Summary
This documentation covers how the ShipStation API v2 integration brings the carrier services connected in ShipStation TO iPaaS.com as Shipping Method records. Every service of every carrier account connected in ShipStation (for example, FedEx Ground® on a FedEx account) becomes one iPaaS.com Shipping Method. The sync type is Add/Update, so a carrier service brought in again updates its existing Shipping Method rather than creating a duplicate.
The integration also creates one additional Shipping Method, LTL Freight (ShipStation). LTL carriers are reached through a freight provider rather than a connected carrier account, so they are not listed among ShipStation's connected carriers; all LTL freight tracking records use this one Shipping Method.
Load Shipping Methods before labels. The Shipment Tracking TO iPaaS.com collection depends on this one: iPaaS.com accepts a tracking record only when its shipping method exactly matches the name of an existing Shipping Method. Subscribers or their MiSP should run this collection's initialization before the first label is brought in, and again after connecting a new carrier in ShipStation.
ID Format
Manual Sync ID Format: the carrier code and service code joined with |, for example fedex|fedex_ground. Use freight|ltl for the LTL Freight (ShipStation) Shipping Method.
External ID Format (saved after sync): the same value, carrier code and service code joined with | (for example, fedex|fedex_ground, or freight|ltl). This is the link used to match later transfers to the same iPaaS.com Shipping Method instead of creating duplicates.
Deleted Record Support
Not supported at the time this documentation was written. A carrier service removed in ShipStation, or a carrier account disconnected, is no longer sent, but its iPaaS.com Shipping Method is kept. Subscribers or their MiSP can remove it in iPaaS.com if it should no longer be offered.
Custom Field Support
The collection writes three iPaaS.com custom fields on the Shipping Method. They are reference values for reporting and for filtering downstream collections by carrier.
ShipStation Carrier Code: the carrier code, for example fedex. The LTL freight Shipping Method carries freight.
ShipStation Service Code: the service code, for example fedex_ground. The LTL freight Shipping Method carries ltl.
ShipStation Carrier Id: the ShipStation carrier account id, a value beginning se-. Empty for the LTL freight Shipping Method.
Mapping Collection Status
Status: Enabled.
Trigger Events: Initialization loads every connected carrier service plus the LTL freight Shipping Method. A scheduled poll re-reads the connected carriers and their services on the configured schedule. Manual Sync transfers one carrier service by its id. ShipStation does not send notifications when carriers change, so changes are picked up by the poll or by Manual Sync.
Mapping Filter: the intended production behavior is to bring in every connected carrier service. Subscribers or their MiSP may add a filter to limit which carrier services become Shipping Methods, but a service that is filtered out cannot be used on tracking records: tracking for labels bought with that service fails until its Shipping Method exists. Keep the LTL Freight (ShipStation) record (ltl service code) if LTL freight is used.
Duplicate or Conflicting Mappings
None. This is the single collection bringing ShipStation carrier services into iPaaS.com, and Shipping Methods flow TO iPaaS.com only; they are never written to ShipStation.
Collision handling is not offered: records are matched only by their link to the ShipStation carrier service.
Supported Child Collections
None. This is a standalone collection.
System Caveats
ShipStation Caveats
One listing, no change date. ShipStation returns all connected carriers and their services together, with no change date, so every poll re-sends every carrier service. Records whose values have not changed are updated with the same values.
Service names come from ShipStation exactly as ShipStation supplies them, trademark symbols included (for example, FedEx Ground®).
Same service on two carrier accounts. When two carrier accounts of the same carrier offer the same service, one Shipping Method is created for that service; its description and carrier account id reflect one of those accounts.
LTL carriers are not connected carriers. All LTL freight shares the single LTL Freight (ShipStation) Shipping Method.
iPaaS.com Caveats
Shipping Methods are shared across the company. Every subscription of the iPaaS.com company sees them.
Names are kept after creation. iPaaS.com does not change a Shipping Method's name after it is created, so a service renamed in ShipStation keeps its original name in iPaaS.com.
