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UPS® OnLine Tools

Available UPS® OnLine Tools


The integration of the UPS Online® Tools within ProductCart has been officially tested and approved by UPS, which provides you with the piece of mind of knowing that rates are calculated accurately, and gives your customers additional features such as the ability to dynamically track shipped orders right from within your store.

UPS Online® Tools Usage Policy: Please note that when you started using ProductCart, you have agreed to the following, as part of the ProductCart End User License Agreement. “ProductCart includes source code that allows You to integrate Your store with UPS' Online Tools, which is a set of shipping and tracking services provided by UPS for Internet merchants. This source code has been encrypted in compliance with UPS' Online Tools usage policy. You may not for any reason decrypt any encrypted source code. Any attempt to use any technology to decrypt or otherwise reverse-engineer and/or subsequently modify any of the encrypted source code violates both this End User License Agreement and UPS Access User Agreement that you will enter into before use of the UPS Online Tools and will result in the immediate termination of this License Agreement and may result in the termination of the UPS Access User Agreement and your right to use the UPS Online Tools.”

ProductCart is now fully integrated with the following UPS OnLine® Tools:
  • Standard Tools
    • UPS Tracking: For a given UPS tracking or reference number, this tool identifies the package(s) and provides detailed information about each package, including the current shipping status and the time and location of each scan while in transit.
    • UPS Rates & Service Selection: The UPS Rates & Service Selection tool returns rates for available UPS domestic and international services, and provides UPS published shipping rates.
    • UPS Time in Transit: Enable your customers to compare the speed of different UPS shipping services to everywhere UPS delivers around the world.
    • UPS U.S. Address Validation: This tool validates that an input city, state and postal code are correct for addresses in the United States. If an error is detected, a list of up to 10 valid city-state-postal code combinations the closely match the input are returned.
  • Premium Tools
    • UPS Shipping: This tool offers you self-service shipping: You can now finalize shipments and print UPS shipping labels right from the ProductCart Control Panel.
 

Activating UPS


To activate UPS as one of the shipping providers used by your store, follow the steps outlined below.
 
Registration
  • You must have a UPS account number to use this feature. To create an account and/or retrieve your account number, please visit http://www.UPS.com.
  • Log into your Control Panel. Select Shipping > Add or View Shipping Services and click Add next to UPS.
  • You are now on the Enable UPS OnLine® Tools screen. Click the click here link to register an account with UPS Online Tools. Make sure that you have disabled any pop-up blockers that you may have running, as the registration will open a new window. This is different from your UPS account. It's a UPS Online Tools account.
  • The pop-up window will confirm that you wish to continue with the license and registration process, click on the Next button.
  • The UPS Technology Agreement will be displayed. After you have read and agreed to the agreement, choose the “Yes, I Do Agree” and click on the Next button.
  • You are now on the UPS OnLine® Tools License and Registration screen. Fill in the following fields to complete the registration.
    • Contact Name: The name of an individual contact person. This is a required field. Max 30 characters.
    • Title: The job title of the contact person (for example, manager or engineer). This is a required field. Max 35 characters.
    • Company Name: This field is required. Max 35 characters.
    • Street Address: This is a required field. Max 35 characters.
    • Street Address 2: Room, floor, and/or apartment. This field is optional. Max 35 characters.
    • Street Address 3: Department. This field is optional. Max 35 characters.
    • City: This is a required field. Max 30 characters
    • Postal Code: Must have postal code for US and Canada provinces. Max 9 characters.
    • Country: This is a required field.
    • Phone Number: Numeric Contact Phone Number. This is a required field. Length must be between 10 and 14 characters.
    • Ext. (Extension): Telephone Extension. This field is optional. Max 5 characters.
    • Email Address: Email of the contact person. This is a required field. Max 50 characters.
    • Website URL: The Company URL. This is a required field. Max 250 characters.
    • UPS Account Number: This must be a valid UPS shipper number, which will be responsible for billing. The number should not contain dashes or spaces. This is a required field. If you do not have a UPS Account, you may call 1-800-PICK-UPS.
    • To complete the registration, click “Next”.
    • If the registration is successful, you will see a new screen that states “Registration successful!” make sure not to close the window: you will need to click on the button to “Complete UPS Configuration”. The pop-up window will close down automatically when you do so, and you will be directed back to the main page in ProductCart to complete the UPS OnLine® Tools setup.

