Give DHL Express Commerce the size of each item so it can calculate package dimensions or choose a saved package for an imported order. You can supply that data through a supported integration or store it in the Product Catalogue against each item's SKU.
Before you begin
- Record the length, width and height of one unit of each product, as it will go into the shipping package. Record its weight too if your packaging option uses item weights. DHL Express Commerce uses the order quantity separately.
- Keep item dimensions separate from package dimensions. An item is the product being shipped; a package is the box or satchel holding one or more items.
- If you use the Product Catalogue, check that your account has access and that you can edit products and catalogue settings. Add each product variant under the SKU used on imported orders.
Item dimensions are needed for Single package - Imported item weights and dimensions, Single package - Default package weight + imported item dimensions, Pack each item separately and Recommended Packaging - Automatically assign best-fit package. The two options that use saved package dimensions do not need item dimensions.
Choose where item dimensions come from
If your integration supplies item dimensions, maintain the measurements there and check that all three dimensions reach DHL Express Commerce. Importing an item's weight does not mean its dimensions are also supplied.
Shopify imported orders can use product dimensions metafields. Adobe Commerce has its own product-dimensions setup. Other integration support depends on its import configuration; check an imported order rather than assuming the storefront measurements are included.
Use the Product Catalogue when you need DHL Express Commerce to fill missing measurements or use your shipping measurements in place of the integration's values. Products are matched by SKU.
Store measurements in the Product Catalogue
- Select Products from the left menu.
- Select Add product, or find the matching SKU and select its pencil icon to edit it.
- Enter the product's SKU, Length, Width, Height and Weight, using the units shown beside the fields.
- Select Save, then reopen the product to check the measurements.
For several products, use the CSV import in Add and manage products in the Product Catalogue. Check the template's units before uploading; they can differ from the units shown on the product form.
Apply catalogue data during import
- Go to Settings > Product Catalogue.
- Leave Disable the product catalogue unchecked.
- Choose Only populate missing values to keep supplied item values and fill gaps, or Override all values to use catalogue data for matching SKUs instead. Override affects other product fields too, so check the full product record before choosing it.
- To protect supplied values when catalogue data is incomplete, enable Do not replace imported values with empty or zero product catalogue values.
- Select Save and reopen the settings to confirm your choices.
If the integration supplies complete packages, Only populate missing values does not fill missing item dimensions through this import path. Check the integration's package setup rather than switching to Override all values without reviewing its wider effect. Peoplevox has a separate import workflow; use its package configuration guide.
These steps prepare imported orders. Checkout catalogue use has a separate setting; see Configure Product Catalogue settings if you also need item data for checkout rates.
Check an imported order
- Import an order containing a product whose SKU and measurements you know, using your normal integration workflow.
- Open the order and check that the item's SKU, quantity, length, width, height and weight match the values you intended to supply. Compare in the same units.
- Check the resulting package count, dimensions and weight against your chosen packaging option, including any matching packaging rule.
- Compare the package with the parcel you will send, allowing for packaging material, before printing.
Changing a catalogue product does not immediately update orders already in DHL Express Commerce. Use an order imported after saving to verify the setup; reimports follow the integration's normal overwrite behaviour.
Troubleshooting
An item still has missing dimensions
Check that the imported SKU matches the catalogue product, including the correct variant. Confirm that all three catalogue dimensions are positive and that catalogue population is enabled. If the imported item already has a value, Only populate missing values keeps it. Also check whether the integration supplies its own packages or uses a separate import workflow.
The package looks too small or too large
Check the units and the measurements for one item first. Do not multiply the stored item dimensions by the order quantity. A default package can still give an order package dimensions when some item data is missing, so a populated package alone does not prove that every item has valid measurements.