Setting Up Custom Materials (Inserts and Branded Packaging)

Last updated: October 2, 2026

What custom materials are

Custom materials are items we add to your outbound orders at the time of fulfillment. They aren't something your customer buys or sees as a line item on their order. Instead, they're added on our side so every order that meets your criteria goes out with them.

Common examples include

  • Marketing inserts, flyers and booklets

  • Thank-you cards and gift notes

  • Sample packs

  • Stickers and decals

  • Branded boxes, mailers, polybags and tissue

Once they're set up, they're added to your orders automatically through ShipHero Automation Rules, based on rules you choose (for example every order, or only orders that contain a certain product).

What isn't a custom material
Anything your customers purchase, and any packaging that already arrives on or with your product, isn't a custom material. If you're not sure which bucket an item falls into, your Account Manager can help you figure out how it should be set up.

This guide walks through getting a new custom material set up. For how custom materials affect cancellations and backorders once they're live, see Custom Material Orders: What to Know and How to Handle Them.

Step 1. Let us know what you're adding

Reach out to your Manifest Account Manager before sending anything in. It helps to share

  • What the item is, along with a clear photo or proof of it

  • Which orders it should go in, for example every order, one per order, orders that contain a specific SKU, or orders from a promotional campaign

  • When it should start, and when it should stop if it's tied to a campaign

  • How many units you're sending

Step 2. Name the SKU

Every custom material needs its own SKU in ShipHero. We use one naming format across all merchants so your materials are easy to find, pick and report on.

CM-[TYPE]-[BRAND]-[ITEM]-[VERSION]

Part

What goes here

Example

CM

Always CM, short for custom material

CM

TYPE

INS for anything dropped into the order (inserts, cards, flyers, booklets, stickers, decals)
PKG for anything the order ships in (boxes, mailers, polybags, tissue)

INS or PKG

BRAND

Your brand name in caps with spaces and punctuation removed

ACME or ACMECOFFEE

ITEM

A short description in caps with the words run together. Add size, color or pack count if you have more than one of the same item

THANKYOUCARD or MAILER10X13BLUE

VERSION

V1 for the first design, then V2, V3 and so on. For seasonal or dated runs, use the month and year (MMYY) instead

V1 or 1126

A few rules to keep in mind

  • Use caps letters and numbers only, with hyphens just between each part. Please skip spaces, underscores and special characters

  • Each SKU should be unique

  • If you change the design of a material, set it up as a new SKU with the next version instead of reusing the old one. This keeps old and new stock from getting mixed up

  • Keep the Product Name in plain English (for example "Thank You Card Holiday") so our warehouse team can recognize the item at a glance

Examples

  • CM-INS-ACME-THANKYOUCARD-V1

  • CM-INS-ACME-STICKER-V1

  • CM-INS-ACME-HOLIDAYCARD-1126

  • CM-PKG-ACME-POLYBAG-V1

  • CM-PKG-ACME-MAILER10X13BLUE-V2

Not sure how to name something? Send it over to your Account Manager and we'll help you land on the right SKU.

Step 3. Create the SKU in ShipHero

  • Add the SKU and Product Name using the format above

  • Add a Barcode Value. It's required in ShipHero, but each unit doesn't need to be physically barcoded

  • Add a clear product image to the SKU

  • If the material is a box, include the box dimensions (length, width and height in inches) so we can set it up as a box in ShipHero

Why the image matters
Since custom materials aren't individually barcoded, the product image is how our team confirms they're grabbing the right item, both when your shipment is received and when it's added to orders. This is especially important when you have similar-looking materials or more than one version on hand. Without a clear image, there's a higher chance of the wrong material going out or a shipment being slower to receive.

Step 4. Send it in on a PO

Custom materials are received just like your products, so every shipment needs a PO in ShipHero. If you haven't created one before, see How to Create an Inbound PO (Shipping Plan) in ShipHero.

Since custom materials usually ship straight from your printer or supplier, we don't require carton labels. We do require the tracking number to be added to the PO, which is how our receiving team identifies the shipment when it arrives.

Step 5. We set up the automation

Once your material is received, we'll build the ShipHero Automation Rule that adds it to the right orders, based on what you shared in Step 1.

Keeping enough on hand

Custom materials are treated as a line item on each order, so if one runs out, the whole order can be held as backordered. We can set up a low-stock alert at a threshold you choose, but keeping enough inventory on hand is your responsibility. We recommend reordering with plenty of lead time.

If a material does run out unexpectedly, we may reach out for approval to use a comparable substitute so your orders aren't delayed.

Quick summary

  • Custom materials are items we add to your orders at fulfillment, not items your customers buy

  • Let your Account Manager know what you're adding and which orders it should go in

  • Name the SKU using CM-[TYPE]-[BRAND]-[ITEM]-[VERSION]

  • Create the SKU in ShipHero with a Barcode Value and a clear product image, plus dimensions if it's a box

  • Send it in on a PO and add the tracking number to the PO

  • Keep an eye on stock so your orders don't get held up