NOTE: CANADIAN STORES

If your store and account is based in Canada, you may need to run a script to 'reset' your UPS Shipping Variables, and also edit one of the ProductCart files. Please follow these additional instructions:
  1. Login to your ProductCart Control Panel and run the database script that resets the UPS shipping options. To do this, you would login and replace “menu.asp” with “upddbUPSShipOrigin.asp”. After that code has made the apropriate changes you wil be redirected to the “viewShippingOptions.asp” page.
  2. In the “pc/ShipRates.asp” file, there is a flag that needs to be set, which can be found at the top of the file: 
    'UPS CANADA ONLY VARIABLES
dim pcv_UPSCanadaOrigin
    (change the variable to “1”): 
    ​pcv_UPSCanadaOrigin=1
 
Service Selection
You can select from a variety of shipping services provided by UPS, and for each of them, you can specify an order amount above which a service would be provided to your customers for free (e.g. Free UPS Ground for all orders that exceed $100), and additional shipping and handling fees.

Why are the rates different? All of the settings mentioned above affect the rates that UPS returns on the order. The integration of the UPS Online® Tools within ProductCart has been officially approved by UPS, so the rates are typically returned very accurately. If the rates that ProductCart is returning on an order are different from the rates that you are getting when simulating the same shipment on the UPS Web site, please make sure that you are using the exact same parameters (type of pickup, package size, total weight, type of delivery address). If no shipping rates are being shown, please see the No Shipping Rates Returned section for more information on what could be the cause.



UPS Settings
  • ​Shipper Address: This is the default address that most of your shipments will originate from
  • UPS Account Type: Choose the UPS account type that you use. For example if you have a wholesale account with UPS and use Daily Pickup, this is what you would select from the drop down menu.
  • Package Type: You have the ability to select the type of package that your orders are typically shipped in. If you are using your own packaging to ship products, specify a default package size using the appropriate input fields. This size should be the most common size for the majority of packages that you ship. Length is the longest side of the package.
 
Oversized Packages
ProductCart allows you to set an individual product as Oversized at the product level. So when you add or modify a product, you can enable the Oversized option, which will have the following three consequences on shipping rates calculation:
  • ​The product will be flagged as Oversized (this may trigger extra shipping charges). If you flag a product as oversized, but it is not an oversized product according to UPS, regular rates will automatically be used. However, the product will be considered a separate package by ProductCart.
  • The product-specific package dimensions entered on the add/modify product page will replace the default package size mentioned above.
  • The product will be regarded as a separate package (e.g. if a customer purchases 3 units of the product, ProductCart will calculate rates for 3 separate packages).

Packages are measured as package length plus girth: 
(Length + ((Width x 2) + (Height x 2)))

The following information about oversized packages is provided by UPS:
  • ​A package weighing less than 30 lbs. and measuring more than 84 inches and equal to or less than 108 inches in combined length and girth will be classified as Oversize 1 (OS1)
  • A package weighing less than 70 lbs. and exceeds 108 inches in length and girth combined will be classified as Oversize 2 (OS2)
  • A package weighing less than 90 pounds that exceeds 130 inches in length and is equal to or less than 165 in length and girth combined will be classified as Oversize 3 (OS3).
 

UPS Preferences

The purpose of the UPS Preferences is to provide a way for the store manager to save the most frequently used shipping options, so that they can be used every time a shipment is processed using the UPS Shipping Manager (see below). Only set these options if you use them frequently, if they are used just once in a while, you can set them at the time you are processing the order. You can always override these settings at the time you process a shipment in the Shipping Manager.
 
​Service Type & Package Type
  • ​Type of Service. The code for the UPS service associated with the shipment.
  • Package Type. Package type associated with package shipment.
  • Insured Value. Declared value amount associated with the package. Max value of 50,000.00 USD.
  • Saturday Delivery. A flag indicating if a shipment will be delivered on a Saturday.
 
