Handling cutoff time [handling_cutoff_time]

The handling cutoff time [handling_cutoff_time] attribute lets you set a daily deadline for processing online orders in your product data sources. This helps Google show customers faster and more accurate delivery times for your products. You can use this attribute to configure cutoff times at various levels, enabling you to showcase your shipping capabilities accurately.

On this page

• When to use
• Subattributes
• Format
• Minimum requirements
• Examples

---

When to use

It depends: Use this attribute if you are using the shipping [shipping] or carrier shipping [carrier_shipping] attributes.

Use the handling cutoff time [handling_cutoff_time] attribute to specify the latest time an order can be placed to still be processed on the same day. This attribute provides the flexibility to configure cutoff times at various levels, enabling you to showcase your true shipping potential. If not specified, Google will default handling times to 8AM PST.

This attribute enables the ability to set the handling cutoff time for a product and can be configured to account for scenarios including:

• Order cutoff based on user timezone: When you want the cut-off time to apply based on the user's local timezone.
• No order cutoff: If you do not have a specific order cut-off time.

You can use the handling cutoff time [handling_cutoff_time] attribute for the following scenarios:

• Product level: To apply a consistent cut-off time across all shipping overrides for a particular product. This is suitable if you have less complex shipping configurations.
• Product+Country level: To set a cut-off time that applies to all shipping overrides within a specific country for a particular product. This provides country-level granularity.

---

Sub-attributes

The handling cutoff time [handling_cutoff_time]attribute uses the following sub-attributes:

• Cutoff time [cutoff_time] (Required): This attribute specifies the exact time of day by which an order must be placed to be processed on that same business day. It should be submitted as a four-digit time using a 24-hour format (for example, "1500" for 3 PM). Enter 23:59 in the local timezone to indicate no cutoff time.
• Country [country] (optional): This sub-attribute represents the ISO 3166-1 code of the country to which the handling cutoff time applies. If not provided, the cutoff time will apply to all countries.
• Cutoff timezone [cutoff_timezone] (Optional): This sub-attribute defines the timezone for the specified cutoff_time. Uses IANA Timezone format (for example, “America/Los_Angeles”). If not provided, the system will default to the timezone of the shipping destination. This attribute allows for applying the cutoff based on the user's local timezone (for example, "5 PM user time").
• Disable delivery after cutoff [disable_delivery_after_cutoff](Optional): This boolean setting (true or false) controls the visibility of delivery options after the cutoff time has passed. Setting it to true means that a delivery time won’t be displayed to users after the cutoff. The default value is false.

---

Format

Follow these formatting guidelines to make sure Google understands the data you're submitting for the handling cutoff time [handling_cutoff_time] attribute. Learn when and how to submit your product data in English.

File format	Example entry
Text feeds	Format the name by including which sub-attributes you’re submitting. Include handling cutoff time [handling_cutoff_time], and then, in parentheses, add the names of the sub-attributes that you want to submit separated by a colon ( : ) For example, to submit cutoff_time, cutoff_timezone, country, and disable_delivery_after_cutoff Name: handling_cutoff_time(cutoff_time:cutoff_timezone:country:disable_delivery_after_cutoff) If you name the sub-attributes you're using, you can give them to us in any order. However, if you provide sub-attribute values but don’t name them, we’ll assume that your attribute value only includes the handling_cutoff_time sub-attribute. Format the value by submitting the value of each sub-attribute listed in the same order as in the name and separated with a colon ( : ). Don’t use quotation marks. For example: Name : handling_cutoff_time(cutoff_time:cutoff_timezone:country) Possible value : “1500”:America/Los_Angeles:US To submit multiple countries, submit the attribute (with the same name) multiple times. For example: Name: handling_cutoff_time(country:cutoff_time) Possible value: US:”1530” CA:”1745” Note: Always provide the same number of sub-attributes as you are submitting in the header. Missing sub-attributes in the header will lead to formatting errors and you will see a warning "Invalid format for sub-attributes [minimum_order_value]" in the "Needs attention" tab.
XML feeds	Include the optional sub-attributes if you need them. To specify a shipping cost for different delivery locations, submit the handling cutoff time [handling_cutoff_time] attribute multiple times including the relevant sub-attributes for each. g:handling_cutoff_time g:country US/g:country g:cutoff_time “1530”/g:cutoff_time g:cutoff_timezone “America/Los_Angeles”/g:cutoff_timezone /g:handling_cutoff_time g:handling_cutoff_time g:country CA/g:country g:cutoff_time “1900”/g:cutoff_time /g:handling_cutoff_time

To format your data, check the Merchant API resource.

---

Minimum requirements

These are the requirements you need to meet to effectively use the handling cutoff time [handling_cutoff_time] attribute. If you don't follow these requirements, your product information may not be displayed as intended.

• Set order cut-off: This attribute supports setting handling cut-off times for individual online products. An option to select a local timezone is available.
• Indicate "no order cut-off" when applicable: If your business does not operate with an order cut-off, enter 23:59 in the local timezone to indicate no cutoff time.
• Support for varying cut-off configurations: The system is designed to support cut-off times based on user timezone, destination region, and shipping speed. For instance, if you ship from multiple locations (for example, East Coast and West Coast), you can specify different cut-off times for each region (for example cutoff_time ”1500” with cutoff_timezone "America/New_York" for East Coast and cutoff_time ”1400” with cutoff_timezone "America/New_York" for West Coast).
• Control next-day delivery (NDD) visibility after same-day delivery (SDD) cut-off: For same-day delivery (SDD) shipping services, you can decide whether to show next-day delivery (NDD) options to users after the SDD cut-off time has passed using the disable delivery after cutoff [disable_delivery_after_cutoff] sub-attribute. .
• Single cut-off configuration per business day: A single handling time cut-off configuration will apply to all handling days specified in the shipping handling business days [shipping_handling_business_days] attribute.

---

Examples

Here are some examples of how merchants model their order cut-off times, illustrating the flexibility of the handling cutoff time [handling_cutoff_time] attribute:

Text formatting

• To format the name, include "handling_cutoff_time", and then in parentheses add the names of the sub-attributes that you’re submitting separated by a colon ( : ).

For example, to submit country [country], cutoff time [cutoff_time], and cutoff timezone [cutoff_timezone]:

Name handling_cutoff_time(country:cutoff_time:cutoff_timezone)

• Format the value by submitting the value of each sub-attribute listed in the same order as in the name and separated with a colon ( : ).

For example:

Name handling_cutoff_time(country:cutoff_time:cutoff_timezone)
Possible value US:"18:00":America/Los_Angeles
Possible value CA:"21:00":America/Toronto

• You can also just submit the price, in which case you do not need to specify the sub-attributes in the name.

For example (cut off time in the user's timezone):

Name handling_cutoff_time
Possible value "18:00"

For example (no cut off time):

Name handling_cutoff_time
Possible value "23:59"

• If you don’t want to provide an optional sub-attribute (like cutoff_timezone) for a particular product, then still add a colon ( : ), but leave the text blank.

For example:

Name handling_cutoff_time(country:cutoff_time:cutoff_timezone)
Possible value US:"18:00":

For example (multiple values):

Name handling_cutoff_time(country:cutoff_time:cutoff_timezone)
Possible value US:"18:00":,CA:"21:30":

• To suppress showing delivery time after the same-day delivery cut-off has passed use the Disable delivery after cutoff [disable_delivery_after_cutoff] sub-attribute.

For example:

Name handling_cutoff_time(cutoff_time:disable_delivery_after_cutoff)
Possible value "18:00":true

Related links

• Shipping [shipping]
• I want to set up shipping settings for my entire account