The Carrier Integration Service allows partners to integrate their own shipping service providers (carriers) directly into Xentral, enabling businesses to create customized logistics solutions and map specific shipping, tax and international delivery requirements.
There are two ways to integrate shipping service providers in addition to the Xentral default functionality:
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API integration: Direct connection via individual interfaces
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Connect integration: Extension for native carrier implementations in Xentral (coming soon)
Both methods allow you to generate shipping labels, use carrier services and extend Xentral with individual shipping options.
Caution
Carrier integration does not cover all fields and requirements of all use cases, so depending on the objective – whether it’s just to create a shipping label or map a more complex process – it may be necessary to retrieve certain system values elsewhere via the API.
You should decide in advance whether you want to implement the desired workflow via the Carrier Integration Service or instead implement your own structure via the API. Both approaches are possible – depending on the specific use case, but also on which technology suits you more as a developer.
You can find all information and tutorials about the Carrier Integration Service in our developer documentation.
A newly connected carrier behaves like an existing Xentral shipping method:
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Authentication: Partner credentials are stored to address the carrier API.
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Configuration: After authentication, carrier-specific fields are automatically loaded (e.g. shipping label options, age verification, additional shipping services).
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Calling the Partner Service: Xentral sends a request to the partner service, which generates the shipping data.
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Return of shipping information: The shipping label and tracking information are transmitted to Xentral and made available to the customer.
Depending on the shipping service provider, different services (e.g. express shipping, international options) can be stored.
Once a partner has successfully integrated a carrier, it works seamlessly in Xentral:
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The carrier can be selected as a shipping service provider in sales orders.
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Automatic label creation and transmission of tracking information are possible.
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Depending on the use case, the partner can provide additional carrier-specific functions.
Customers who require a specific carrier can request it from one or search for a suitable solution in the Xentral Marketplace.
Important
While custom API integrations are currently being implemented, carrier integration with Connect will be available in the near future, with the goal of enabling carriers to be integrated directly into Xentral as a native solution without the need for manual configuration of service URLs and tokens.