Orders and Shipments
Order is the public root resource
An Order is the public resource created through
V1 creation
or Create an Order with Rates.
Retain the orderId: it is used to
list Orders,
get an Order, and
update Order status.
Shipment belongs to an Order
A Shipment is created as part of an Order. Retain each shipmentId: it is the
identifier used to
get Rates
and create a Label.
The Shipment uses the Order's embedded Address and Parcel data.
Shipment processing or status is distinct from Order fulfilment status. Do not infer Order fulfilment from a Shipment status; use the Order status when you need the Order's fulfilment progress.
Two creation choices
Standard Order creation creates one Order without requesting Rates during
creation. Create an Order with Rates uses the same creation path, then adds
immediate Rate retrieval for each created Shipment in that one Order. Its
shipmentRates response groups results by Shipment, not by Order. It is a
combined create-and-rate flow, not a replacement for the standard flow.
Identifier flow
create Order
-> retain orderId
-> retain shipmentId
-> use shipmentId for Rates
-> use a selected rateId for Label purchase
-> retain labelId