EasyPost - PrintNode Setup for USB Scales

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

AcctVantage offers an integration with PrintNode to accomodate remote access (across the web, across the warehouse or right from your desktop) to USB connected scales.  We have found the PrintNode API to be very fast and stable; it's a great option for those using USB scales in their shipping processes. Currently, AcctVantage leverages the PrintNode API only for their USB scale support.

This article covers the setup of your PrintNode account and linking it with AcctVantage. For help with selecting your USB scale during shipping, please review EasyPost Process a Shipment.

1. Setup an Account with PrintNode

Establish an account for your company.

https://app.printnode.com/account/register

2. Generate a PrintNode API Key

  1. While logged in to the PrintNode account on-line, click on the API Keys tab.
  2. Enter an API Key description.
  3. Click the CREATE button.

AcctVantage currently supports only one API Key so you should only need to do this step once.

Printnode - API Keys

3. Add API Key to AcctVantage

  1. In AcctVantage go to Administration > System Setup and select the Shipping tab.
  2. Enter the API URL: http://api.printnode.com
  3. Enter your API Key that you created already in Step #2 above.
  4. Click Test Connection.

If the connection test is successful, click OK to save System Setup.

System Setup - Shipping

4. Add Shipping Stations to the PrintNode Account

  • As of June 2021, Printnode offers one client connection with a free account. Contact Printnode for information on how to gain access to more than one client.
    • If you need access to more than one scale, then you will need more than one Printnode client.
  • The PrintNode Client application must be running on the computer where the scale is connected in order for the service to work.  
    • We strongly recommend setting PrintNode Client as a Login Item on Macintosh or add to the User Startup Folder on Windows.
  1. For each shipping station (i.e. any computer from which you want to read a connected USB scale) download and install the appropriate PrintNode client application for your OS.
  2. Log in to the PrintNode client application with the credentials (user name/password) established when setting up the account.
  3. Once you've logged in to the PrintNode Client at each shipping station, go back to your PrintNode account online.
  4. Click on the Devices tab.
  5. Make a note of the Computer ID for each computer that will have a connected scale.

A. Each computer that will have a scale connected:

  • Must be logged into the Printnode client (when done correctly, will display Connected on the Printnode Devices page).
  • Make a note of the Printnode ID for the computer.
  • The above is necessary in order to connect to the scale from any other Printnode client machine.

B. Each computer that needs to be able to read a connected scale must simply be setup to connect to the scale via the shipping screen.

Printnode - Devices

This completes the setup of the PrintNode API for USB scales. For the next steps, see the instructions on processing a shipment with your USB scale.