Shipment CSV Upload

The Shipment CSV Upload feature allows you to upload a file containing multiple shipments for quick and efficient shipment creation. To begin, navigate to the Create Shipments page and click on Import Shipments. This feature is ideal for logistics teams managing high-volume shipping operations.

Uploading the CSV File

From the navigation bar, select Shipments and then Create New Shipment. Then select Import Shipments in the upper right-hand corner. Once you click Import Shipments, you can upload your CSV file. Each row in the file represents one shipment and must follow the proper format. You can download a CSV template directly from the platform to ensure the structure is correct.

Required Fields in the CSV

• Shipment ID
  • Must be unique across your organization. It identifies the shipment and is required.
• Ship Date and Time
  • Follows the format yyyy-mm-dd hh:mm in 24-hour notation. The time zone used is based on your user profile. If another shipment is already using the tracker at the selected time, you’ll be required to update it in the Preview page.
• Ship From Full Address
  • The full origin address of the shipment. All addresses are validated against a Geocoding API to convert them into accurate latitude and longitude coordinates. Invalid addresses can be corrected directly in the Preview page by selecting a suggested address or applying a fix across all matching fields.
• Ship To Full Address
  • The full destination address of the shipment. The same validation process applies as with the origin address.
• Mode
  • The mode of transport. Acceptable values are Road, Ocean, Air, and Rail. These values are not case-sensitive and are required.

Optional Fields in the CSV

• Tracker ID
  • Refers to the tracker assigned to the shipment. It must match a tracker associated with your account. Only one tracker can be assigned per shipment through the CSV upload. Tracker ID is required to start the shipment, but can be added once the CSV upload has been completed.
• Carrier
  • Must match a valid carrier based on the selected mode of transport. For example, entering an air carrier for a sea shipment will result in an error.
• External Tracking ID
  • An optional field for referencing Container IDs for Ocean or Airway Bills for Air shipments. This field is invalid if Road is selected as the mode.
• Custom Fields
  • Up to three custom fields can be used to include additional information relevant to your shipments.
• Shipment Driver Setting
  • Indicates the type of driver staffing. Acceptable values are Solo and Team. If no value is entered, Solo is used by default. Invalid inputs will generate an error and prompt you to select a correct value from a dropdown.

Address Validation and Saved Locations

When an address is uploaded and validated by the system, it creates a Saved Location, which can be reused in the future or referenced in upcoming CSV uploads. 

Alert Presets 

You can apply one or more alert presets to all shipments listed in the file. These presets will apply across all rows and cannot be set individually for each shipment through the CSV upload.

Preview and Error Correction

After uploading the file, you will be directed to the Preview page.

Here, you can:

• Review all data
• Correct any invalid fields
• Modify valid fields before final submission

Import History

Once the bulk upload is complete, you will be redirected to the Import History page.

Here, you can view:

• The CSV file that was uploaded
• Number of shipments successfully created
• Number of shipments that failed
• Upload date and time
• Overall file upload status

You can click the information icon next to each file to understand why certain shipments failed. You can filter the view to show all shipments, only successful ones, or only failed ones.

Key Points to Know

• Only one tracker can be assigned per shipment using the CSV upload feature. You can add more trackers to the shipment in the platform later.
• To create shipments with multiple trackers in bulk, we recommend using the public API or shipment templates.
• It is not possible to assign unique alert presets across shipments in 1 CSV upload.
• It is not possible to add collaborators, attach webhooks, or upload files via CSV upload.
• It is not possible to create multi-leg shipments.
• Your CSV file can include up to 300 shipments.

Best Practices 

• Use the CSV Template Provided
  • Always download and use the official CSV template from the platform to ensure correct formatting and avoid common upload errors.
• Validate Addresses Before Uploading
  • Double-check that all origin and destination addresses are complete and correctly formatted to reduce the number of errors that need to be fixed in the Preview page.
• Assign Trackers Carefully
  • Ensure tracker IDs are accurate and not already in use during the selected shipment time. This avoids conflict and delays during creation.

In case you have any additional questions, you can reach out to support@tive.com for help!