The Import Consignments feature allows you to import any delimited, XML or JSON file containing consignment or order information.

How to Navigate to Import Consignments screen 

• To get to the Import Consignments screen, from the top menu Create/Manage, click Import Consignments under the Consignments section. 
  

• Or you can alternatively use the link here. 

Import Consignments Process 

MachShip can facilitate the mapping of a consignment file which you are able to internally produce in any of XML, Delimited or JSON formats. If you are unable to produce a file or are happy to utilize the MachShip generic version then please provide a file in the following format. 

• Add CSV Files (required fields only apply when attempting to create a consignment. If you are importing orders (pending consignments) then you can provide as much or as little data as desired) 
  
  
  • Despatch Date Despatch Time (Not Required): If not provided then the current date will be utilised. 
    
    
  • Carrier, Account, Service (Not Required): If you wish to consign with a particular Carrier, Account or Service set them here. If not, MachShip will create the consignment via either the lowest cost or fastest ETA model. These will be the abbreviations stored in MachShip rather than the names. For example: TNT Road Express the carrier is TNT and the service is 76.
    
    
  • From/To Location Name or From/To Location Abbreviation (one is required): You can either fill in the location name or its abbreviation. If it is a saved location, all the address info fields can be left blank. For a new one, Address Line 1 and Suburb are required.
    
    
  • From/To Address Line 1 (required), Address Line 2, Suburb (required), Postcode (required), Contact, Phone or Email.  (Note: Required fields are only if not using saved location): If you are not using a saved location then you will need to provide at least the address line 1 as well as a suburb postcode combination from the from and to locations. 
    
    
  • Reference 1 and Reference 2: Set reference field 1 and reference field 2. Please note that the Generic Consignment Import workflow will consolidate the file by From and To Locations as well as reference 1 and reference 2. 
    
    
  • Items: (Required): As stated above, the Generic Consignment Import workflow will consolidate rows based on the same from/to location details and reference 1 and reference 2. As such, each row will be one line item.
    
    
    
    You will be required to set:    
    
    
    
    • Quantity: Quantity for each line item. 
      
      
    • Item SKU or Item Name: If you decide to use a saved item, enter the SKU or Name, it will use the dimensions from the saved item.
      
      If not using a saved item then you will need to provide:
      
      
    • Item Name - this is a free text field
    • Item Type - i.e Skid, Pallet, Carton or any other valid MachShip item type
    • Length, Width, Height (cm)
    • Weight (kg)
  • Item Type and Description Best Practices
    
    Item Type vs. Item Description: The Item Type field (e.g., Carton, Pallet, Skid) is a system classification that determines how the item is processed and charged. The Item Description field is optional and used for label display. 
    
    IMPORTANT: Ensure that Item Description matches or is consistent with Item Type. Mismatches can cause carriers to receive labels with incorrect item descriptions or consolidated quantities. For example, if Item Type = "Carton" but Item Description = "Pallet", the carrier may see the item as a pallet on their label, causing confusion and potential billing issues. 
    
    Best Practice: Leave Item Description blank or populate it with a value that matches Item Type (e.g., if Item Type = "Carton", use Item Description = "Carton" or "Standard Carton"). Avoid using different item classifications in the description field.
    
    

An example of the file import would be as follows:

Custom Consignment Import Fields

Use these custom fields to set consignment options at import time. The fields only take effect when the carrier, surcharge, or restriction is configured to use them — verify the active question set in the MachShip Create Consignment interface before relying on a field.

All boolean fields below accept Yes/No, Y/N, or true/false.

How to use

Add the field name as a column heading in your import, then populate each row with the relevant value. Each heading maps directly to a question that would otherwise be answered manually in the Create Consignment screen.

Service requirement fields

Tailgate Delivery — Flags Hydraulic Tailgate Required and Hydraulic Tailgate Delivery when a tailgate is needed at the delivery end.

Tailgate Pickup — Flags Hydraulic Tailgate Pickup when a tailgate vehicle is needed at the pickup end.

Residential Delivery — Flags "Is this a residential delivery?" for residential drop-offs.

Residential Pickup — Flags "Is this a residential pickup?" for residential collections.

Hand Unload Required — Flags the Hand Unload question when manual unloading is required.

Carrier-specific fields

These fields only push through to carriers whose integration supports them. Setting them on a consignment routed to an unsupported carrier has no effect.

Loscam — Accepts a pallet count (integer). Sends the Loscam pallet count to carriers that require it as part of their integration.

Chep — Accepts a pallet count (integer). Sends the Chep pallet count to carriers that require it as part of their integration.

ATL — Accepts Yes/No, Y/N, or true/false. Sets the Authority to Leave flag on the carrier integration. Only applies to carriers that support an ATL flag. Does not modify the delivery special instructions — set those separately if you also need ATL written into the instructions.

