Supported workflows

Learn about the delivery management workflows supported by the Shipping API.

Main workflows

The Shipping API supports three main workflows:

• Ship and release
• Ship and hold
• Pre-ship picking optimisation

Ship and release

This workflow is simple and straightforward.

If you use this workflow, all of the following probably apply:

• Packing and manifesting take place on the same day.
• Consignments are marked as READY TO MANIFEST automatically after labels are printed.
• The date when labels are printed is also the despatch date.
• Consignments are usually created and allocated when orders are being picked.
• The API call that performs the allocation of a consignment probably also generates the labels and customs documents.
• The paperwork for a consignment is made available at a packing bench.

Ship and hold

This workflow involves creating a consignment and generating the paperwork in separate API calls, with the option of manifesting the consignments for a future date.

If you use this workflow, all of the following probably apply:

• Packing and manifesting do not (usually) take place on the same day.
• Consignments are usually created and allocated when orders are being picked.
• Any missing parcels are added later to consignments.
• After consignments are complete, labels and customs documents are usually generated in real time at a packing bench, and consignments are packed well in advance of manifesting.
• Consignments are usually assigned to manifest groups.

Pre-ship picking optimisation

This workflow is mostly the same as the Ship and hold workflow. The only major difference is that the optimal carrier service for a consignment is selected before the consignment is created and allocated.

Sub-workflows

The following sub-workflows can be used with any of the supported main workflows:

• Rate shopping
• Store the paperwork and print later
• Scan to trailer

Rate shopping

Quickly verify which carrier services are able to offer the best rates for delivering a proposed consignment within a specified delivery window while also fulfilling other specific criteria.

Store the paperwork and print later

Generate labels and customs documents for allocated consignments. Within each API call, you specify parameters that determine how the paperwork is to be generated. For example, you might have different packing benches for domestic and international consignments.

Save the Base64-encoded strings for labels and customs documents in separate text files. At the required time, decode the strings by using a Base64 encoder/decoder and then send them to a network printer.

Scan to trailer

Before manifesting, assign each consignment to a manifestGroupCode, which is associated with a vehicle trailer. You can then trace a consignment to a specific trailer.