Shipping Interface Setup

The purpose of the Shipping Interface is to send information about a mail order that has been shipped via UPS, Purolator or FedEx shipping method in PrismCore to a computer running the UPS WorldShip software, Purolator software or FedEx software, and to receive a tracking number in return. The interface is run as a service in WPServer. Unlike many services in WPServer, the Shipping Interface does NOT use FTP. Instead, the shipping information is shared using a shared directory.
When this service is running, PrismCore periodically creates an export file that contains basic information about the mail order shipment (e.g. receipt number, customer's account number, shipping address information, total weight, transaction total, shipping charge, date) and puts it in a designated shared directory. This file is picked up from the directory by the Shipper's software. This enables the user to print a shipping label through the Shipper's software with all the appropriate information on it. The Shipper's software then creates a file with the receipt number and tracking number, which it puts in the directory. From there it is imported by WPServer into PrismCore.
1. The user needs to contact the Shipper's Customer Support for assistance in setting up the software on a PC in their store.
2. The user also needs to send the import/export formats for the interface files to the Shipper.
Formats
The export file contains the following fields. Each field is enclosed in double quotes (") and is delimited with a comma.
'MAILORDER', Mail Order Number
'FILLER', Unused
'CUSTOMER', Customer Account Number
'SHIPNAME1', Customer Name
'SHIPNAME2', Customer Name
'SHIPADDRESS1', Customer Address
'SHIPADDRESS2', Customer Address
'SHIPCITY', Customer City
'SHIPSTATE', Customer State
'SHIPZIP', Customer Zip Code
'SHIPCOUNTRY', Customer Country
'SHIPPHONE', Customer Phone
'SHIPMETHOD', Shipping Code Description
'SHIPWEIGHT', Total Shipping Weight
'SHIPTOTAL', Transaction Total
'FILLER', Unused
'Y', Always Y
'SHIPCOMMENT', Shipping Comment
'EMAIL', Always EMAIL
'EMAILYN', Y/N if email included
'EMAILADDRESS', Customer Email Address
'NUMBEROFSHIPMENT', Number of Items in Shipment
'TODAY', Current Date MM/DD/YYYY
'FILLER', Unused
'FILLER', Unused
'FILLER' Unused
The import file contains the following fields. Each field is enclosed in double quotes (") and is delimited with a comma.
'MAILORDER', Mail Order Number
'TRACKNUMBER', UPS Tracking Number
'SECNUM', ???
'FILLER', Unused
'METHOD', Shipping Method
'WEIGHT' Total Shipping Weight
1.A shared directory for the interface files to reside must be set up on either the PrismCore server or the PC where the Shipper's software resides. If the directory is set up on the PrismCore server, the PC must be able to map to that directory. If it is set up on the PC, the PrismCore server needs to map to the directory on the PC.
2. In PrismCore Admin, access Mail Order General Parameters and check the Shipping Software Interface check box for whichever locations need the interface.
3. In PrismCore Admin, access the Shipping Codes module. Now that you have enabled the Shipping Software Interface field, a new Shipping Software field appears in each shipping code record. For the UPS shipping codes, select 'UPS Interface' from the combo box. For FedEx shipping codes, select 'UPS Interface'. For Purolator shipping codes, select 'Purolator Interface'. For non-UPS shipping codes, select 'No Interface'.
4. The Shipping interface is a standard WPServer interface. Shipping interface lines have to be added to your WPConsole by programming. Call PrismCore Support when you are ready for this step. Once Shipping lines have been added to WPServer, you will need to configure that service. You can use our suggestions of file names for the import and export files, or some other name, if desired.
5. Set the interval at which the service is to run (e.g. every 5 minutes). We don't have any recommendation as to how often to run it. This may need to be coordinated with the shipper to see how often they want to pick up our files and give us theirs.
6.UPS Export Path The fully qualified directory name where the export file will be created (this is the shared directory mentioned above). The path can be a mapped drive or UNC name.
7.UPS Export File Name The file name that will be created or appended to (e.g. EXPORT.TXT).
8.UPS Import Path The fully qualified directory name where the import file is located (this is the shared directory mentioned above). The path can be a mapped drive or UNC name.
9.UPS Import File Name The name of the file to be imported (e.g. IMPORT.TXT).
10. Check the Activate Service checkbox, and OK the dialog.
At this point, each time the service runs, an EXPORT.TXT file will be created and put in the shared directory. If the Shipper has put an IMPORT.TXT file in that directory, it will be imported into PrismCore.