Surcharge Field Usage

Surcharge fields (such as Residential Delivery, Tailgate Delivery, etc.) must be added as column headers in your CSV file, not as values within a 'Questions' column. Each row should contain Y/N, Yes/No, or true/false values for the applicable surcharge.

CORRECT approach: Add a column header named 'Residential Delivery' with values 'Y' or 'N' in each row.

INCORRECT approach: Do not attempt to use a 'Questions' column with text like 'Is this a residential delivery?' — this will not work.

Important: The surcharge field name must match exactly (case-sensitive). Use Y/N, Yes/No, or true/false for boolean values.

When to Use Custom Consignment Importer Workflows

The Generic Consignment Importer V2 is designed to handle the most common surcharge requirements. However, it supports only a limited set of surcharges. Understanding when to use the Generic Importer versus a custom workflow will help you choose the right approach for your import needs.

Supported Surcharges in Generic Consignment Importer V2:

• Residential Delivery
  
• Residential Pickup
  
• Tailgate Delivery
  
• Tailgate Pickup
  
• Hand Unload Required
  

Surcharges Requiring Custom Workflows:

If your import requires surcharges not listed above—such as Book In Required, Depot Handling, Remote Area Surcharge, or any carrier-specific surcharge—you must create a custom consignment importer workflow. Custom workflows allow you to map additional surcharge fields and implement complex conditional logic tailored to your business requirements.

Decision Criteria:

• Use Generic Consignment Importer V2 if: Your surcharges are limited to Residential Delivery, Residential Pickup, Tailgate Delivery, Tailgate Pickup, or Hand Unload Required, and you do not require complex conditional logic.
  
  
• Use a Custom Consignment Importer Workflow if: You need surcharges beyond the supported list, require carrier-specific surcharge mappings, or need to implement conditional logic based on delivery location, item type, or other factors.
  
  

Finding the Correct Surcharge Field Names:

Surcharge field names must match exactly (case-sensitive) to work correctly during import. To discover the correct field names for your carrier's surcharges, refer to the Carrier Surcharge Field Reference or contact MachShip Support with your carrier name and service type. This will ensure you use the correct terminology before attempting your import and help you determine whether the Generic Importer or a custom workflow is appropriate for your needs.

Supported surcharge fields for Generic Consignment Importer V2:

• Residential Delivery
  
• Residential Pickup
  
• Tailgate Delivery
  
• Tailgate Pickup
  
• Hand Unload Required
  

Example CSV with surcharge columns:

Troubleshooting surcharge fields:

If surcharges are not applying after adding the column header, verify the following:

• Column name matches exactly (case-sensitive) — e.g., 'Residential Delivery' not 'residential delivery'
  
  
• Values are Y/N, Yes/No, or true/false (not other text)
  
  
• The surcharge is configured for the carrier and service being used
  
  
• Re-import the file after making corrections to column names or values
  
  

• Blank Row Handling:
  
  Blank rows in your import file may cause validation errors depending on the import type selected:
  
  
  
  • Import With Fallback: Blank rows will fail validation and be converted to pending consignments (rows with validation errors are not imported as active consignments)
    
    
  • Import Without Fallback: Blank rows will cause the entire import to fail. The import cannot proceed if any rows contain validation errors
    
    
  • Order: Blank rows are typically handled more gracefully and will be imported as pending consignments without validation errors
    
    
• Best Practice: To avoid validation errors, remove all blank rows from your import file before uploading. If your file is auto-generated (e.g., by Excel macros), configure the macro to exclude blank rows or use the 'Order' import type which is more tolerant of incomplete data.
  
  
• Troubleshooting: If you receive validation errors for blank rows (e.g., 'To Location is required', 'To Address Line 1 is required'), verify that:
  
  
  
  • Your file contains no unintended blank rows
    
    
  • You have selected the appropriate import type for your use case
    
    
  • If using 'Import With Fallback', check that the pending consignments created from failed rows contain the required data before finalizing them
    
    

• Import Consignments
  • Select Add Files and select the relevant file to be 
    uploaded.
    
    
    
    
  • Then Select 
    Upload
    
    
    
    
    The file will then appear in the import files grid as below:
    
    
    
    
  • Import Type

    • Import With Fallback: The import preview screen will show any errors, any consignments with errors will come through as Pending Consignments everything else will import as a consignment.

    • Import Without Fallback: The import preview screen will show any errors and you are not able to proceed further.

    • Order: All the items will be imported as pending consignments. 
      
      
      
      
      
      
  • File Format: For each uploaded file, you can select the import file format
    , the default one is “GENERIC CONSIGNMENT IMPORTER V2”. Otherwise, select the relevant workflow you require. 
    
    

You need to select any file on the list that you want to import and click on Import Consignments button to start the process.

Once selected the Import Consignment Modal will appear. This will validate the file and then request you to select the Route Selection Option. Once complete, select Import Consignments. 

Once the import is complete MachShip will provide you with a list of successfully imported consignments or pending consignments and their relevant PC or MS numbers.