that enables businesses to process and ship multiple orders simultaneously, streamlining fulfillment and accelerating delivery timelines.
If you’re using Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central, you already benefit from a powerful ERP system that handles everything from inventory and sales to finance and operations. However, when it comes to batch shipping, native functionality is often limited and lacks the automation and ease that modern businesses require. That’s why MetaShip was designed—to supercharge your Business Central environment with cloud-based, automated shipping tools, including advanced batch shipping capabilities.
In this blog, we’ll dive into what batch shipping means, why it’s essential for efficiency, and how MetaShip enhances batch shipping in Business Central to help you ship smarter, faster, and more accurately.
What is Batch Shipping?
Batch shipping refers to the ability to select and process multiple orders at once, generating labels, picking slips, tracking numbers, and shipping confirmations—all in a single operation. Instead of processing each sales order individually, warehouse and logistics teams can save time and reduce errors by handling large volumes of shipments through one streamlined workflow.
Key Benefits of Batch Shipping:
- Faster fulfillment: Process hundreds of orders in minutes.
- Fewer manual steps: Automate repetitive shipping tasks.
- Reduced errors: Minimize mislabeling and shipping mistakes.
- Lower labor costs: Free up time for more strategic tasks.
- Scalable operations: Easily handle seasonal spikes or rapid growth.
The Limitations of Standard Business Central Shipping
While Dynamics 365 Business Central offers solid functionality for sales order management, it falls short when users need to:
- Ship multiple orders in bulk from different customers.
- Integrate carrier APIs directly for real-time rate shopping.
- Automatically print shipping labels and tracking numbers.
- Handle drop shipments, returns, or multi-location warehousing.
Without the right tools, warehouse staff are left toggling between systems, manually entering shipping information, and printing labels one at a time—a process that’s both time-consuming and prone to error.
Enter MetaShip: Unlock the Power of Batch Shipping in Business Central
MetaShip is a robust, cloud-based shipping automation solution built specifically for Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central. One of its core capabilities is Batch Shipping—a feature designed to simplify and optimize the shipping of orders at scale.
Let’s explore how MetaShip transforms batch shipping into a seamless, one-click process.
MetaShip Batch Shipping: How It Works
With MetaShip, users can easily ship multiple orders from Business Central by following a few streamlined steps:
Step 1: Filter and Select Orders
MetaShip allows users to filter sales orders by criteria such as:
- Customer
- Shipping method
- Location
- Date range
- Status
This intelligent filtering helps teams quickly identify which orders are ready for shipment.
Step 2: Process Shipments in Bulk
Once the orders are selected, MetaShip initiates bulk processing:
- Validates shipping addresses.
- Selects the best carrier and service based on cost or speed.
- Applies predefined shipping rules.
- Automatically generates tracking numbers.
Step 3: Print Labels and Packing Slips
With one click, MetaShip:
- Generates and prints shipping labels for all selected orders.
- Creates branded and formatted packing slips tailored to your specifications.
- Updates the sales order and shipment records in Business Central automatically.
Step 4: Update and Notify
After shipments are processed:
- MetaShip updates the order status to “shipped” in Business Central.
- Tracking numbers are recorded and emailed (or integrated into customer portals).
- Shipping data is logged for reporting and analysis.
Know more about How Automated Shipping in Business Central Works
Batch Shipping Use Cases
MetaShip’s batch shipping functionality can support a wide range of business scenarios:
1. eCommerce and Retail Fulfillment
Process hundreds of online orders daily by grouping them by carrier, shipping speed, or warehouse location.
2. Wholesale Distribution
Ship bulk B2B orders across multiple customers with consolidated label printing and shipping document automation.
3. Subscription Boxes or Recurring Orders
Predefine shipping schedules and batch ship recurring monthly or weekly deliveries in one go.
4. Seasonal Promotions or Flash Sales
Handle high-volume shipping periods (like holidays or Black Friday) without overwhelming your warehouse team.
Why MetaShip’s Batch Shipping Stands Out
Here are several features that make MetaShip the ideal batch shipping solution within Business Central:
✅ Deep Business Central Integration
MetaShip isn’t just compatible with Business Central—it’s built specifically for it. That means seamless data flow, real-time syncing, and native usability across your ERP workflows.
✅ Multi-Carrier Support
MetaShip integrates with major carriers, including:
- UPS
- FedEx
- USPS
- DHL
- Regional and international carriers
This allows you to rate shop in real time and choose the most cost-effective shipping option for each order.
✅ Customizable Shipping Rules
MetaShip lets you define smart shipping rules based on:
- Weight
- Package dimensions
- Destination zone
- Shipping method requested
These rules are automatically applied during batch shipping, thereby reducing the need for manual decision-making.
✅ Error Handling and Address Validation
MetaShip includes built-in address validation to catch and correct issues before labels are printed, reducing the number of returned packages and delivery delays.
✅ Audit Trail and Reporting
Every batch shipment processed through MetaShip is recorded, with logs and analytics to track:
- Carrier performance
- Shipping costs
- Delivery times
This data is essential for continuous improvement and cost reduction.
Real-World Example: From Chaos to Control
Company: Pacific Gear Distributors
Problem: They were manually processing 200+ orders per day, using three different shipping platforms and Excel to track shipping statuses.
Solution: After implementing MetaShip, they began using the Batch Shipping feature to process all shipments directly from Business Central.
Results:
- 75% reduction in time spent on shipping tasks.
- 100% order-to-shipment visibility inside Business Central.
- Improved on-time delivery rate by 28% over six months.
Getting Started with MetaShip Batch Shipping
Implementing MetaShip’s batch shipping features is straightforward:
- Install MetaShip from Microsoft AppSource or via your Business Central partner.
- Configure your shipping rules, carriers, and locations.
- Start using batch shipping from the Sales Orders or Warehouse Shipments page.
MetaShip’s intuitive interface and pre-built workflows mean you can start batch processing orders within days, not weeks.
Conclusion: Ship Smarter, Not Harder
If your team is struggling with time-consuming, error-prone shipping processes, it’s time to embrace batch shipping with MetaShip. Designed for Business Central users, MetaShip enables you to ship multiple orders simultaneously with just a few clicks, saving time, reducing costs, and enhancing customer satisfaction.
Whether you’re shipping ten or ten thousand orders a day, MetaShip gives you the power to scale effortlessly.
Ready to optimize your fulfillment operations?
Contact MetaOption today to schedule a demo and see MetaShip’s batch shipping in action.