Flight Manifests: Grouping and Dispatching Packages
A manifest in Shiipp groups packages into a flight container. Learn manifest statuses, AWB numbers, and how status changes trigger courier notifications.
A manifest is a flight container that groups multiple packages together into a single consolidated shipment. Instead of tracking each package’s departure individually, you assemble a manifest, attach packages to it, and then advance the manifest through its lifecycle — from assembly all the way to confirmed delivery. Every status change is recorded in a full audit trail, and courier partners are notified automatically when key milestones are reached.
A manifest moves through four statuses from creation to closure. You advance the status manually, and Shiipp handles downstream notifications automatically.
Status
Meaning
draft
The manifest is being assembled. Packages can be freely added or removed.
ready
The manifest has been finalized and is ready for dispatch.
shipped
The shipment has departed. Packages are in transit.
completed
Delivery has been confirmed and the manifest is closed.
Draft
Ready
Shipped
Completed
Use the draft status while you are still adding or removing packages. No notifications are sent at this stage. You can edit all manifest fields freely.
Mark a manifest as ready once you have finalized its package list and it is cleared for dispatch. Shiipp automatically sends an email notification to every courier partner who has packages on this manifest.
Advance the status to shipped once the flight has departed. Shiipp again notifies all affected courier partners so they can inform their customers that packages are in transit.
Set the status to completed when delivery is confirmed at the destination. A final notification is sent to courier partners, and the manifest is closed.
When a manifest transitions to ready, shipped, or completed, Shiipp sends email notifications to all courier partners whose packages are included in that manifest — no manual outreach required.
Scoped by Courier
Each courier partner only receives notifications for manifests that contain their own packages. They are never exposed to another partner’s shipment data.
A manifest can only be deleted when it has no packages attached. Remove all packages from the manifest before attempting to delete it. This safeguard prevents accidental data loss and ensures that package records are never orphaned.