Where the time goes
For each order, a shipper usually opens the order, clicks to create a label, picks a box, picks a service, sets the signature option and confirms. Six clicks does not sound like much. At 300 boxes a day it is 1,800 clicks, plus a steady stream of small mistakes such as the wrong box size or a missed signature requirement.
What can be automated
- Creating the label as soon as the last prescription on the order is verified or scanned.
- Choosing the box and service from rules, such as one box size and service for a specific clinic.
- Setting the signature requirement based on the product or the account.
- Filling in the recipient notification email.
- Sending the label straight to the printer at the shipping station.
Two ways to do it
The simple way is a small script that runs in the shipper's browser and clicks the same buttons a person would, only faster and the same way every time. It needs no changes to your LifeFile account.
The stronger way takes label creation off the shipping screen completely. When an order is ready, the label is created in the background and is already printed when the shipper picks up the bag. This takes more setup, but it removes the step instead of speeding it up.
Decide these rules first
- Which box sizes do you really use, and when?
- Which service is the default, and which accounts are exceptions?
- When is a signature required?
- What should happen when an address fails validation?
Writing these down is half the work. Most pharmacies find that different shippers have been following different rules.
What to watch for
Keep a person involved for exceptions. Refrigerated items, controlled substances and addresses that fail validation should stop and ask. Test with a handful of orders before turning it on for everyone, and check your agreement with LifeFile so you know which add-ons are allowed.
Reviewed 2026-11-12 by a practicing pharmacist. This guide is general information, not legal advice. Check the current USP chapters, your state board of pharmacy rules and your software agreements before you act on it.