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Direct Freight Express

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ShipStation Content Team

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Details about ShipStation's Direct Freight Express integration. Includes requirements, connection process, features, and integration notes.

Direct Freight Express integrates with ShipStation to provide access to labels for domestic shipments in Australia. Any ShipStation label you create for Direct Freight Express shipments will use your contracted rates set up by Direct Freight Express.

Requires Manifesting

Direct Freight Express requires you to manifest your shipments by 18:30. If shipments have not been manifested by 18:30, a Manual EDI charge may apply per shipment.

Direct Freight Express Requirements

Connection Requirements:

  • An active account with Direct Freight Express

  • Your Direct Freight Express account information:

    • Account Number

    • Site ID (The Site ID is the same number as your sender/site location number.)

    • Add Consignment API Key

    • Pricing API Key

    • Other API Key

Your API Keys Will Be Provided by Direct Freight Express

When you register for API keys in the Direct Freight Express web portal under "Developer Centre," request the following API keys:

  • Book Pickup API Key

  • Add Consignment API Key

  • Pricing API Key

  • Tracking API Key

You will receive three API keys back from Direct Freight Express, which you can then use to connect your Direct Freight Express account to ShipStation:

  • Add Consignment API Key

  • Pricing API Key

  • Other API Key (This API Key is a combination of the Book Pickup and Tracking API Keys.)

Connect a Direct Freight Express Account to ShipStation

To connect your Direct Freight Express account to ShipStation:

  1. Go to Account Settings.

    Closeup of ShipStation toolbar with outline marking the Settings icon.

  2. Select Shipping, then choose Carriers from the left-hand sidebar.

    Settings sidebar with Shipping section open and Carriers section highlighted.

  3. Go to the Your Carrier Accounts tab, then click Add Carrier.

    Carriers Settings, Your Carrier Accounts tab. Arrow points to Add Carrier link.

  4. Select the Direct Freight Express tile.

    Direct Freight Express logo. Button that reads, Connect.

  5. Enter your Direct Freight Express Account Number, Site ID, Pricing API Key, Add Consignment API Key, and Other API Key.

  6. Click Connect.

Available Features for the Direct Freight Express Integration

ShipStation's integration with Direct Freight Express supports the following standard features:

Key: Green checkmark. Supported feature. Yes. = Supported; Red X mark. Unsupported feature. No. = Not Supported; Grey dash icon. Not applicable. = Does Not Apply

Common ShipStation Features

Feature

Supported?

Domestic Shipping

Green checkmark. Supported feature. Yes.

International Shipping

Red X mark. Unsupported feature. No.

Electronic Customs Submission

Red X mark. Unsupported feature. No.

Return Labels

Red X mark. Unsupported feature. No.

Estimated Rates

Green checkmark. Supported feature. Yes.

Carrier Insurance

Red X mark. Unsupported feature. No.

Tracking

Green checkmark. Supported feature. Yes.

End of Day (Electronic)

Red X mark. Unsupported feature. No.

End of Day (PDF)

Red X mark. Unsupported feature. No.

Label Branding

Red X mark. Unsupported feature. No.

Label Messages

Green checkmark. Supported feature. Yes.

Multi-package Shipping

Green checkmark. Supported feature. Yes.

Multiple Accounts

Green checkmark. Supported feature. Yes.

Direct Freight Express Domestic Services

  • Road Express

Direct Freight Express Package Types

  • Carton

  • Pallet

Additional Features for Direct Freight Express

The ShipStation integration with Direct Freight Express allows for the following additional features:

Feature

Description

Label Message # 3

You can now map the Direct Freight field Customer Reference to the Label Message #3 field in ShipStation when you create a label for Direct Freight.

If you set Message #3 for Customer Reference, be sure to also manually set Message #1 for Delivery Instructions. Otherwise, if you set a Message #3 but do not set Message #1 or #2, Message #3 will map to Delivery Instructions.

In ShipStation, go to Settings > Printing > Printing Setup for Label > Document Options > Label Messages > Message #. This field will now map to Customer Reference.