Payment Method
The payment options are Prepaid, Bill Third Party, Consignee Billing and Freight Collect. Enter the Payment Method that you use most of the time. Enter Prepaid is if you are using your UPS Account. You must provide your UPS Account Number when selecting Prepaid.
 
UPS On Call Pickup Times
Required for an on-call pickup. Specify the earliest time a shipment is ready to be picked up along with the time to be picked up by. This declares the latest time a shipment can be picked up. Can also be referred as the “Closing Time” for a pickup time window.
 
Reference Types/Values
For each Reference type you must supply a corresponding reference number or value.
 
C.O.D. Preferences
You can set to C.O.D. is required by default and also set the “Collection currency” you prefer and the “Collection Fund Type”. The fund type will allow you to choose if you want to accept a personal check as payment or only a Cashier’s Check or Money Order. Cash is not allowed for either choice. Only set the “Collection Amount” if the amount is primarily the same for each shipment. Otherwise you will set it when the order is processed for shipment.
 
Quantum View Notify
UPS can help you keep all parties updated during the shipment of a package. You can choose up to 5 notification types and their corresponding e-mail address. You must supply an e-mail address for each type selected.
 
Verbal Confirmation
The flag to require verbal confirmation for a shipment.
 

The UPS Shipping Center


UPS-activated stores can ship and manage packages and print shipping labels in the Shipping Center. You can do all this and much more from the ProductCart Control Panel using the Shipping Center.

To get started shipping items follow these steps.
  1. ​Locate a processed order in the Control Panel. Click on View & Process. You can only ship orders that have been processed. Pending orders cannot be shipped. You cannot use the Batch Shipping feature if you want to finalize a UPS shipment.
  2. Click on the Shipping Center tab, find the UPS OnLine® Tools Shipping Center heading and click on Start Shipping Wizard. Make sure you click the button directly below the UPS OnLine® Tools Shipping Center heading, and not the standard Shipping Center heading.
  3. The UPS OnLine® Tools Shipment Request screen will load. Select the items from the order to include with your first package by placing a “check” in the box next to each item.
  4. Click Start Shipment to add the package and its contents to a shipment.
  5. You may now enter the shipment details, or choose to add more packages to this shipment. To enter shipment details, skip to step 8. To add another package, proceed to step 7. Adding a package means that you are shipping some products in one box, and some in another. You can print out labels for the different packages.
  6. You should add all your packages before configuring your shipment details. If you try to enter your shipment details first, all the information will be cleared when you add another package. To avoid having to enter the shipment details more than once add all your packages to the shipment now. To add another package click the Add Another Package button and repeat steps 4 – 6.
  7. Enter your shipment details making sure you specify the settings for each package. There are several required fields to fill out before sending your shipment request to UPS for processing. For a complete list and description of each setting view the Shipment Settings Overview section below.

The most commonly required fields are indicated with a red star. The number of required fields varies depending on the type of packaging, destination, and a number of other factors. ProductCart will check your shipment request for errors before sending the information to UPS. If you try to send your shipment without completely filling out the form, ProductCart will show a notice at the top of the page.

Once you have completed configuring your shipments settings click Process Shipment. At this point ProductCart will send all your shipment details to UPS as a request. ProductCart will then display a summary message indicating UPS' response and the break down of the shipment charges that were returned back by UPS.

If you area satisfied with the summary, you can click to Confirm Shipment, otherwise you can click Change Package to alter your shipment options. If you have confirmed the shipment and the shipment is successful you can print labels, track packages, or cancel a shipment.
 
Shipment Settings Overview
Configuring your first shipment for UPS can be an intimidating task. You will be confronted with many settings in the UPS OnLine® Tools Shipment Request screen. Many of them may seem complicated. While the fact is that many settings are available, you’ll find that most of your orders will not require a lot of setup work for you to be able to successfully ship them with UPS. For this reason ProductCart attempts to fill in many of the basic, required settings for you (e.g. destination address, sender address, and shipment date).

Below we will explain each setting that you will find in the UPS OnLine® Tools Shipment Request screen.



