Deliver to Post Office Part 4: How to create a Deliver to Post Office shipping label in EST 2.0
Part of our series on Deliver to Post Office, this post is for e-commerce merchants who use Canada Post’s EST 2.0 as their shipping system and want to produce shipping labels for Deliver to Post Office parcels.
In our previous post we talked about how to display valid Deliver to Post Office locations in your checkout. Now that you have done so, your shoppers can place an order and select the Deliver to Post Office option.
In this post you’ll learn how to import your shopper’s order information into EST 2.0 to produce a Deliver to Post Office shipping label.
- Create a file to import your order information into EST 2.0
You can import your order information into EST 2.0 using a text file or an XML file.
- Text File for import into EST 2.0
If you use a text file, follow the format called Order Entry – Layout Type 6. If you have already set up your system using layout types 3 or 5, you can continue to use them, but you will be prompted to enter additional information manually.
Below we’ve included from Layout Type 6 the fields specifically related to Deliver to Post Office. For the full list of fields, see Import File Specifications.
|
Mandatory fields for Deliver to Post Office |
Value |
Why we need this information |
|
First name |
Your shopper’s name. |
To verify shoppers’ identity when they pick up their parcel. Their name and address must match what appears on the government-issued ID they present. |
|
Last name |
||
|
Address line 1 |
Your shopper’s address. |
|
|
City |
||
|
Province or State |
||
|
Postal Code or Zip Code |
||
|
Country Code |
||
|
Client Voice Phone |
Your shopper’s phone number. |
If shoppers do not pick up their parcel after 5 days, they will receive a voice message reminder. |
|
Client Email Address |
Your shopper’s email address. |
Your shoppers will receive an email when their parcel is ready for pickup. |
|
Deliver to Post Office |
“1” |
This identifies the parcel as a Deliver to Post Office item. It is necessary to produce the correct shipping label and the correct barcode that will trigger an email notification to shoppers. |
|
Destination Post Office ID |
The post office ID of the post office your shopper selected. zeroes are significant and must be included. |
This ID allows us to look up the address for the selected post office and include it on the shipping label. |
|
Notify Recipient |
“1” |
This ensures shoppers receive an email notification when their parcel is ready for pickup. |
|
Email Notification |
1. “0” indicates the shopper will receive all notifications (upon ship, delivery and exception). 2. “1” indicates the shopper will be notified only when the item is delivered to their chosen post office. |
- XML File for Import into EST 2.0
The fields below are specifically related to Deliver to Post Office. For the full list of fields, see Import File Specifications.
|
Mandatory fields for Deliver to Post Office |
Value |
Why we need this information |
|
<name> |
Under <destination> enter your shopper’s first and last name |
To verify shoppers’ identity when they pick up their parcel. Their name and address must match what appears on the government-issued ID they present. |
|
<address-line-1> |
Under <destination> enter your shopper’s address. |
|
|
<city> |
||
|
<prov-state> |
||
|
<postal-zip-code> |
||
|
<country-code> |
||
|
<client-voice-number> |
Under <destination> enter your shopper’s phone number. |
If shoppers do not pick up their parcel after 5 days, they will receive a voice message reminder. |
|
<deliver-to-post-office-id> |
The post office ID for the post office your shopper selected. |
This ID allows us to look up the address for the selected post office and include it on the shipping label. |
|
<email> |
Under <client-notif-email > enter your shopper’s email address. |
Your shoppers will receive an email when their parcel is ready for pickup. |
|
<on-shipment> |
true |
This ensures shoppers are notified when their parcel arrives. |
|
<option code> |
Under <options>, include the element <option> plus the attribute “D2PO”. |
This identifies the parcel as a Deliver to Post Office item. It is necessary to produce the correct shipping label and the correct barcode that will trigger an email notification to shoppers. |
- Import the file into EST 2.0
In EST 2.0, follow the usual procedure for importing your orders: from the Shipments pane, select File > Import > Import Shipments. Browse to the text file or XML file you want to import and then select the option to print shipping labels.
If you are new to EST 2.0 and need further details, see Importing Shipments.
- A Deliver to Post Office shipping label will be created, as shown below.
Deliver to Post Office shipping label
After you’ve successfully printed your Deliver to Post Office shipping label, follow your usual process for transmitting your shipment information to Canada Post electronically.
Read EST 2.0 Import File Specifications.
Find out more about EST 2.0, including requirements, downloads and tutorials.
Related posts
Part 1: Why offering more delivery options gives your e-commerce site a competitive edge.
Part 2: How to implement Deliver to Post Office on your e-commerce site.
Part 3: How to display valid Deliver to Post Office locations in your checkout.
Part 5: How to create a Deliver to Post Office shipping label using web services.
Part 6: How to create Deliver to Post Office shipping labels if you are a shipping system provider.
Ask questions and share ideas in the Developer Program discussion forum
Looking for more tips and ideas? Join our Developer Program and enjoy full access to our discussion forum. Post questions and get answers in real-time from other members of the Developer Program and from Canada Post technical staff. Learn more.