Shipping Rules

How Shipping Rules Work in Helm

Shipping rules take the courier decision off your packers. Instead of someone checking each order's weight, destination or channel and picking a service by hand, Helm reads the order and assigns the right service the moment it needs one.

Rules are organised in three layers:

• Rule groups: a container for related rules, such as "UK Domestic" or "Amazon Orders". A group can be limited to certain stores and channels, warehouses or destination countries, so orders outside that scope never reach its rules.

• Rules: each rule inside a group has its own filters, the conditions an order must meet.

• Output services: the courier service the rule assigns when an order matches, with an optional failover and return service.

Groups and the rules inside them are numbered. Helm works down the list from the top and applies the first rule an order matches, so the order you put them in matters.

Example: you sell through Shopify and Amazon and ship most UK parcels on a standard tracked service. Heavier parcels work out cheaper on a next-day service, and anything to the Highlands has to go with a specific courier. One group for UK orders holds three rules: Highlands postcodes first, then orders over 2 kg, then everything else. Your packers never choose a service again.

Before You Start

• Where to find it: go to Shipping > Shipping Rules, or Settings > Despatch Settings > Shipping Rules. Both open the same Shipping Rule Groups list.

• Courier services set up: rules can only assign services that already exist in Settings > Despatch Settings > Couriers. Connect your couriers first.

• Know your priorities: sketch out which orders need which service before you build anything. It is far quicker to arrange rules on paper than to untangle them later.

How to Create a Rule Group in Helm

1. On the Shipping Rule Groups list, click Create Rule Group.

2. Enter a Group name that says what the group covers, for example "UK Domestic" or "International Express".

3. To limit the group to certain orders, turn on Allow Conditions, then set any of the following:

   1. Stores and Channels: tick the stores or individual channels this group applies to, or use Select All.

   2. Warehouses: if you run more than one warehouse, choose the sites this group applies to.

   3. Selected Countries: choose the destination countries this group handles.

4. Click Create Group. Helm confirms Group created successfully.

5. Choose Create Rules Now to start adding rules straight away, or Skip to come back later.

How to Add a Shipping Rule

Click a group's name to open its Group Page. The Rules panel on the right lists the group's rules in the order Helm checks them.

1. In the Rules panel, click + to add a rule.

2. Enter a Rule name that describes the outcome, for example "Over 2 kg to Next Day".

3. Build the conditions in Filters:

   1. Click + in the Filters header to add a filter row.

   2. Choose a Type, such as Total Order Weight or Shipping Country.

   3. Choose an operator, such as Is, Is not or Greater than.

   4. Enter or pick the Value.

   5. Use Add new filter for another condition the order must also meet, or Add 'OR' Group for an alternative set of conditions.

4. Open Output Services and click the pencil beside Courier Service.

5. In Set Shipping Service, search for or expand a courier, choose the service, then click Save Service.

6. Optionally set a Failover Service and a Return Service the same way.

7. Click Save Changes.

Building Filters

How filters combine is the part worth getting right:

• Filters in one group must all be true. Each Add new filter narrows the rule further.

• 'OR' groups are alternatives. Add 'OR' Group starts a new group, and the rule matches if any one group matches in full.

• One filter can hold several values. A Shipping Country filter listing three countries matches an order going to any of them.

The operators on offer depend on the Type you pick. Numbers, such as weights and totals, offer Is, Is not, Greater than, Less than and Between. Fields chosen from a list, such as countries, usually offer Is and Is not. Pick the Type first and the operator list follows.

The filters most shipping rules are built from:

Click Show More at the bottom of the Type list to see every filter available.

Choosing Output Services

Managing Groups & Rules

The Shipping Rule Groups list shows each group's Group Name, how many Rules and Restrictions it has, and its Status.

• See a group's rules without opening it: click the arrow at the end of the row. Each rule is listed with its service and status.

• Check a group's restrictions: hover the info icon beside the Restrictions count to see the stores, channels and countries it covers.

• Switch a group off: click its Status to move between Active and Inactive. Switching a group off switches its rules off with it, and every setting is kept.

• Change the order: drag a group or rule by its handle. Helm checks from the top down.

• Rename a group or change its conditions: open the group and click the pencil in Group Page.

• Copy or remove a group: use the ... button in the Actions column and choose Duplicate or Delete.

Example: Sending Heavy UK Parcels Next Day

1. Click Create Rule Group and name it "UK Domestic".

2. Turn on Allow Conditions, set Selected Countries to United Kingdom, then click Create Group and Create Rules Now.

3. Name the rule "Over 2 kg to Next Day".

4. Add a filter with a Type of Total Order Weight, the operator Greater than and a Value of 2.

5. Under Output Services, set the Courier Service to your next-day service, for example DPD Domestic Expresspak Next Day.

6. Click Save Changes.

7. Add a second rule below it called "Standard UK" with your everyday tracked service and no weight filter, so every lighter UK parcel is still covered.

Because Helm checks from the top, heavy parcels are caught by the first rule and everything else falls through to the second.

Best Practices & Notes

Put Specific Rules Above General Ones

A broad rule near the top catches orders before a more specific rule below it ever sees them. Order rules from narrowest to widest, and finish each group with a catch-all rule.

Keep Groups Small & Focused

One group per channel or region, each with a handful of rules, is far easier to read and maintain than one group with 30 rules.

Set a Failover on Your Busiest Rules

A failover service keeps orders moving if your main courier has a problem on a busy day.

Decide Which Tool Owns the Courier Choice

Order rules also have a Set Shipping Service action. Choose one place to manage courier selection so the two do not overwrite each other.

FAQ

If a rule is not doing what you expect and you are still stuck, contact Helm support with the group name, the rule name and an example order number.