At Mafelo we know that managing a large number of orders can be time-consuming. With the bulk packaging feature in partnership with Crystal Albums, you can send multiple orders in a single click. The print lab will pack each one in a separate package for each individual client. Don't worry — it's very straightforward!
Key Benefits and Use Cases
Time savings: You don't have to manually sort and pack hundreds of photos after receiving the shipment.
Perfect for large sessions: This solution works great for preschool, school, or mini holiday sessions.
Fewer mistakes: The system ensures that photos end up in the correct, assigned packages.
Professionalism: Separately and neatly packed orders increase your clients' satisfaction.
How to Use Bulk Packaging with Crystal Albums
Important: Before you start, make sure your Mafelo account is connected to the print lab. If not, check our guide on integrating with Crystal Albums.
Go to the selected gallery and click the Client orders tab.
Select the desired orders from the list.
Click the Order prints from selected orders button located at the bottom of the screen.
On the print lab selection page, choose Crystal Albums.
In the form displayed, match the print formats from the gallery to the formats available at the print lab.
Select Yes for the option "Do you want each order to be packed separately?".
Enter the order name and click Next.
Note: We recommend avoiding special characters (e.g. ą, ć, ł, ś, ß, ä, ü, #, ;) in the order name to prevent potential errors in the print lab's system. The name you enter will appear as the main name of the entire bulk package in the Crystal Albums system.
Review the list of orders with photos. Here you can add additional prints for individual photos, then click Next.
Upload any missing photos in full resolution from your drive. Mafelo will only ask you to do this if they were not previously delivered to the client in the Photo transfer tab. Important: Uploading files here for sending to the print lab will not make them available for download to the client. Your digital files are safe!
Carefully review the summary screen.
If everything looks correct, click Send to the printing shop.
Note: Submitting the order in Mafelo is not the final step. After sending the files, the orders will appear in your cart in the Crystal Albums panel. For the print lab to begin work, you need to log in there and pay for the cart.
Troubleshooting and Best Practices
Export within a single gallery only: Keep in mind that bulk packaging can only be done for orders within one specific gallery in Mafelo. The system does not currently support combining orders from different galleries into a single shipment to the print lab.
Payment verification: Before sending orders to print, make sure your clients have paid for them in Mafelo. Exporting unpaid orders may later make it harder to distribute packages (e.g. you might hand over photos to someone who still owes a payment).
Photo resolution: Always prepare your files in high resolution on your drive before starting the export. This will ensure the process runs smoothly without unnecessary interruptions to search for files.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to have the integration enabled to use bulk packaging?
Yes, to use bulk packaging you must first enable the integration with Crystal Albums. Without an active account connection, the direct export feature will not be available to you.
What should I do if a print is missing from the order summary?
If you notice that a print or format is missing from the order summary, you can freely click the Back button. This will take you back to the previous steps in the wizard, where you can safely add or remove selected items.
Where will I find my orders after sending them from Mafelo?
After sending orders from Mafelo, you will find them directly in your cart when you log in to the Crystal Albums panel. You will receive the appropriately packed packages only after finalizing and paying for the order on the print lab's side.