Shipping Settings Tab
The ship settings tab contains the basic UPS settings for the shipment.
  • Service Settings – This is where you choose the “Type of Service”. The type will already be set to the default settings that you choose in your UPS Preferences.
  • Shipment Billing – This is the party responsible for the payment of the shipment. The field will already be set to the default settings that you choose in your UPS Preferences.
  • Labels – This drop down currently only has one choice of “GIF (Plain Paper)”. ProductCart will be adding support for Thermal Printers in a future version. At this time you will be able to print your label on a standard 8.5 x 11 sheet of paper (which can be inserted in a adhesive plastic pouch that can be ordered from UPS free of charge) or on a 8.5 x 11 adhesive label paper.
  • Special Services
    • Saturday Delivery
      For time-critical shipments, UPS offers the convenience of Saturday Delivery. This is a Value-Added Service, which mean fees for this service are in addition to shipping costs.​
    • UPS On Call Pickup
      Use UPS On-Call Pickup Service to request a UPS driver come to any U.S. home or work address to pick up parcels. UPS On-Call Pickup is available with any UPS service you select for your shipment, including Air, Ground, and International. To activate this service, check the “UPS On Call Pickup” Box and then a date. This date can be the later the same day or another day up to 5 days in advance. Then enter in the time the shipment will be ready for pick up and the latest time it can be picked up. These times must be at least one hour apart. If you chose default values via the UPS Preferences, then the shipment “Ready At” and “Pick Up by” times should already be pre-populated.

Ship From Tab
This tab contains the contact information and address of the shipper. The following are descriptions of all the elements contained in this section. Most of these setting are filled in for you by default. You can modify these defaults from the Shipping > Add or View Shipping Services link on the main menu and then clicking on the Settings link under UPS.
  • ​Shipper – This area is already pre filled according to the UPS settings. You may choose to ship from a different contact and/or location. To do this you select “Yes” when asked “Will this package be shipped from a different location then the “Shipper”?
  • Contact Details
    • Company Name: This is a required field. Max of 35 characters.
    • Attention Name: This field is optional. Max of 35 characters
    • Phone Number: This is a required field for International orders. Max of 15 characters.
    • Fax Number: This field is optional. Max of 14 characters.
    • Email Address: This is optional field. Max of 50 characters.
  • Location Details
    • Country: This is a required field. Select a country from the dropdown menu.
    • Address Line 1: This is a required field. Max of 35 characters.
    • Address Line 2: This field is optional. Max of 35 characters. Usually Room/Floor information.
    • Address Line 3: This field is optional. Max of 35 characters. Usually department information.
    • City: This is a required field. Max of 30 characters.
    • State: This is a required field for US and CA. Select an option from the dropdown menu, or type your ISO code into the space provided.
    • Postal Code: This is a required field for most countries. Represents the postal code of the sender. Max 10 characters.

Recipient Tab
This tab contains the contact information and address of the customer (recipient). The following are descriptions of all the elements contained in this section. Most of these settings are filled in for you by default. ProductCart takes these settings from the information the customer submitted at the time of purchase.
  • ​Contact Details
    • Company Name: Use recipient’s full name if no company is provided. This is a required field. Max of 35 characters.
    • Attention Name: This field is required for UPS Next Day Air, Early A.M. service, and when the recipient’s country is different than the shipper’s company. Max of 35 characters
    • Phone Number: This is a required field for UPS Next Day Air, Early A.M. service, and when the recipient’s country is different than the shipper’s company. Max of 15 characters.
    • Fax Number: This field is optional. Max of 15 characters.
    • Email Address: This field is optional. Max of 50 characters.
  • Location Details
    • Country: This is a required field. Select a country from the dropdown menu.
    • Address Line 1: This is a required field. Max of 35 characters.
    • Address Line 2: This field is optional. Max of 35 characters. Usually Room/Floor information.
    • Address Line 3: This field is optional. Max of 35 characters. Usually department information.
    • City: This is a required field. Max of 30 characters.
    • State: This is a required field for US and CA. Select an option from the dropdown menu, or type your ISO code into the space provided.
    • Postal Code: If the recipient’s country is US or Puerto Rico, 5 or 9 digits is required. . The character '-' may be used to separate the first five digits and the last four digits. If the recipient’s country is CA (Canada), then the postal code is required and must be 6 alphanumeric characters whose format is A#A#A# where A is an uppercase letter and # is a digit. For all other countries the postal code is optional and must be no more than 9 alphanumeric characters long.
    • This is a Residential Delivery: Indicates the recipient’s address is a residential address, the absence of this flag indicates a business address.
  • UPS OnLine Tools Address Validation Link
    This tool validates that an input city, state and postal code are correct for addresses in the United States. If an error is detected, a list of up to 10 valid city/state/postal code combination that closely match the input are returned. NOTE: This link will open a pop-up window – please disable your pop-up blocker to allow access to this feature.