Tracking depends on exact names. A tracking record whose shipping method does not exactly match an existing Shipping Method name is refused; the error appears in Dashboard / Integration Monitoring / Error Logs.
Setup Requirements
For full setup steps see the Installation Instructions and Connections and Settings articles. For this collection specifically:
Valid ShipStation API credentials are configured on the subscription.
At least one carrier is connected in the ShipStation account; only connected carriers are listed.
Run Initialization for this collection once after installing and before the first label is brought in, then let the scheduled poll keep the list current.
Integration Flow
Initialization, a scheduled poll, or a Manual Sync (by carrier code and service code joined with |) starts the transfer.
The integration reads every carrier connected in ShipStation together with its services and builds one record per carrier service, carrying the service's display name, the carrier code, the service code, the carrier account id and the carrier account's name.
One more record is added for LTL freight: name LTL Freight (ShipStation), carrier code freight, service code ltl, and carrier name LTL freight provider.
A Manual Sync transfers only the carrier service whose id matches.
Each record is mapped through this collection and written TO iPaaS.com as an Add or an Update, matched by its link to the ShipStation carrier service.
Mappings
Add/Update ShipStation Shipping Method TO iPaaS.com
Description: Brings each carrier service connected in ShipStation, plus the LTL freight Shipping Method, into iPaaS.com as a Shipping Method.
Mapping Filter: None intended for production; see Mapping Collection Status for guidance on limiting carrier services.
Field Mapping Table
Mapping Type | Source Field (ShipStation) | Destination Field (iPaaS.com) | Description |
Field | Name | Name | Required. The carrier service's display name, exactly as ShipStation supplies it (for example, FedEx Ground®). Tracking records resolve to this name. Not changed by iPaaS.com after creation. |
Dynamic Formula |
| Description | Recommended. The carrier account's name in ShipStation (its nickname when one is set, otherwise the carrier's name), a space, and the service code (for example, FedEx fedex_ground). For LTL freight the result is LTL freight provider ltl. Helps subscribers or their MiSP tell carrier services apart. |
Field | CarrierCode | ShipStation Carrier Code (Custom Field) | Optional. The ShipStation carrier code, for example fedex (freight for LTL freight). |
Field | ServiceCode | ShipStation Service Code (Custom Field) | Optional. The ShipStation service code, for example fedex_ground (ltl for LTL freight). |
Field | CarrierId | ShipStation Carrier Id (Custom Field) | Optional. The ShipStation carrier account id, beginning se-. Empty for LTL freight. |
Error Handling
Errors from this mapping collection appear in iPaaS.com Dashboard / Integration Monitoring / Error Logs. For the full catalog of error messages, descriptions, and resolution steps see the ShipStation API v2 Error Messages article.
Testing & Validation
Test Scenarios
Run Initialization. Verify one iPaaS.com Shipping Method per connected carrier service, each linked by carrier code and service code (for example, fedex|fedex_ground), plus LTL Freight (ShipStation) linked as freight|ltl.
Open one Shipping Method. Verify the Name (for example, FedEx Ground®), the Description (carrier account name and service code), and the three custom fields.
Connect another carrier in ShipStation. Verify the next scheduled poll adds its services.
Run a Manual Sync with one id, for example fedex|fedex_ground. Verify only that Shipping Method is updated and no duplicate is created.
Bring in a label for a carrier service through the Shipment Tracking TO iPaaS.com collection. Verify the tracking record is accepted with that service's Shipping Method name.
Validation Checklist
Every carrier the subscriber ships with is connected in ShipStation.
Initialization has been run for this collection before the first label, and LTL Freight (ShipStation) exists if LTL freight is used.
Any filter added to this collection still allows every carrier service used on labels.
Additional Notes
Using carrier services on orders. To preselect a carrier service on orders sent to ShipStation, the Order FROM iPaaS.com collection can use the GetServiceCodeByServiceNameAsync and GetCarrierIdByServiceNameAsync mapping functions, which find the service code and carrier account id from a service name such as FedEx Ground®. See the ShipStation API v2 Mapping Functions article.
Related Documents
Related Mapping Documentation