Auto shipping labels from orders

> Cost: Freemium. Katana is free for up to 30 products (SKUs), with all features, unlimited users, the API and a 15-day unlimited-SKU start; on Free, Shopify is the only store integration. Beyond that you need Advantage, a custom annual contract (by quote) that includes guided implementation, a success manager, traceability, the shop floor app and the AI connector.

Honest note: rule-based shipping automation (if the order looks like X, use carrier Y), not AI. The "30+ hours a week" in the Katana-published story combines marketing and operations time savings and has no starting point, so treat it as "a lot at peak season". Katana's demand-planning history helps with seasons but doesn't forecast by itself.

Prerequisites

• Katana connected to your Shopify store, plus a Shiptheory account and your carrier accounts (for example UPS, FedEx, USPS).
• Every product with a unique, non-blank SKU (Shiptheory needs it).
• Product weights and dimensions in Katana.
• A label printer.

Step-by-step setup

Step 1. Connect Shopify to Katana. Integrations Marketplace → Shopify → Connect, map locations, import products and Activate sync.

Step 2. Connect Katana inside Shiptheory. In Shiptheory, add Katana as a Sales Channel, click Connect and log in to Katana.

Step 3. Add carriers. In Shiptheory, go to Carriers > Manage Carriers and connect each carrier account.

Step 4. Set shipping rules. In Shiptheory, create rules that choose the carrier and service from weight, size, destination or order value (for example, bats over a set length go by one service). Add product dimensions so rules can work.

Step 5. Turn on automatic label printing. Set Shiptheory to print labels automatically. Katana sends the sales order to Shiptheory when it's marked Packed (or Delivered, depending on your setup).

Step 6. Test. Mark a test order Packed, check the label and carrier choice, then switch on for all orders.

Easier: let your AI do it

Katana has an official MCP server, a secure plug that lets an AI chat like Claude or ChatGPT read and update your Katana data with your permission. Katana's pricing page lists it under Advantage.

1. In Katana, the account owner has access by default. To give someone else access, open your profile → Team → pick the user → Admin tab → switch on Access to MCP.
2. In Claude, open Customize → Connectors, click +, then Add custom connector. Name it Katana, paste https://mcp.katanamrp.com (no slash at the end), click Add, then Connect and sign in to Katana. It also works with ChatGPT.
3. Ask things like "Which materials will run short for this week's manufacturing orders?" It can read, create and update records, but it can't delete anything.

What success looks like

Packing is the only manual step. Labels print themselves with the right service, and peak-season order surges don't need extra admin.

Common issues & fixes

• Order didn't reach Shiptheory: it wasn't marked Packed, or a product has a blank or duplicate SKU.
• Wrong carrier chosen: check rule order and that product dimensions are filled in.

Optional: Maintenance

• Before each peak season: review shipping rules and carrier rates.

Copy-paste prompt

Help me write shipping rules. I ship [PRODUCTS] with these sizes and weights: [PASTE]. My carriers and services are: [PASTE]. Typical destinations: [PASTE]. Suggest simple if-then rules (weight, size, destination, order value) to choose the cheapest reliable service, in plain language, in the order they should be checked.

Sources

• Case: Katana case study (wood baseball bat manufacturer). Credit: the company's team (vendor-published).
• Katana Help: Shiptheory integration
• Katana Help: Connect Shopify to Katana
• Katana MCP overview
• Katana Help: Connect Katana to Claude (MCP)
• Katana pricing