Viewing Shipment Error Messages in Shiptheory

If a shipment doesn't book successfully via Shiptheory, an error message explaining why is usually received from the carrier or generated by Shiptheory's checks. Viewing this error is the key first step to diagnose and fix the issue.


How to Find and View Shipment Errors:

  • Locate the Failed Shipment:
    • Go to your main Shipments dashboard in Shiptheory.
    • Find shipments with a Failed status. They might be visually highlighted (e.g., in red) or listed under a specific 'Failed' tab or filter.
  • Open Shipment Details:
    • Right-click the failed shipment record and select 'View' to open its detailed view page.
    • Scroll down to the 'Shipment History' section. You might need to click 'Expand Details' to see the full history.
  • Identify the Error Message:
    • Within the Shipment History, the most recent error message often appears first. This is the relevant message detailing the failure.
    • This message comes directly from the carrier or Shiptheory's internal validation process.

Understanding the Error Message:

Read the error message carefully as it usually provides clues about the cause:

  • Common issues include: invalid postcode format, missing address details, incorrect or missing commodity information (for international), exceeded value/weight limits, carrier account authentication problems, or temporary carrier system outages.
  • Search the error in Shiptheory's knowledge base to find out how to fix the error. Click here to find our knowledge base. 

What to Do Next:

  • Based on the error message, identify and correct the underlying issue (e.g., edit the address, update weight/dimensions, choose a different shipping service).
  • After correcting the details, you can then book the shipment from the same shipment detail page by manually selecting the carrier and service at the top.
  • When contacting support, provide the full error message to the agent to help expedite troubleshooting.
  • Should the error message be unclear or if you're unable to resolve the problem, please copy the complete message when contacting the Shiptheory support team for further assistance.


If there is anything here that you're stuck on, please feel free to either give us a call on 0117 403 4313 (UK) +1 (629) 6666726 (US) or contact us here.