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DHL Express integration

  • Updated

With the module DHL Express you can connect your own account at DHL Express to xentral and print the express parcel labels directly from xentral.

A general overview of the shipping methods and parcel labels you can use in xentral can be found here.

Features

DHL Express offers you the following features:

  • Direct printing of express parcel labels from xentral

  • Saving of the tracking number

  • National and international shipping

  • Posting of international products

Connection of DHL Express to xentral

The connection to DHL Express works via the MyDHL API and is therefore, in contrast to the normal DHL shipping service, connected via a separate interface.

Note

For DHL Express you need different access data than for the connection to DHL Shipping.

If you already have an account with DHL Express, you can request the DHL Express Key, the DHL Express Password and the DHL Account Number directly from your DHL business account manager. Alternatively, you can create a new user at https://www.dhl.de/de/geschaeftskunden.html and then ask your DHL business account manager for the relevant access data for xentral.

Settings in xentral

In the following section you will find information about the settings you need to make in xentral if you want to use DHL Express as a shipping method.

Create a new shipping method under Administration > Settings > Shipping methods > Overview >+NEW > DHL Express.

Then you can enter the access data and configure the settings. Fill in the following fields:

Note

It is essential that you fill in all the details in the overview or interface. These are mandatory fields that are necessary for correct execution. If you have not filled in all the fields, the error message will indicate which info is missing.

  • DAP (Delivery At Place): Seller is responsible for delivery of the goods including transport costs to the buyer. Excluded are costs for import formalities (for foreign buyers) like VAT & customs. These are paid by the customer if they are above the exemption limit

  • DDP (Delivery Duty Paid): Equivalent to DAP plus customs and tax handling. The seller has to bring the goods to the place selected by the customer in the importing country at his own cost and risk

  • Name: Enter the name of your choice for the shipping method. This will be displayed later in xentral for selection

  • Type: Enter the field name, e.g. DHL express or dhlexpress_1. You can generally choose this as long as it is not needed for the store mapping or other mappings. Ideally, however, you should keep the default setting

  • Module: Select the module "DHL Express" from the drop-down menu

  • Project: Optionally select a project from the drop-down menu or enter one manually

  • Active: Check the box to activate the shipping method and make it visible and usable, e.g. in the delivery note

  • No postage check: By checking this box, you deactivate the postage check in the order

  • Printer Parcel Label: Select the default printer that prints the parcel labels from the drop-down menu

  • Printer Export: Select the default printer that prints the export documents from the drop-down menu

  • Shipping Mail: Select from the drop-down menu if and how the shipping mail should be sent

  • DHL Express Key: Enter the DHL Express Key or the user name at DHL Express

  • DHL Express Password: Enter the password of the user at DHL Express

  • DHL Express Account Number: Enter the customer number at DHL Express

  • Shipper Company: Enter the name of the shipping company

  • Shipper Contact: Enter the contact person at the shipping company. This is required for export shipments, for example

  • Shipper phone: Enter the phone number of the shipper

    Note

    To correctly transfer the phone number, you need to have the right GDPR settings.

    Go to Basic settings > System tab and make sure that the Do not hand the phone number over to the shipping company check box in the GDPR settings section is NOT selected.

  • Shipper e-mail: Enter the e-mail address of the shipper

  • Shipper Street: Enter the street of the shipper

  • Shipper city: Enter the city of the shipper

  • Shipper Postcode: Enter the zip code of the shipper

  • Shipper Country: Enter the 2-digit ISO country code. For Germany this is "DE", for Austria "AT"

  • Service Type: Enter the abbreviation of the service type here. In the following table all possible service types are described:

    Service Typ (Global NW Typ)

