How to add a new techSHIP Printer - [Step-by-step guide]

You can add a techSHIP printer to print your shipping labels and other related documents. 

This article includes the following sections:

1. Meeting the Requirements
2. Adding a New Printer
3. Verifying the Printer

A. MEETING THE REQUIREMENTS

Before you begin, make sure the following requirements are met:

• Your thermal printer must be ZPL compliant.

• You have an API Secret. If you are a Portal Administrator, refer to: How to Get an API Secret for the Techdinamics Print Client [Step-by-Step Guide].

• Each printer must have a unique name.

• A techSHIP printer setup can include:

  • One thermal printer (usually 4x6, for shipping labels).

  • One optional generic printer (inkjet or laser for documents like packing slips or commercial invoices).

NOTE: Printers can be either physically connected to your workstation or available over the network.

B. ADDING A NEW PRINTER

To set up a printer:

1. Open the techSHIP Print Client.

2. Click the SETTINGS tab.

3. Press Add Printer.

4. Fill out the main printer details:

• Name: Enter a unique name for the printer. 
• Enabled: Check this box to enable the printer immediately. You can leave it unchecked if you plan to enable it later. 
• Thermal Printer: Select a ZPL-compliant thermal printer from the list. The printer must be plugged in or networked to appear.
• Thermal PDF Printer (optional): Select a PDF-compliant thermal printer from the list. The printer must be plugged in or networked to appear. 
   
  
  NOTE: The Print Client will route the label through the corresponding thermal printer based on the label's format. If you have a thermal printer compliant with both formats, you can select it in both places.

   

• Generic Printer (optional): Select an inkjet or laser printer if needed. The printer must also be plugged in or networked.
• Portal: Enter your portal address (e.g. myportal.techship.io).
• Api secret: Paste the API secret provided by your Portal Administrator.

NOTE: Additional optional settings may appear below depending on the thermal printer selected. 

5. Press the Save.

 C. VERIFYING THE PRINTER

Once saved, you can confirm that your printer is active by accessing your portal and checking the printer status dropdown.