Tracking Only Orders

Overview

• Tracking Only orders provides a seamless solution for managing orders with labels created outside of Starshipit. By incorporating these external shipments into Starshipit using their tracking numbers, you can monitor them alongside your Starshipit generated orders.
• The integration not only facilitates reporting on the delivery status of these shipments but also enables the reception of webhook events for tracking statuses, ensuring comprehensive oversight and efficient tracking across your shipping operations.

Example Use Cases

• For customers managing clients who create shipments directly with couriers, transitioning to a new system might pose significant challenges. Keep it simple by letting them stick to their current methods and then just add their orders to Starshipit later. This way, all shipments can be tracked in one place without changing how clients operate.

• If you've developed a native courier integration for label generation but seek to enhance it with tracking capabilities, leverage a single integration with the Starshipit API. This approach grants you comprehensive tracking functionalities, with the added benefit of outsourcing maintenance and updates to Starshipit, ensuring your system remains efficient and up-to-date.

How it works 

1. An order is created and its tracking number is generated outside of Starshipit.
2. The tracking number is sent to Starshipit via the API.
3. Starshipit creates the order in its system and marks it as shipped.
4. Starshipit will then monitor the order and update its system with any delivery status changes.
5. If using webhooks, a webhook event is triggered and sent to your configured system whenever there's a delivery update

Set up

• Begin by deciding whether to use a separate dedicated account for tracking-only orders or to include them in your existing Starshipit account. Opting for a separate account might simplify reporting on these orders. If this is your choice, you'll need to create a child account.

• In the chosen account, make sure you have your API key and subscription key handy. These credentials are essential for interacting with the Starshipit API to create and manage your shipments.

• If you plan to utilize webhooks for real-time updates, ensure your webhook URL is configured according to our webhook setup guide.

Creating tracking only orders

Tracking-only orders are exclusively created via the Starshipit API. This streamlined process requires minimal mandatory information, the carrier (specified through an enum value) and the tracking number, ensuring we can accurately track each order.

• Utilize the /shipped endpoint for creating tracking-only orders. Detailed guidance on this endpoint can be found in the Starshipit API documentation.
• For improved tracking and reporting, consider including an order number and customer name, although these are not mandatory.
• The API supports creating up to 50 orders in a single request, streamlining the process for bulk shipments.
• Standard rate limits apply to ensure the API's reliability and performance. Plan your integration with these limits in mind to avoid disruptions.