Zapier Tutorial

Automate Shipping Label Generation with Zapier

Connect Shopify, WooCommerce, or any e-commerce platform to auto-generate branded shipping labels on every order.

Vincent Ventalon
Vincent Ventalon
·Updated
TemplateFox

About the TemplateFox Integration

The official TemplateFox Zapier integration lets you generate PDFs from templates with dynamic data. Native integration — no HTTP setup required. Connect to 7,000+ apps.

Why automate shipping labels?

Order comes in. Someone has to copy the address into the label maker, check for typos, add the tracking number, print it, tape it on. Next order. Copy, check, print, tape. 50 times a day. One wrong digit in the zip code and the package ends up in the wrong state.

Shopify and ShipStation have built-in labels, but they all look the same. No room for your logo, no custom fields for "FRAGILE" or picking instructions, no way to match your warehouse's workflow.

We're going to connect your store directly to a label template. New order comes in, label prints automatically — with the exact layout your team needs and zero manual data entry.

1

Create your shipping label template

1.1 — Choose a template

Start with one of our pre-built shipping label templates or create your own:

  1. Go to Templates
  2. Filter by Shipping Label category
  3. Choose the format that matches your printer (A4 or US Letter)
  4. Click Use Template to add it to your dashboard

This tutorial uses the A4 Shipping Label with Barcode template.

Other option: US Letter for North American paper sizes.

1.2 — Understand the template structure

The template uses dynamic fields that get replaced with real data. Some fields you'll hardcode (your return address), others come from Zapier (recipient address, tracking number).

Shipping label template in the visual editor showing dynamic fields and barcode component

Hardcode once (your company)

  • sender_name — Your company name
  • sender_address_line1 — Return address
  • sender_city_state_zip — City, state, postal code

Edit these directly in the template — they stay the same for every label.

Dynamic from Zapier (per label)

  • recipient_name — Recipient name
  • recipient_address_line1 — Street address
  • recipient_address_line2 — Apt, suite (optional)
  • recipient_city_state_zip — City, state, zip
  • order_id — Order reference
  • tracking_number — Tracking code
  • weight, dimensions — Package info
  • shipping_date — Ship date

Map these from your e-commerce platform in Zapier.

Handling multi-line addresses

Most e-commerce platforms send addresses as separate fields (line 1, line 2, city, state, zip). Use Zapier's Formatter to combine them into the format your template expects.

Template fields:
{{recipient_address_line1}} — 123 Main Street
{{recipient_address_line2}} — Apt 4B (optional)
{{recipient_city_state_zip}} — Springfield, IL 62701

Learn more: Data binding · Expressions

1.3 — Configure the tracking barcode

The template already includes a Code 128 barcode bound to {{tracking_number}}. Here's how to customize it if needed:

Barcode selected in the editor with properties panel showing configuration options
1
2
1

Select the barcode

Click on the barcode in the canvas. Blue handles appear when selected.

2

Edit in the properties panel

The right panel shows: Value (the variable), Format (Code 128), Show text, and dimensions.

Tip: The barcode uses Code 128 format, which works with most carriers (UPS, FedEx, USPS, DHL). Make sure there's enough white space around the barcode for reliable scanning.

1.4 — Test with the Preview tab

The Preview tab lets you test your template with sample data before connecting to Zapier. The JSON panel on the right contains your test data, and the rendered label appears on the left in real-time.

Shipping label template preview with JSON data panel showing real-time rendering
1

JSON data maps to template fields

Each key in the JSON (like recipient_name) fills its matching {{recipient_name}} placeholder.

2

Barcode renders from tracking number

The tracking_number field generates a scannable Code 128 barcode.

3

Verify the layout

Check that addresses are readable and the barcode has enough margin for scanning.

Tip: The field names on the right (like recipient_name) are what you'll map in Zapier. Each field becomes an input in the Zapier action.

