UPS integration is a seamless connection between your business systems and UPS’s suite of APIs, enabling you to automate key shipping workflows such as shipment creation, tracking, and billing. By embedding UPS services directly into your application, you can eliminate manual data entry and reduce human error. This integration supports real-time rate calculations, custom label generation, and end-to-end visibility of every package. With our implementation, you gain a unified dashboard that reflects live status updates, giving you peace of mind and operational efficiency.

Our solution covers the full range of UPS’s global offerings, including UPS Worldwide Express and Express Saver for time-critical shipments, UPS Ground for cost-effective domestic delivery, UPS SurePost for lightweight parcels, UPS Freight and Air Freight for large shipments, and UPS International for cross-border services. We also support specialized options like Temperature-Controlled Solutions, Returns Management, and Customs Brokerage. Each service can be toggled on or off to match your regional and volume requirements.

Our typical UPS integration projects span 4 to 6 weeks, but the exact timeline depends on your scope and complexity. We begin with a discovery phase to map your existing workflows and define the UPS API endpoints you’ll need. Next, we design and develop the integration layers—including authentication, rate calculation, and label generation. After rigorous QA and user acceptance testing, we deploy to staging and then to production, providing training and support throughout. This phased approach ensures your integration is robust, secure, and thoroughly tested before going live.

To kick off a UPS integration, you’ll need a UPS developer account plus your Access Key, Username, Password, and Account Number. Provide details about your shipment requirements—package dimensions, weight units, and default service level. If automating customs, share your HS codes and country-of-origin data. Finally, let us know any branding requirements for labels or email notifications so we can configure them during development. With this information, we can set up sandbox access and begin testing immediately.

The UPS Shipment API allows you to submit full shipment details—sender and recipient addresses, package dimensions, weight, and chosen service—in a single POST request. Upon validation, UPS returns a JSON payload containing the shipment ID, tracking number, and a base64-encoded or URL link to the shipping label (PDF or ZPL). You can include special instructions or signature requirements. Once the label is generated, you can immediately forward metadata to your warehouse or print station, streamlining fulfillment.

UPS’s Tracking API offers endpoints for single-package queries, batch tracking, and detailed event history. Each response includes timestamps, geolocation data, and status codes, enabling you to build real-time dashboards, trigger notifications, or integrate with your CRM. This visibility empowers you to proactively manage delivery exceptions.

Yes—using the UPS Label Recovery and Print API, you can request labels in PDF, ZPL, or EPL formats directly from your system. Simply include the shipment ID and desired format in your API call, and UPS returns the label as a base64 string or download link. You can then programmatically send it to your printer or embed it in customer emails. We also support label customizations such as adding your logo or special handling instructions.

UPS’s Rate API provides instant quotes based on origin, destination, package dimensions, weight, and service options. By integrating this endpoint at checkout, you can display accurate costs for different service levels—ground, express, freight—without manual lookup. The response includes a breakdown of base rates, surcharges, and any negotiated discounts, ensuring transparent pricing for your customers.

The UPS Pickup API lets you programmatically request a driver to collect shipments from a specified address and time window. Provide pickup details—date, preferred time slot, package count, and any special instructions—in a JSON request. UPS confirms with a pickup confirmation number, and you can query the Pickup Status endpoint to track the driver or modify your request as needed.

UPS supports OAuth2 token-based authentication as well as legacy WS-Security credentials (Access Key, Username & Password). For OAuth2, exchange your client credentials for an access token and include it in the Authorization header. For SOAP/XML services, pass your UPS credentials in the WS-Security header. We help you configure secure token refresh workflows and store your credentials following best practices.

Yes—UPS provides separate sandbox and production endpoints so you can validate your integration without affecting real shipments. In sandbox mode, you can simulate shipments, rate queries, and tracking events without generating live labels. Once your workflows are verified, switch your base URLs and credentials to production. We guide you through credential provisioning and environment configuration for a smooth transition.

UPS’s Notifications API allows you to receive automatic POST callbacks for events such as ‘In Transit’, ‘Delivered’, or ‘Exception’. You register your callback URL and select the event types you want to receive. Each notification includes an HMAC signature for authenticity. This push-based model enables real-time dashboard updates, customer alerts, and inventory adjustments with minimal polling.

UPS’s modern APIs primarily accept and return JSON payloads, making integration straightforward in any language or framework. Specify your desired content type in the request headers, and the API parses and validates your JSON automatically. For legacy SOAP endpoints, XML is also supported. Our integration layer abstracts these differences so you always work against a uniform JSON interface.