This is a Level 4 and higher feature.

This feature works hand-in-hand with the Shipment Form.  It will automatically fill the shipment form with default values for a selected shipper.  For example, if you always want UPS to provide email notification to your customers, you can set-up email notification as a default for UPS.  Each time you select UPS from the pop-up list, the email notification field will be checked.

To set-up defaults, look for the "Defaults" button on the Shipment Form.  It's found in the lower right hand corner of the form.  Click on it to open a dialog box entitled "Default Values for Shippers."

Setting up New Defaults

To begin the process of setting up defaults, click on the "L" button beside "Shipper and Shipper Service."  Select a shipper from the list.  (You don't have to worry about the shipping methods.  All we really want is the shipper's name. In other words, you can select any method just as long as it is associated with the desired shipper.)

The shipper's name will be entered to the form.  The service will also be entered to the form. If you don't want the service to be one of your default values, delete it. (Don't, however, delete the name of the shipper.)

At this point, you can fill in any of the other fields with the desired default values.  Some of the fields require additional information which is found below:

Weight and Dimensions.  The weight and dimension boxes should be used only if you want these to be the same each time you select the shipper.  For example, if you type in 10 lbs in the weight blank, each time you select the shipper, 10 lbs will be pasted in the weight box.  This is a handy feature if you always send out packages of the same weight.  If not, you should leave it blank.

Zip Code of Shipping Location Compared to Return Address. These fields are used by the U.S. Post Office (USPS).  You can disregard them if you are setting up defaults for other shippers.  For USPS shipments, you can use these fields to set up zip code defaults.  If you are shipping from the same zip code as the return address that will appear on the package, select "Same" in the first box.  If you are shipping from a different zip code as the return address, select "New" and type in the zip code of the shipping location in the second box.  Remember these are defaults.  What you select here will appear each time you select USPS as the shipper.

Reference 1 & 2. Shippers like UPS and FedEx have two or more places for reference numbers.  Often the reference numbers used are invoice number and purchase number.  Some customers may request at the Invoice # appear in the first reference field.  Other may request that the PO # appear in the first reference field.  Still others have no preference.  To have the invoice number appear in the first field, select the first option (Inv # in Ref1 and PO # in Ref2).  To have the PO number appear in the first field, selection the second option (PO # in Ref1 and Inv # in Ref2).  If you do not want any of these numbers appearing in the reference fields, select "Leave both blank."

You have one additional choice.  AnyOrder normally places a prefix of "INV #" before the invoice number and "PO #" before the purchase order number.  If you prefer not to include the prefix, place a checkmark in "NO Prefixes."  This has no effect if you select:  "Leave both blank."

UDF Copy Option. Near the end of the form, you'll find the following option:

To copy a field from User Defined Fields to the Contact Person blank on the Shipment Form, indicate the UDF field number here:

This option allows you to copy one of your User Defined Fields (UDF) to the "Contact Person" blank on the Shipment Form.  To give it a short name, we'll call it this the "UDF Copy Option."  The UDF Copy Option was added since AnyOrder users often create a "Contact Name" field to supplement the fields on the Main Invoice Screen.  Some users, alternately, call it the "Attention" field.  When this field appears on the printed invoice, it looks like: "ATTENTION: John Doe."

NOTE: In Level VI, this option has been superseded by the "Attention" field in the Customer Database.  If you are printing an invoice for a customer with a customer number -- and you've indicated a name in the Attention field -- AnyOrder will use the name from the Customer Database.  However, if you have used this system in the past, it's quite all right to continue to use it.  If you do use it, the name here takes priority over the "Attention" field in the Customer Database.  In other words, AnyOrder will select the name from the UDF first and display it on the Shipment Form.  If there's no name in the UDF, it will select the name in the Attention field (if the customer has a number.)  You are not locked into any of these choices, of course; you can always the select name you want from the drop down list.

To use the UDF Copy Option, you'll need to enter the UDF field number of your "Contact" or "Attention" field.  To get the number, select GO TO >> ADVANCED SEARCH.  On the right side of the dialog box, you'll see a list of User Defined Fields.  Count the number of UDF fields starting from the top.  If the "Contact" field is eight (8) down from the top, then the UDF Field number is 8.

Note that the UDF Copy Option is a global default.  It's the only global default on the dialog box.  That means that it applies to all shippers.  If you enter 8, then the eighth User Defined Field will be copied, no matter what the shipper.

There is one other characteristic of the UDF Copy Option that you should know about.  If you set up at least one shipper with the UDF Copy Option, its value will show up in the "Contact Person" drop down box on the Shipment Form.  The value will always be there.  You don't have to select it, however.  It's just one of three selection choices that are available to you.  Thus, even if you don't use a particular shipper's defaults, you can still access this field by using the drop down box.

Saving Defaults. When finished filling in the defaults, click on "Save Defaults"

View or Modifying Defaults

If you've already set up defaults for a shipper, you can review them or make changes.  Here's how:

1. Select the shipper by clicking on the "L" button beside "Shipper and Shipper Service."  Select a shipper from the list.  (You don't have to worry about the shipping methods.  All we really want is the shipper's name.  You can select any method just as long as it is associated with the desired shipper.)

2. Click on the "View or Modify" button.

The shipper's defaults will appear.  If desired, you can make changes to the defaults.  To save any changes, click on "Save Defaults."

How to Use Shipping Defaults

There are two methods to access shipping defaults:

Method 1: Shipment Form. The first method of accessing defaults begins at the Shipment Form.  Click on the "L" beside Shipper and Shipping Service.  A list of shippers and methods will appear.  Select the desired shipper & method, and click on the "Paste with Defaults" button.  This will paste the shipper and all the defaults that you've established for the shipper.  If you do not want the defaults, click on the "Paste" button.

Method 2: Main Invoice Form. The second method begins at the Main Invoice Form.  When creating an invoice on the Main Invoice Form, click the "L" beside "Ship Via."  A list of shippers and methods will appear.  Select the desired shipper & method, and click on the "Paste with Defaults" button.  This will paste the shipper-plus-method name in the Ship Via blank.  You'll also notice a small bullet to the right of the name.  The bullet indicates to AnyOrder that you want to use defaults for the shipper.  (The bullet will be disregarded in the printing process.)

To complete the process, you need to open the shipment form.  To do so, click on the "Shipment Form" button on the Shipping Window attachment, or click the blue "Shipment" button just above Notes area.  As soon as the Shipment Form opens, you'll be asked if you want to fill in the form with defaults.  Answer yes, and the form will be auto-filled with your defaults.

This method is handy since it allows you to create and print a number of invoices.  After you've printed the invoices, and when you are ready to process on-line shipments, click on the "Shipment Form" button for each invoice.  The Shipment Form will be auto-filled with default values.  Before leaving the Shipment Form, check to make sure the addresses, contact name and company are correct.  Also, do one final check to make sure all the fields with "R" (Required) reminders are filled.  When you've complete checking the shipment form for each invoice, you're ready to process the shipment on-line (or export it to UPS WorldShip).