Ship Notification Tab
This tab contains optional parameters that control shipment notifications, otherwise known as Quantum View Notify, sent by UPS to one or more recipients during the shipment processes. Quantum View Notify is an information-based service that provides e-mail notifications of critical shipment events. Notifications include Shipment, Exception, and Delivery (Recipient Notification), and these can be sent to as many as five e-mail addresses. Anyone with a tracking number can use the service. No subscription is required.
  • ​Select Notification Type
  • QVN Shipment Notification: A ship notification tells you when shipment information has been received by UPS.
  • QVN Recipient Notification: A Delivery or Recipient notification tells you when the shipment has been delivered.
  • QVN Exception Notification: An Exception notification informs you about the unforeseen events resulting in a change to the expected delivery day and includes the rescheduled delivery date.
  • E-Mail Address: For each Notification Type drop-down that you select, you will need to add in a corresponding e-mail address. Make sure to enter one or you will not be able to successfully create a shipping label for your shipment.

Package Information Tabs
This tab contains the package specific settings. Several settings on this tab are requirements of UPS. The following are descriptions of all the settings contained in this section.
  • ​Package Contents
    • Check the box entitled “Click Here to view Package Contents” to view each item you have added to this package. This information is available for your reference and is not sent to UPS as part of the Ship Request.
  • Settings
    • Package Type: Select the packaging for this package from the dropdown. You can use different packaging on each package in the shipment. Your default packaging is selected automatically.
  • Dimensions and Weight
    • Units: Required with “Your Packaging” only.
    • Length: Required with “Your Packaging” only.
    • Width: Required with “Your Packaging” only.
    • Height: Required with “Your Packaging” only.
    • Weight Units: This is a required setting.
    • Weight: This is a required setting. Specify the weight of this package only. If you are shipping multiple packages ProductCart will calculate the total shipment weight for you.
    • Oversized and/or Large Packages: This is an optional setting, if UPS determines that the wrong setting is set, it will auto correct according to the weight and dimensions set for the package.
    • Additional Handling – This is a Value-Added Services, which mean fees for this service are in addition to shipping costs. Domestic shipments in the UPS system may be assessed an Additional Handling charge. This charge applies to the following:
      • Any article that is encased in an outside shipping container made of metal or wood
      • Any item, such as a barrel, drum, pail, or tire, that is not fully encased in a corrugated cardboard shipping container
      • Any package with the longest side exceeding 60 inches or its second-longest side exceeding 30 inches.
      • Certain Large Air Packages may be subject to the Additional Handling charge while designated Large Packages are exempt. Additionally, UPS reserves the right to assess the Additional Handling charge for any package that, in UPS's sole discretion, requires special handling. This charge may be applied to all packages without regard to the service level selected. Check this box for Additional Handling if it applies to your package.​
  • C.O.D: collect On Delivery Settings - Flag to let UPS collect payment for your shipment at the time of delivery.

The following terms of service apply to C.O.D.:
  • UPS will accept C.O.D.s for amounts up to US $50,000 per package.
  • UPS will accept a business or personal check, or another negotiable form of payment.
  • At the shipper's request, UPS will accept a cashier's check or money order only.
  • UPS will not accept currency in any amount.
  • The shipper assumes all risk related to the collection of the payment, including non-payment, insufficient funds, and forgery.
  • This is a Value-Added Service, which mean fees for this service are in addition to shipping costs.

