How to compile the carrier list for a Techdinamics integration

This article is intended to help with compiling a list of carriers to be used with a Techdinamics integration. Compiling the list according to these guidelines is intended to: 

• ensure further compatibility with other systems and integrations, both Techdinamics supplied and external.
• simplify support and maintenance of the conversion.
• minimize the complexity of the integration.

Guidelines

• Techdinamics requires a single code or pair of codes (carrier + service level) to be used per carrier and per service.
  
  
• Each code, if it is expected to be received in one system, must correspond to a single code in every other system used. Codes that are intended to be only sent out, e.g., Express Shipping option, can be mapped to the same code in target systems.
  
  
• Method of payment (e.g., Collect), as well as any billing account information for third party shipments, should not be included as part of the carrier code. Most systems have separate fields that hold this information, so this information should be passed separately.
  
  
• Retailer-related and carrier option-related (e.g., Signature Required, COD) information should not be included as part of the carrier code. Most systems have separate fields that hold this information, so this information should be passed separately.

Example:

Valid codes:

• UPS Ground
• FedEx 2 Day Air
• Rateshop Express

Invalid codes:

• Fedex Ground Signature
• UPS Ground Prepaid
• UPS Amazon

Compiling the list

Techdinamics provides a Carrier list template to be filled out the the codes: https://www.dropbox.com/s/1pp0obpwzct58dx/Carrier%20Codes.xlsx?dl=1

When filling out the template, you should follow the steps below:

• Identify which carriers/service levels your integration will be using in either direction of the flow (i.e. which carriers will be allowed on orders, which will be allowed on shipments etc.).
  
  
• If you are allowing the warehouse to rate shop, identify the options you will offer (e.g. Standard, Express) and what they should look like in each system. Normally the WMS requires a separate code for rate shopping to trigger the software.
  
  
• Extract a list of supported carrier codes from every system involved. Filter it until it has only the carriers you intend to use.
  
  
• Add a record to the template for each carrier or rate shop option with corresponding codes from each system in the relevant columns.

Example:

Below example is intended for a 3 system integration, including Shopify, NetSuite and a WMS. Since Shopify does not have a separate code for service level, only the first column is used.

Row 3 identifies a rate shop option to be sent from Shopify as Free Shipping. When this is received, it will not populate the carrier information in NetSuite, and will be sent to the WMS as RATESHOP:Ground. Since this option is only sent on order, it is acceptable that NetSuite is not populated, as it may be populated with the actual carrier used once the order is shipped.

Row 5 identifies an option provided to the customer to ship their order with an Express carrier. This code also carries information about Signature Required option, potentially due to the type of goods shipped. In this case the carrier will be defaulted to the Canada Post, and the defaulted carrier information will be sent to both NetSuite and WMS. Note that the information about Signature Required option is not carried through the process, and mapping it to a correct field may require additional development.

Row 6 identifies the carrier value for Canada Post that would be returned to Shopify with the shipment details. In this case only the carrier name is sent, so that Shopify can determine the tracking URL based on tracking number and the carrier code passed.

Row 8 identifies a carrier/service combination sent directly from Shopify. In this case the carrier is passed as is to every other system. This record could also be used to pass the information on the actual carrier and service level used from the WMS to the other systems once the order has shipped.