Carrier Management

Carrier management handles the configuration and integration of shipping carriers for rate calculation, label generation, and tracking. This guide covers carrier setup and management.

Overview

Carrier management enables you to:

Connect carrier accounts
Configure carrier settings
Manage service levels
Set carrier preferences
Monitor carrier performance
Handle multiple carriers

Accessing Carriers

Navigate to Settings → Shipping → Carriers to manage carriers.

Understanding Carriers

Supported Carriers

Carrier	Type	Services
FedEx	Major	Ground, Express, Freight
UPS	Major	Ground, Air, International
USPS	Postal	Priority, First Class
DHL	International	Express, eCommerce
Regional	Local	Various services
LTL	Freight	Trucking services

Carrier Status

Status	Description
Active	Ready to use
Inactive	Disabled
Testing	Test mode
Error	Connection issue

Service Levels

Level	Description	Example
Ground	Standard ground	FedEx Ground
Express	Air/expedited	UPS Next Day
Economy	Budget option	USPS First Class
Freight	Large shipments	LTL carriers

How-To Guides

How to Add a Carrier

Adding FedEx

Go to Settings → Shipping → Carriers
Click Add Carrier
Select FedEx
Enter credentials:

Field	Description
Account Number	FedEx account
Meter Number	Meter ID
API Key	Web services key
API Secret	Password

Configure settings
Test connection
Activate carrier

Adding UPS

Click Add Carrier
Select UPS
Enter credentials:

Field	Description
Account Number	UPS account
User ID	Web login
Password	Web password
Access Key	API access key

Configure settings
Test and activate

Adding USPS

Click Add Carrier
Select USPS
Enter credentials:

Field	Description
User ID	Web tools ID
Password	Password
Company	Company name

Configure settings
Activate

How to Configure Carrier Settings

General Settings

For each carrier:

Setting	Description
Display Name	Custom name
Status	Active/inactive
Test Mode	Enable for testing
Default	Make default carrier

Service Configuration

Enable/disable services:

Ground services
Express services
International services
Freight services

Pickup Settings

Configure pickups:

Scheduled pickup
On-call pickup
Drop-off only
Pickup account

How to Set Up Shipping Accounts

Account Types

Type	Description
Shipper Account	Your account
Third Party	Bill to other
Collect	Receiver pays

Multi-Account Setup

Configure multiple accounts:

Go to carrier settings
Click Add Account
Enter account details
Set account rules:
- By warehouse
- By customer
- By destination

How to Manage Service Levels

Service Mapping

Map carrier services:

Your Service	FedEx	UPS	USPS
Standard	Ground	Ground	Priority
Express	2Day	2nd Day	Express
Overnight	PriorityOvernight	NextDay	-

Service Configuration

For each service:

Enable/disable
Set display name
Configure rules
Set restrictions

How to Configure International Shipping

International Setup

Go to carrier settings
Enable international services
Configure:
- Customs documentation
- Duties/taxes handling
- Country restrictions
- Service mapping

Customs Configuration

Setting	Options
Duty Payer	Shipper, Receiver, Third Party
Customs Broker	Use carrier or specify
Documentation	Commercial invoice, certificates
HS Codes	Product classification

How to Set Carrier Preferences

Default Selection

Set defaults:

Default carrier
Default service
Fallback carrier
By destination type

Selection Rules

Configure auto-selection:

Rules:
1. Domestic < 5 lbs → USPS Priority
2. Domestic ≥ 5 lbs → FedEx Ground
3. Express orders → UPS Next Day
4. International → DHL Express

How to Test Carrier Integration

Test Mode

Enable test mode:

Set carrier to Test Mode
Use test credentials
Generate test labels
Verify tracking
Switch to production

Testing Checklist

[ ] Rate calculation works
[ ] Labels generate correctly
[ ] Tracking numbers valid
[ ] Customs docs generate
[ ] Pickup scheduling works
[ ] Webhooks function

How to Monitor Carrier Performance

Performance Metrics

Metric	Description
Delivery Time	Average transit
On-Time %	Met commitment
Damage Rate	Claims filed
Cost per lb	Shipping efficiency

Carrier Reports

Generate reports:

Shipment volume by carrier
Cost comparison
Delivery performance
Exception analysis

Advanced Features

Multi-Carrier Rate Shopping

Compare rates across carriers:

Real-time comparison
Best rate selection
Service matching
Automatic selection

Carrier Rules Engine

Automate carrier selection:

Weight-based rules
Destination rules
Service level rules
Cost optimization rules

Negotiated Rates

Use discounted rates:

Upload rate cards
API rate negotiation
Volume discounts
Contract rates

Carrier Notifications

Receive alerts:

Service disruptions
Rate changes
New services
Integration issues

Best Practices

🔧 Setup

Test thoroughly
Document credentials
Regular testing
Backup carriers

📊 Optimization

Compare rates regularly
Monitor performance
Review exceptions
Negotiate rates

🔒 Security

Secure credentials
Limit access
Audit usage
Regular rotation

📈 Performance

Track metrics
Identify issues
Continuous improvement
Carrier feedback

Configuration

Carrier Settings

Navigate to Settings → Shipping → Carriers:

Connections - API credentials
Services - Enabled services
Accounts - Billing accounts
Rules - Selection logic

Integration Settings

API Mode - Production/sandbox
Timeout - Connection timeout
Retry - Retry settings
Webhooks - Event notifications

Display Settings

Names - Custom display
Order - Sort priority
Visibility - Show/hide
Icons - Carrier logos

Troubleshooting

Common Issues

Cannot connect to carrier

Verify credentials
Check API endpoint
Test network
Review error message

Rates not returning

Check account active
Verify address format
Review weight/dims
Test specific service

Labels failing

Check account balance
Verify address valid
Review package details
Contact carrier

Tracking not working

Verify tracking number
Check carrier sync
Review webhook config
Manual lookup

Next Steps

Learn about Shipment Processing to create and manage shipments.

Carrier Management ​

Overview ​

Accessing Carriers ​

Understanding Carriers ​

Supported Carriers ​

Carrier Status ​

Service Levels ​

How-To Guides ​

How to Add a Carrier ​

Adding FedEx ​

Adding UPS ​

Adding USPS ​

How to Configure Carrier Settings ​

General Settings ​

Service Configuration ​

Pickup Settings ​

How to Set Up Shipping Accounts ​

Account Types ​

Multi-Account Setup ​

How to Manage Service Levels ​

Service Mapping ​

Service Configuration ​

How to Configure International Shipping ​

International Setup ​

Customs Configuration ​

How to Set Carrier Preferences ​

Default Selection ​

Selection Rules ​

How to Test Carrier Integration ​

Test Mode ​

Testing Checklist ​

How to Monitor Carrier Performance ​

Performance Metrics ​

Carrier Reports ​

Advanced Features ​

Multi-Carrier Rate Shopping ​

Carrier Rules Engine ​

Negotiated Rates ​

Carrier Notifications ​

Best Practices ​

🔧 Setup ​

📊 Optimization ​

🔒 Security ​

📈 Performance ​

Configuration ​

Carrier Settings ​

Integration Settings ​

Display Settings ​

Troubleshooting ​

Common Issues ​

Carrier Management

Overview

Accessing Carriers

Understanding Carriers

Supported Carriers

Carrier Status

Service Levels

How-To Guides

How to Add a Carrier

Adding FedEx

Adding UPS

Adding USPS

How to Configure Carrier Settings

General Settings

Service Configuration

Pickup Settings

How to Set Up Shipping Accounts

Account Types

Multi-Account Setup

How to Manage Service Levels

Service Mapping

Service Configuration

How to Configure International Shipping

International Setup

Customs Configuration

How to Set Carrier Preferences

Default Selection

Selection Rules

How to Test Carrier Integration

Test Mode

Testing Checklist

How to Monitor Carrier Performance

Performance Metrics

Carrier Reports

Advanced Features

Multi-Carrier Rate Shopping

Carrier Rules Engine

Negotiated Rates

Carrier Notifications

Best Practices

🔧 Setup

📊 Optimization

🔒 Security

📈 Performance

Configuration

Carrier Settings

Integration Settings

Display Settings

Troubleshooting

Common Issues