Carrier Integrations
Part of Fulfilment integrations
Syncing dispatch confirmation back to a storefront
Return the right dispatched lines, quantities and tracking details to a storefront without closing unfinished parts or duplicating notifications.
Return the lines and quantities the warehouse actually completed, linked to the correct fulfilment and tracking details. Leave unfinished quantities open. Agree whether the event sent to the storefront means packed, labelled, ship-confirmed or physically handed to a carrier; each supports a different customer claim.
Choose the source event
Identify the warehouse record behind each milestone. A tracking number may be available before carrier collection, so its presence alone does not prove that a parcel is in transit.
Pros and Cons of Sending Tracking Before Carrier Handover
- ProsCustomers receive early tracking updates; improves perceived service speed.
- ConsRisk of misleading customers if parcel is not yet with carrier; may lead to incorrect claims.
Match lines, quantities and shipments
Return the source order and line references, fulfilment part, confirmed quantity and warehouse shipment ID. Add carrier and tracking information when available.
If parcels leave at different times, keep their completion and tracking details distinguishable in the storefront workflow. A platform may represent multiple packages under one fulfilment, so confirm the record model before creating another fulfilment.
| Warehouse result | Storefront update to assess |
|---|---|
| All assigned units completed | Fulfil the corresponding lines and attach the relevant shipment details. |
| Some assigned units completed | Update only those units and leave the balance open. |
| Nothing shipped after a short pick | Keep the intended fulfilment unresolved and return the shortage to its owner. |
| Tracking arrives later | Update the existing fulfilment if supported. |
Shopify’s fulfillmentCreate mutation accepts fulfilment-order line items, tracking information and a customer-notification choice. If line items are omitted for a specified fulfilment order, the mutation fulfils all items in that order. Explicit lines and quantities matter for partial dispatch. Shopify also provides fulfillmentTrackingInfoUpdate for tracking on an existing fulfilment, including multiple tracking numbers where applicable.
Key API Actions for Fulfilment Sync
- Fulfilment Creation
- Shopify `fulfillmentCreate` mutation
- Tracking Update
- Shopify `fulfillmentTrackingInfoUpdate` mutation
- Notification Control
- `notifyCustomer` defaults to false in `FulfillmentInput`
Control customer messages
Choose which connected system sends each shipment message and check its wording against the triggering event. In Shopify’s documented FulfillmentInput, notifyCustomer defaults to false when a fulfilment is created. A tracking update has its own notification choice.
Keep the operational carrier-handover record even if the storefront has only a broader fulfilled status. Do not describe a labelled parcel as collected when collection has not been confirmed.
Confirm the update landed
After sending, compare the storefront’s resulting fulfilment ID, line quantities and tracking details with the warehouse record. If the response is lost, look up the intended fulfilment before retrying.
Queue rejected updates with the warehouse shipment ID, affected lines, error and owner. Regularly compare warehouse-confirmed shipments with storefront fulfilments so a successful API submission is not mistaken for a matching final record.