    Product name

    I

    DOMESTIC EXPRESS 9:00

    Domestic Express

    O

    DOMESTIC EXPRESS 10:00

    1

    DOMESTIC EXPRESS 12:00

    N

    DOMESTIC EXPRESS

    X

    EXPRESS ENVELOPE

    Intern. Express not dutiable

    D

    EXPRESS WORLDWIDE

    K

    EXPRESS 9:00

    L

    EXPRESS 10:30

    T

    EXPRESS 12:00

    U

    EXPRESS WORLDWIDE

    E

    EXPRESS 9:00

    Internat. express dutiable

    M

    EXPRESS 10:30

    Y

    EXPRESS 12:00

    P

    EXPRESS WORLDWIDE

    W

    ECONOMY SELECT EU

    Economy Select

    H

    ECONOMY SELECT NON-EU

  • Currency: Enter the currency abbreviation, e.g. "EUR" for Euro or "USD" for US Dollar

  • Unit of measurement: Enter the unit of measurement. The entered value corresponds to the weight and measurement unit used for message processing. Possible are "SI" for kg and cm and "SU" for Lb and in

  • Label Type: This field is optional, you can choose from the possible label types PDF, ZPL, EPL or LP. PDF is set as default

  • Label Template: This field is optional. Clarify with the DHL Express IT representative which label meets the respective requirements. By default the label ECOM26_84_001 is used, if the field is not filled

  • Payment Info: Enter the payment info. You can choose between DAP or DDP. These 2 Incoterms are important in eCommerce

  • Standard Weight: Specify the standard weight for parcels. This will be drawn and prefilled in the package marker printout

  • Length: Enter the standard length of the package in cm. This will always be used if it has been specified and not changed in the package stamp dialog

  • Width: Enter the default width of the package in cm. This is always used if it is specified and has not been changed in the package marker dialog

  • Height: Specify default height of the package in cm. This is always used if it is specified and has not been changed in the package marker dialog

  • Description: Enter the description

  • Reference on label: Enter the reference on the label, e.g. {DELIVERY CERTIFICATE}, {Order}, {PROJECT}, {YOUR ORDER NUMBER}, {NAME3}, {INTERNET}

  • Content Type: Select the content type from the drop-down menu

  • Apply Tracking: By checking it, the tracking number will be automatically inserted into the field after the package tag is created and no longer needs to be scanned from the package tag

Parcel stamp printing

Once you have made all the settings as described above, you can test the parcel mark printing in the shipping center or in a single delivery note. To do this, select the "DHL Express" shipping method from the drop-down menu in the Delivery note section in the Details tab of the delivery note. Alternatively, you can also print them out on the selected printer under Fulfillment > Shipping Center. Click on the Save button before navigating to the package stamp dialog.

Click on the Parcel label tab in the delivery note and use Print parcel label to print a parcel label for the included items.

After your test print is complete, you can then cancel the parcel stamp in the DHL business customer portal.

Common error messages

The following error messages might appear when using the shipping method:

Error message

Solution

Exception: [ISC.0082.9464] Value is shorter than minimum length ------------ /shipreq:ShipmentRequest/ RequestedShipment/Ship/Recipient/Contact/ PhoneNumberProcess failure occurred.

This error message occurs, when there are problems with the provided phone number. There are two possible reasons for this:

  1. The phone number is incorrect in some way (e.g., too short) or missing.

  2. The phone number can't be transferred because of your GDPR settings.

    Go to Basic settings > System tab and make sure that the Do not hand the phone number over to the shipping company check box in the GDPR settings section is NOT selected.

Exception: Requested product(s) not available at payer, 1/-Process failure occurred. Process ID associated for that transaction

Whenever you send a domestic package, i.e. you entered I, O,1, or N into the Service type field, you also need to select DOCUMENTS in the Content type field on the bottom of the page. This signifies that this delivery is duty free.

Exception: [ISC.0082.9460) No matching enumeration value ---/ shipreq:ShipmentRequest/ RequestedShipment/Shipmentinfo/ LabelTypeProcess failure occurred. Process ID associated for that transaction

Enter PDF into the Label type field.

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