Print packing slips and invoices automatically

Updated Sep 20, 2026 · 3 min read

On this page

Have a packing slip, an invoice, or both come out of your printer for every Shopify order, without opening the order. This guide takes you from a fresh install to hands-free printing.

What you need#

A printer installed on a Windows or macOS computer that stays on while you take orders. A regular office printer is fine.
About ten minutes. Every Autoprinter plan includes automatic printing, including Free.

You do not need the Chrome Extension for this. That is only for shipping labels.

1. Turn on the documents you want#

Open Templates, pick a document type such as Packing Slip, and turn on the built-in template. Click Customize to choose what it shows: your logo, prices, product images, SKUs, notes, and more. See Customize a built-in template.

Want a different look? Click Browse Samples and download one of the ready-made designs, or build your own with Custom Templates.

Example interface

Templates · built-in packing slip

New installs start with the built-in template off. Customize opens its settings; the switch enables it.Scroll across the illustration to see the full view.

2. Connect the computer that prints#

Open Printer Setup → Print Stations, add a station, and click Pair to get a code.
Install the Desktop Utility on the computer connected to your printer, and enter the code.
In the Desktop Utility's Printers card, choose your printer under Document printer.

Example interface

Printer Setup · an unpaired Print Station

Pair generates a code for the Desktop Utility on the printer computer. Each station has its own pairing.Scroll across the illustration to see the full view.

3. Build your Print Chain#

The Print Chain is the list of documents every order gets. Open Print Rules → Print Chain, add Packing Slip (and Invoice, if you want one), set the number of copies, choose Always print, and save.

Test it on a real order: open the order in Shopify and choose More actions → Auto Print Chain. The documents should come out of your printer.

Example interface

Print Chain · copies and print mode

Each item has its own copy count and Always print / Only when a rule matches setting. Save chain applies your changes.Scroll across the illustration to see the full view.

4. Turn on Automatic Printing#

Open Settings → Automatic Printing, turn it on, and choose when orders should print:

When the order is placed (before payment) prints right away. Best for food orders and pickup.
When the order is paid waits for payment. Best for most online shops.
When the order is fulfilled (prints per shipment) prints when you ship. Best when you want the slip to print with the shipping label.

From now on, new orders print by themselves. Orders from before you turned it on are not printed; use Auto Print Chain for those. The details are in Automatic Printing.

Go further#

Different slips for different orders. A gift order, a wholesale order, and a marketplace order can each get their own template. See Print Rules.
Print many orders at once. Select orders in the Shopify orders list and choose More actions → Auto Print Chain. See Print orders in bulk.
Labels too. See Print Shopify shipping labels automatically.
Several locations. Print each location's part of a split order on that location's printer. See Multi-Location Printing.

If nothing prints#

Check that the printer computer is awake and the Desktop Utility is open, then look at Print History. A job that says Pending is waiting for the computer. A job that says Failed tells you why. The full checklist is in Printer Troubleshooting.