Combining orders (also called merging orders) joins two or more orders for the same customer into one order, so you pick once and ship one package. This saves shipping costs and picking time.
Find orders you can combine
SKULabs finds orders from the same store that ship to the same address and shows them in two places:
The alert banner on the Processing tab: "N orders are being shipped to the same customers. Consider combining them to lower shipping costs." Click it to open the Combinable orders window.
A red compress icon next to the order number in the orders table, with the tooltip "Order combinable".
The count in the banner and the list in the window always match.
Combine from the Combinable orders window
Click the alert banner to open Combinable orders. Rows are grouped by shipping address.
Narrow the list if you need to (see the next section).
Select the rows to combine. The button shows how many orders you will end up with, for example Combine into 3 orders: one combined order per address.
Click the button. Nothing is combined yet. For each address group, choose the parent order (the order that stays), then click Combine. Use Skip to leave a group as it is, or Back to return to the previous group.
At the end, SKULabs shows "Order(s) combined successfully!" and a list of the combined orders with links, so you can open and check them.
Orders for different addresses are never merged together, so it is safe to select all rows and combine: each customer still gets their own order.
Filter and tag in the window
Filters: Show only on same recipient name and Show only on same email keep only orders where the name or email also match. Show mismatched recipient name and Show mismatched email show the opposite: same address but a different person. Check those before combining, for example roommates or a reshipper address.
Advanced filters: include or exclude orders by store, status or tag.
Columns: show or hide Store, Order #, Status, Date, Ship by date, Customer, Address, Tags, Method, # items, Total and Destination.
Tag orders: tag the selected orders without leaving the window, for example to mark orders you reviewed.
Combine orders you pick yourself
On the Processing tab, select the orders to combine.
Click Actions > Review combinable orders.
Choose the parent order for each group and click Combine, or Skip a group.
At least two selected orders must share a shipping address. Otherwise SKULabs shows "Select at least two orders that share a shipping address to combine."
Which order becomes the parent
The parent is the order that stays and holds all the items. The other orders become child orders. Only the parent reserves stock.
An order with picking progress (scans, shipments that are not voided, or cleared items) can only be the parent, so SKULabs selects it as the parent and you cannot change it.
If two or more orders in a group have picking progress, they cannot be combined together. Reset all but one of them, or skip the group.
Warning: after combining, channel orders are disconnected from your sales channel and stop receiving updates from it. See Disconnected order.
Orders that cannot be combined
These orders never appear as combinable and cannot be combined:
Orders from different stores.
Orders that are already combined (you can still combine a new order into a combined order).
Orders in a batch.
Orders that are unpaid (pending).
Orders with the status Shipped or Awaiting Fulfillment.
Orders with no street address (address line 1 or 2 is missing).
Orders with returns (RMAs), payment transactions, or Amazon FBA fulfillments.
Ship un-combinable orders in one box
You can still ship these orders together without combining them in SKULabs:
Pack the items from all the orders into one box.
Open one of the orders and ship it with the weight and dimensions of that box.
Copy the tracking number.
Open each other order, click Actions > Add manual shipment, and enter the same tracking number.
All orders are marked as shipped and their items are deducted.
FAQs
How do I know if an order is combinable?
It has a red compress icon next to its order number, and it is counted in the combinable orders banner.
Why is an order with the same address not suggested?
It is from another store, unpaid, in a batch, already shipped or awaiting fulfillment, has no street address, or has a return, payment transaction or FBA fulfillment.
How do I see orders I combined before?
Use the Type column on the orders list. See How to find previously combined orders.
Can I undo a combine?
Yes. Open the combined order and use Separate orders. See Disconnected order.