What are Carrier Item Types?

Carrier Item Types define the physical constraints and specifications that a carrier can accept for each item type (e.g., carton, pallet, parcel). These limits include maximum weight, dimensions, and other physical parameters.

Important: Carrier Item Types do NOT automatically block shipments. They serve two purposes:

1. Pricing Validation — MachShip uses item type limits to determine which rate applies to a shipment and validate that an item can be classified as that type.
2. Item Classification — Item type limits help MachShip select the correct item type for a shipment based on its physical characteristics.

When you need to enforce custom weight or dimension limits (e.g., limits stricter than the carrier's published maximums), you must use Route Restrictions instead. Route Restrictions are the enforcement mechanism that actively denies a carrier from being offered if conditions are met.

Example: If a carrier's published maximum weight for cartons is 30kg, but your company policy requires a 29kg limit, the Carrier Item Types table will show 30kg. To enforce your 29kg limit, you must create a Route Restriction that denies the carrier when weight exceeds 29kg. The item type limit alone will not prevent shipments from being quoted to the carrier.

Many Carriers have many different Item Types and it can be hard to remember them all. MachShip has entered all the data you'll need for each Carrier Item Type.

How to navigate to Manage Carrier Item Types

Navigate to Admin then click on Other Options. On the left-hand side of the screen, in the Advanced section, click on Carrier Item Types. 

From this screen, you'll have the ability to search for the Carrier or the Item Type via the search bar. 

Once you have found the correct Item Type, you can then view a break down of the limits on the Carrier Item Types grid. If you would like to see the Item Type in more depth, click on the cog located on the right side of the screen and select View Carrier Item Type.

From this screen, you will be able to see all of the information about this Item Type.