The carrier can be used to create domestic shipping labels.

The carrier can be used to create international shipping labels.

ShipStation will submit international customs declarations electronically to the carrier.

The carrier can be used to create domestic return labels.

ShipStation will display estimated shipping rates for the carrier based on the connected account information and shipment details.

Shipment insurance, provided by the shipment's selected carrier, can be added to the shipment in ShipStation. This insurance would be in addition to any default coverage already provided by that carrier.

Shipping labels created for this carrier will include a tracking number that can be used to view the shipment status on the carrier's tracking website. Tracking may not be available for all shipping services.

ShipStation will manifest the day's shipments for the carrier and submit the manifest electronically. The End of Day process may be mandatory or optional, based on the carrier and your account with them. A printable file may or may not be available when submitted electronically - see End of Day (PDF).

ShipStation can manifest the day's shipments for the carrier and create an End of Day PDF that you can print and provide to the carrier. The End of Day process may be mandatory or optional, based on the carrier and your account with them. The file may or may not be submitted electronically - see End of Day (Electronic).

ShipStation can print the store's logo on shipping labels created for this carrier. Label branding may not be available for all services supported by this carrier.

ShipStation can print information on the label as a label message (configure in Label Document Options). The carrier may or may not support all 3 label message fields and label messages may not be available for all services supported by this carrier.

This carrier can be used to create multi-package shipments, where multiple labels are created for a single shipment and the individual packages are linked together in a single shipment record with a master tracking number.

You can connect this carrier to ShipStation multiple times using different accounts and choose which account will be used to create each shipment.

Additional Details about the Direct Freight Express Integration

  • By default, Direct Freight Express shipments do not have a confirmation type selected.

  • Direct Freight Express requires manifesting, which you can do within ShipStation.

  • Direct Freight Express may apply a charge if you send a void label request after 18:30 local Site ID time.

Troubleshooting Tips for Direct Freight Integration

Here are some common issues, potential causes, and troubleshooting tips.

Issue

How to Troubleshoot or Resolve

Error: Authorization for this request was denied by the module.

What it means: Either the API keys, account number, or both are invalid, or the account may not be active.

What to do: Check that the API keys and account number are both valid and the account is still active.

Error: Cannot cancel connote: Invalid Connote.

What it means: Attempting to cancel (void) a consignment immediately after creation may result in an error that the consignment does not exist.

What to do: Wait 1-2 minutes, then you should be able to void the label.

The carrier can be used to create domestic shipping labels.

The carrier can be used to create international shipping labels.

ShipStation will submit international customs declarations electronically to the carrier.

The carrier can be used to create domestic return labels.

ShipStation will display estimated shipping rates for the carrier based on the connected account information and shipment details.

Shipment insurance, provided by the shipment's selected carrier, can be added to the shipment in ShipStation. This insurance would be in addition to any default coverage already provided by that carrier.

Shipping labels created for this carrier will include a tracking number that can be used to view the shipment status on the carrier's tracking website. Tracking may not be available for all shipping services.

ShipStation will manifest the day's shipments for the carrier and submit the manifest electronically. The End of Day process may be mandatory or optional, based on the carrier and your account with them. A printable file may or may not be available when submitted electronically - see End of Day (PDF).

ShipStation can manifest the day's shipments for the carrier and create an End of Day PDF that you can print and provide to the carrier. The End of Day process may be mandatory or optional, based on the carrier and your account with them. The file may or may not be submitted electronically - see End of Day (Electronic).

ShipStation can print the store's logo on shipping labels created for this carrier. Label branding may not be available for all services supported by this carrier.

ShipStation can print information on the label as a label message (configure in Label Document Options). The carrier may or may not support all 3 label message fields and label messages may not be available for all services supported by this carrier.

This carrier can be used to create multi-package shipments, where multiple labels are created for a single shipment and the individual packages are linked together in a single shipment record with a master tracking number.

You can connect this carrier to ShipStation multiple times using different accounts and choose which account will be used to create each shipment.

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