View full JSON payload example
{
"sender_name": "Acme Fulfillment Co",
"sender_address_line1": "1234 Warehouse Blvd",
"sender_city_state_zip": "Los Angeles, CA 90001",
"recipient_name": "Sarah Johnson",
"recipient_address_line1": "742 Evergreen Terrace",
"recipient_address_line2": "Unit 2A",
"recipient_city_state_zip": "Springfield, IL 62701",
"order_id": "ORD-2026-78432",
"tracking_number": "1Z999AA10123456784",
"weight": "2.5 lbs",
"dimensions": "12 x 8 x 6 in",
"shipping_date": "March 1, 2026",
"remarks": "Handle with care"
}
2

Connect with Zapier

The flow is simple: order comes in, label goes out. Three modules, fully automatic:

Complete Zapier workflow: Shopify New Order → TemplateFox Generate PDF → Gmail Send Email

2.1 — Set up the trigger

Choose your e-commerce platform and trigger event:

S

Shopify

Trigger: New Order or New Paid Order

W

WooCommerce

Trigger: New Order

E

Etsy

Trigger: New Receipt (order)

B

BigCommerce

Trigger: New Order

  1. Go to zapier.com and create a new Zap
  2. Search for your e-commerce platform
  3. Select New Order (or equivalent) as the trigger
  4. Connect your store and test the trigger with a recent order

Shopify shipping address fields

When you test the trigger, you'll see the shipping address broken down into:

  • Shipping Address Name → map to recipient_name
  • Shipping Address Address1 → map to recipient_address_line1
  • Shipping Address City + State + Zip → combine into recipient_city_state_zip

2.2 — Add TemplateFox action

After testing the trigger, Zapier has your order data. Now connect it to your shipping label template:

  1. Add an Action step
  2. Search for "TemplateFox"
  3. Select "Generate PDF"
  4. Connect your TemplateFox account with your API key
  5. Select your shipping label template
  6. Set "Create Data with" to "Schema of Data" — this shows all template fields
  7. Map each field — type / to insert variables from the previous step (Shopify order data)
Zapier field mapping for TemplateFox Generate PDF action showing template data fields

Tip: Hardcode your return address (sender_* fields) directly in the template — they stay the same for every label. Only map dynamic data like recipient address and order ID from your e-commerce platform.

About tracking numbers: Your e-commerce platform may not have tracking numbers at order creation time. You can either:

  • • Add a step to fetch tracking from your carrier API (ShipStation, EasyPost)
  • • Trigger the Zap on "Fulfillment Created" instead of "New Order"
  • • Generate labels without tracking, add it manually before printing

2.3 — Send or print the label

Choose what happens with your generated shipping label:

Email to warehouse

Add Gmail/Outlook action to send the PDF to your fulfillment team. They print and attach the label to the package.

Save to Google Drive

Upload to a shared folder organized by date. Your team downloads and prints in batches.

Print automatically

Use Ezeep or PrintNode to send directly to your thermal printer (Zebra, DYMO, Brother).

Upload to S3

Use TemplateFox's built-in S3 integration to store labels in your own bucket for archival and compliance.

  1. Add another Action step
  2. Choose your delivery method (Gmail, Google Drive, Ezeep, etc.)
  3. Attach or upload the PDF URL from the TemplateFox action
  4. Turn on your Zap

That's the whole setup. Order placed, label ready. Your warehouse team can start packing immediately — no data entry, no typos.

What you get

A ready-to-print label with your branding, scannable barcode, and all shipping details — generated the moment an order comes in:

Final generated shipping label PDF with barcode and all data filled in automatically

Supported platforms

Any e-commerce platform or order management system with a Zapier integration works. Here are the most popular:

S
Shopify
W
WooCommerce
B
BigCommerce
E
Etsy
A
Amazon
e
eBay
S
ShipStation
A
Airtable
G
Google Sheets

Frequently asked questions

Which e-commerce platforms can I connect?

Any platform with a Zapier integration: Shopify, WooCommerce, BigCommerce, Etsy, Amazon, eBay, and 100+ more. If it has a "New Order" trigger in Zapier, it works.

Can I include tracking barcodes on the label?

Yes. Use the barcode component in your template. Map the tracking number from your carrier API or order management system, and it automatically generates a scannable Code 128 or QR code.

What about international shipping?

International labels work the same way. Your template can include additional fields for customs declarations: HS codes, item descriptions, declared values, and country of origin. Map these from your order data or hardcode them for specific product types.

Can I handle multiple packages per order?

Yes. Use Zapier's loop action to iterate over each package, or set up a multi-step Zap that generates one label per package. Each label gets its own tracking number and weight.

How do I print labels automatically?

After generating the PDF, add a print action using Ezeep or PrintNode in Zapier. These services connect to your thermal printer (Zebra, DYMO, etc.) and print automatically when a new label is generated.

How much does shipping label generation cost?

TemplateFox offers 60 free PDFs per month. Paid plans start at $19/month for higher volume. View pricing.

What barcode formats are supported?

We support Code 128, Code 39, EAN-13, UPC-A, and QR codes. Code 128 is most common for shipping and works with all major carriers (UPS, FedEx, USPS, DHL).

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