UPS integration
Book UPS shipments from your consignments with labels, tracking numbers and commercial invoices — and follow any UPS tracking number, with deliveries completing the stops.
What is UPS?
UPS (United Parcel Service) is one of the world’s largest package delivery companies, with ground, air express and international services. Software connects through the UPS APIs on developer.ups.com: Transportial uses the Shipping API to book and void shipments and the Tracking API to follow them.
What syncs between UPS and Transportial
- To UPS
Consignments → UPS shipments
When a trip forwarded under a capacity contract that uses the UPS integration is confirmed, each consignment is booked as a UPS shipment on your shipper number. Every parcel of the goods becomes a UPS package with its weight and dimensions, and the consignment number is the reference.
- Into Transportial
Labels and tracking numbers
One label per package is stored on the consignment — as a 4×6 inch PDF, or ZPL for thermal printers — together with the shipment’s tracking numbers.
- To UPS
Commercial invoice for international shipments
International shipments carry customs data from the goods: description, quantity, value, weight, HS code and origin. UPS’s commercial invoice is stored on the consignment, and with the DDP incoterm duties and taxes are billed to your own UPS account.
- To UPS
Voiding before pickup
Canceling the trip voids its UPS shipments that have not been picked up yet; planners can also void a single shipment from the consignment.
- Into Transportial
Tracking, ETA and stop completion
Status, activity, the scheduled delivery and who signed for the package come back on the shipment. The first pickup scan completes the loading stop and delivery completes the unloading stop.
- Into Transportial
UPS numbers booked elsewhere
Add any UPS tracking number to a consignment — for example of a shipment created in UPS’s own portal — and Transportial follows it the same way.
How to connect UPS
Parcel carriers are switched on per platform: ask us to enable them for your Transportial account.
Create an app on the UPS Developer Portal (developer.ups.com) with the Shipping and Tracking APIs, linked to your UPS account, and note its client ID and client secret.
Add the UPS integration in Transportial: client ID and secret, your UPS shipper number, the default service and the label format (PDF or ZPL). You can start in the UPS test environment.
Set a capacity contract’s communication method to this integration. Trips forwarded under that contract are booked at UPS as soon as you confirm them.
Sync frequency and limits
- Shipments are booked when the trip is confirmed; consignments added later are booked on the next trip update, never twice with the same integration.
- Open tracking numbers are checked every 60 minutes by default — configurable per integration — until the shipment is delivered, returned or canceled.
- The UPS Tracking API takes one number per call.
- UPS returns labels as images; Transportial turns each into a 4×6 inch PDF page, or stores ZPL as it comes.
- A shipment can only be voided before UPS has picked it up.
Typical use case
A wholesaler in Venlo ships spare parts to garages across Europe and to a few customers in the US. Pallet orders run on its own trucks; parcels are planned on a trip under a UPS capacity contract, with UPS Standard as default and Express Saver for urgent orders. Confirming the trip books every shipment, and the warehouse prints the labels and commercial invoices from the shipment. The pickup scan closes the loading stop, customer service sees the scheduled delivery, and the delivery stop closes once UPS reports the package delivered.
Frequently asked questions
Which UPS services can I book?
UPS Standard, Express Saver, Express, Express Plus, Express 12:00, Expedited, Worldwide Economy, Worldwide Express Freight and Access Point Economy, plus US domestic services such as UPS Ground, 3 Day Select, 2nd Day Air and Next Day Air. Set a default on the integration or choose per shipment.
Can I cancel a UPS shipment from Transportial?
Yes, as long as UPS hasn’t picked it up. Canceling the trip voids its open UPS shipments, and a planner can void a single shipment from the consignment.
Does Transportial schedule UPS pickups?
No. Hand the packages over at your regular UPS pickup or a UPS Access Point. The integration books, labels, voids and tracks; it does not book pickups, compare rates or create return labels.
Can I track UPS packages I didn’t book through Transportial?
Yes. Add the tracking number on the consignment’s Carrier shipments tab and Transportial follows it like its own bookings, including completing the stops.
Connect UPS to your TMS
Transportial’s integration framework links your operation to UPS and any other system you run.