Collection Amount: Enter a monetary amount for your C.O.D. This is a required field when the C.O.D. checkbox is checked.
  • ​Collection Currency: COD amount currency code type. Defaults to the currency used in the destination country.
  • Collection Fund Type: Choose the funding type you will allow for this shipment.
  • Package Value
  • Insured Value: Enter the value of your package. This is a required field. Note: ProductCart displays rates to the customers based off a default $100.00 US “Declared Value”.
  • Delivery Confirmation: Check this box to add this service. UPS will provide you with evidence of delivery in your choice of these options:
    • Delivery Confirmation: UPS will mail you a confirmation of delivery without a signature.
    • Signature Required: UPS will obtain the recipient’s signature and provide you with a printed copy. You may also view the recipient’s signature online.
    • Adult Signature Required: UPS will obtain the adult recipient’s signature and provide you with a printed copy. Adult recipients must be at least 21. You may also view the adult recipient’s signature online. This is a Value-Added Service, which mean fees for this service are in addition to shipping costs.
    • Verbal confirmation: Check this box to add this service. Only available with UPS Next Day Air Early A.M. To confirm delivery of your shipment, a UPS representative will call the preferred contact telephone number listed on your UPS Next Day Air Early A.M. package. This is a Value-Added Services, which mean fees for this service are in addition to shipping costs.
  • Package Reference Number(s): A reference number is any combination of letters and numbers up to 35 characters that you assign to a package when you ship it. This reference number could be a purchase order number, a customer's job number, or a group of words that identifies that shipment – such as “10 widgets” or “gift for mom.”
  • Reference Code: Choose the reference code of your choice from the drop-down.
  • Reference Value: Add a corresponding value for each reference code you select.
 

Printing UPS Labels

 
Plain Paper Labels
​GIF (Plain Paper) Labels are available for any package that is shipped via the Shipping Center for UPS. To view or print a label, complete the following steps:
  1. ​From your Shipping Manager, locate the package whose label you want to view.
  2. Click the “View/ Print Label” link.
  3. The label will open in a new window and is already sized and optimized for printing on a laser printer on 8.5” x 11” paper.
 

Tracking UPS Packages


Tracking information is available for any package that is shipped via the Shipping Center for UPS. To view tracking information for a single package:
  • From your Shipping Manager, locate the package you want to track.
  • Click the “UPS Tracking Number” located next to the date the package shipped.
  • The tracking number is a link and will direct you to a new screen displaying your tracking information.

To view tracking information for multiple packages:
  • ​From your Shipping Manager, locate the packages you want to track.
  • Check the box located on the right side of the screen next to each package you want to track.
  • Click the “Track All Selected Packages” button at the bottom of the screen.
  • A popup window will open displaying your tracking information for all the selected packages.
​

Canceling a UPS Shipment


When you cancel a shipment, the shipment is voided in UPS’ records and completely deleted in ProductCart. For this reason, it is important that you take extra caution when canceling shipments.

To request a “Cancel Shipment” complete the follow steps:
  1. ​From your Shipping Manager, locate the package you want to cancel.
  2. Click the “Cancel Shipment” link under the options heading.
  3. The “Void Shipment Request” screen will load.
  4. Confirm the deletion by clicking the “Request Void Shipment” button.

Once a label has been confirmed, UPS will automatically bill you for the shipment. Voiding the shipment does not remove that payment from your bill. You will be credited the amount instead and your UPS statement will reflect the voided shipment and credited amount.
 

Other Information

 
Service Option Charges
Your total shipment cost might be different from what was quoted to the customer. The difference is typically what UPS calls Service Option Charges, which are any additional charges over the cost of the shipping service. This would include services such as:
  • ​Insurance
  • COD charges
  • Saturday delivery

UPS does not provide itemization of what makes up the total under Service Option Charges. So the total for your shipment might look like the following: 
Transportation Charges: 8.25
Service Option Charges: 7.00
Total Charges: 15.25

Review the additional services you checked when processing the shipment to change the amount you are being charged for Service Option Charges.

​
No UPS Rates Shown in Storefront
This is a common problem. Please refer to the section of this documentation that focuses of reasons why no shipping rates are being returned .