Shipment → Handling Unit Terminology Change

Effective Now | API Deprecation Date: March 31st, 2026

As part of our ongoing improvement to align terminology across our platform, reports, and APIs, we’ve introduced a terminology update related to LTL shipments. 

This change is naming and structure only — there are no changes to order flow, shipping behavior, labels, or pricing. 

Why We're Using the Term "Handling Unit" 

In transportation and freight workflows, inventory is grouped in layers. Individual products are packed into physical containers such as cartons or pallets, which are then grouped into shipments and consignments for transportation.

In industry standards, cartons and pallets are often referred to as Logistics Units. However, this term can be unclear outside of technical or GS1-specific contexts.

To make the platform easier to understand — and to more accurately reflect what users interact with in the app — we refer to cartons and pallets as Handling Units (HUs).

A Handling Unit represents a physical, touchable unit that can be handled, measured, labeled, rated, and shipped (for example: a pallet or a carton).

This terminology prepares the platform for upcoming freight and LTL shipment enhancements while keeping concepts intuitive for both operational and technical users.

What’s Changing 

1. Terminology Update 

“Shipment” is now called “Handling Unit (HU)” 

• Anywhere you previously saw Shipment, you’ll now see Handling Unit 
• Shipment Numbers are now referred to as Handling Unit Numbers (HU #) 
• This change applies across: 
  • The user interface
  • Reports and exports 
  • API responses 

Important: The data and functionality are the same — only the name has changed. 

UI & Report Changes 

Orders Page 

• The “Shipments” section is now labeled Handling Units 
• Column header now displays HU # 

Exports 

• Export Shipment Details → Export Handling Unit Details 

Reports & Schedules 

• Shipment Detail Reports → Handling Unit Detail Report 
• Report content remains unchanged 

Shipping & Rates Screens 

• Rates, dimensions, labels, and tracking now reference Handling Units 

Support Note: 

If something appears “missing, it has likely been renamed, not removed. 

API Updates (For Integrations) 

To support a smooth transition, both old and new fields are currently supported. 

Current API Behavior

API responses now include: 

• Handling_units and shipments 
• Handling_unit_number and shipment_number 

The shipment fields will be deprecated and removed after March 31st, 2026

Updated Download Endpoints 

• /download_shipments → /download_handling_units 

Deprecation Notices 

• API responses may include: 
  • Deprecation headers
  • Informational warnings when deprecated fields are used 

These warnings are expected and not errors. 

What Did Not Change 

There are no changes to: 

• Order flow
• Shipping logic 
• Labels
• Carriers
• Pricing behavior 

This update aligns terminology — it does not change how shipments are processed. 

Frequently Asked Questions 

“Where did my shipments go?” 

They haven’t gone anywhere. Shipments are now called Handling Units.  The data and functionality are the same. 

“Did you remove the Shipment feature?” 

No. The feature still exists — it’s simply been renamed. 

“Why does the UI say, ‘Handling Unit’ instead of ‘Shipment’?” 

We’ve standardized terminology across the platform and APIs.  Handling Unit is now the consistent term used everywhere. 

“Are my existing shipments affected?”

No. All existing shipments remain intact and now appear as Handling Units with no data loss. 

“My Shipment Detail Report is missing” 

It’s been renamed to Handling Unti Detail Report.  The report contents are unchanged. 

“Why am I seeing ‘deprecated field’ warnings in the API?” 

Those warnings indicate that older fields are still working but will be removed in the future.  They’re informational only. 

“Do I need to update my API integration right now?” 

No immediate action is required.  Both old and new fields work for now, but if you are connected through the API, you MUST migrate before March 31st, 2026. 

“What fields should I use going forward?”

Please use: 

• Handling_units
• Handling_unit_number 

These are the current, non-deprecated fields. 

“Did this change shipping, labels, or pricing?” 

No. This is a terminology and structure update only. 

“What happens after March 31st, 2026?”

Deprecated fields (shipments, shipment_number) will be removed from the API.  Integrations must use Handling Unit fields by then.