EasyPost - Integration Setup

This feature requires additional licensing. Please contact AcctVantage Sales for a quote.

AcctVantage ERP integrates with the EasyPost Shipping API as a native part of AcctVantage.

Unlike the other shipping system integrations, EasyPost is directly incorporated into the AcctVantage fulfillment processes. Users never need to leave the AcctVantage system to process a shipment and there are no file transfers to manage.

With EasyPost, you will be using YOUR negotiated rates, billing information, etc. that have been established by your carriers. EasyPost is simply a mechanism we use to access YOUR account info with the various carriers.

Related articles:

Processing a Shipment

Scale Setup

EasyPost Charges

  • As of May 2017, EasyPost charges $0.03/label for access to their service which includes generating the label, tracking and address verification services.
  • Insurance is also available through EasyPost at a rate of 1% of insured amount, minimum $1.00. Insurance claims are processed through EasyPost.
  • AcctVantage/Beckware does not receive any portion of these fees.

EasyPost Registration

To begin, you must establish an account with EasyPost.  This is easy and free to do, simply visit their website at https://www.EasyPost.com/ to create your account. You will be asked to provide your USP, FedEx, USPS, etc. account information.

Note:  Testing can be done with USPS and UPS without linking your actual account.  EasyPost will provide a testing API Key for this purpose.

EasyPost API Key

Once you've created your EasyPost account, you will need to copy your API Key.  EasyPost issues both a Production and Test API Key; we encourage you to get set up with the Test API Key first. Then, when ready to begin processing real shipments, update with the Production key.

Production vs Test environment

  • If you're using a Test API Key, rates returned by EasyPost will not match your negotiated/contract rates with each carrier! You will get sample rates only.
  • If you're using a Production API Key, rates returned by EasyPost will match your negotiated rates with each carrier. You will be charged by the carrier if you ship a package!

AcctVantage System Setup

In AcctVantage, go to Administration > System Setup. Select the Shipping tab. Click the ➕ symbol to begin adding your EasyPost account(s).

1. EasyPost Setup:

  • API URL (Production): https://api.EasyPost.com/v2/
  • API Token:  This is the API Key obtained from your account via the EasyPost website. Enter either your Test API Key or the Production API Key. Labels generated with the Production Key are "live" and will incur charges.
  • Account Description: Enter a description for your EasyPost account. If you have enabled more than one account, this description will be seen in the AcctVantage Sales Order Shipments screen so the user can select which account to ship from.

2. Test Connection:  When you've entered your API URL, API Token and Account Description clicking the Test Connection button will verify that AcctVantage is able to communicate with the EasyPost API.

  • Enabled: Check this box to enable an EasyPost account. Don't do this prior to testing the connection!
  • Note: When using multiple EasyPost accounts, the connection should be tested for each account.

3. Enable EasyPost Shipping: Check this box to enable the EasyPost integration ... BUT please don't check the box until the TEST CONNECTION step has been completed (see above!)

  • Note: This checkbox does not affect your account status with EasyPost, it just turns on the ability to integrate EasyPost with AcctVantage.

4. Customer Charge Price:

  • Retail: If you choose to have AcctVantage pass the freight charges to the Invoice total, the customer will be charged the carrier's published RETAIL rate for the service selected.  This does not affect your cost.
  • List: If you choose to have AcctVantage pass the freight charges to the Invoice total, the customer will be charged the carrier's published LIST rate for the service selected.  This does not affect your cost.
  • Account:  If you choose to have AcctVantage pass the freight charges to the Invoice total, the customer will be charged your ACTUAL cost for the service selected.

If you want any of the above shipping costs to be passed through to the AcctVantage Sales Order do this ...

Go to Administration > System Configuration > Sales Document. Set the Ship: Use Shipment tab Freight Charges preference to TRUE if you'd like AcctVantage to update Invoices with EasyPost calculated amounts.

Note:  AcctVantage has scripting available to change the custom charge price according to your custom formulas!  Contact Tech Support for more information.

5. Default Freight Product Class: In this field, enter the Product Class (Warehouse Management > Product Classes) used for your outbound freight charges. If you select a service that is not already an established Freight Product (i.e. Ship Via) in AcctVantage, the system will create the Ship Via record using the Product Class entered here.  

6. Default Carrier: This list will contain all of the carriers that you've established via your EasyPost account.

  • You can add/remove/edit this list via the Edit option at the bottom of the pull down.
  • Whichever carrier you select, AcctVantage will return only that carrier's rates when processing a shipment.
  • The user may override this default when creating a shipment.
  • If you select All Carriers, then AcctVantage will return rates from all established carriers when processing the shipment. The user can then select the preferred service.

7. Predefined Packages: This button will bring the packages table up for editing. AcctVantage will auto-populate this table with common package options from FedEx, UPS and USPS. These predefined options do not require the dimension attributes.

If you use boxes or other packaging not in the list, use the plus sign to add a new package size. Your packages are then available to select when processing a shipment. Having proper dimensions in place is important for most carrier's dimensional weight calculations. In the example below, the Big Brown Box is a custom package size ... all other options in this example are predefined.

When adding your own custom Packages, leave the EasyPost Defined Name field blank.  Or, go to easypost.com and fill in their name for the packaging to use their predefined attributes.

8. Verify Shipping Address:  If selected, AcctVantage will check the Ship To Address against the USPS database of valid addresses. The normalized address will be returned and the user given the option of updating the Sales Order Ship To with the validated address.

Go to Administration > System Configuration > Sales Document.  Set the preference for Ship: Update Verified Ship-To Address to Always to accept the validated address by default.

Using EasyPost

Once you've completed the System Setup and tested your connection, you are ready to process shipments!

  • If you've entered the Test API Key, then you can go through all of the motions of processing a shipment, including printing a label, without incurring any charges. The rates generated by the Test API Key will not match your negotiated rates!
  • If you've entered your Production API Key, then you will be charged by the carrier if you ship a package!