Overview
When implementing MachShip into your business, you'll need to make two critical decisions that will shape how your integration works:
- Whether to create pending, unmanifested, or existing consignments
- Which integration method to use (API, flat file, supported, or custom)
These decisions will significantly impact your integration's functionality, implementation effort, and ongoing maintenance requirements.
Consignment Type Decision
The type of consignment you create in MachShip determines how much user interaction is required and at what point in your shipping process the labels become available.
Pending Consignments
Pending consignments are partially completed draft consignments that require user intervention before labels are available and the consignment can be sent to the carrier. This approach gives you flexibility in how and when you complete the shipping details.
Choose pending consignments when:
- Users need to see and select from available carrier prices
- Package details aren't fully known at creation time
- Your system lacks complete package data (dimensions, weight, type)
- Manual package data entry is part of your workflow
- You're handling dangerous goods without complete DG data in your system
- You want users to validate details before finalization
The main benefits of pending consignments are:
- Minimal initial data requirements
- Enables user decision-making in the process
- Supports staged data collection
- Allows price comparison before carrier selection
Unmanifested Consignments
Unmanifested consignments represent complete, ready-to-dispatch shipments that can be created without user intervention. This approach is ideal when you have all shipping information available and want to automate the process.
Choose unmanifested consignments when:
- All shipping details are known upfront
- Package data is complete in your system
- You have automated carrier selection rules, or pre-selected carriers
- No user intervention is needed
To successfully implement unmanifested consignments, you'll need:
- Complete package data in your system
- Automated carrier selection or pre-selected carrier
- All required shipping details available
Existing (Benign) Consignments
Existing consignments serve a specialized purpose - they're created in MachShip purely for billing or consignment tracking purposes. These are rare and typically only used in edge cases where you need to track or bill shipments that are being managed through another system.
For existing consignments, no data is passed to the carriers as the assumption is someone else is booking the consignments directly. Consider this option when:
- Consignments are being sent to the carriers from an external system
- You still want a record of these consignments - for tracking or billing purposes
The requirements are:
- Carrier consignment number
- Required fields depend on use case
Decision Matrix
This matrix highlights the key differences between pending and unmanifested consignments:
| Factor | Pending | Consignments |
|---|---|---|
| Package data completeness | Partial OK | Must be complete |
| User intervention | Required | Not needed |
| Carrier selection | Manual possible | Must be automated |
| Processing speed | Slower (2-step) | Faster (1-step) |
| Dangerous goods | Manual entry OK | Must have complete data |
| Efficiency | Less efficient, manual steps | More efficient, automated |
| Flexibility | High | Lower |
Integration Method Decision
Once you've decided on your consignment type, you'll need to choose how to integrate with MachShip. Each method has its own strengths and is designed to meet different technical capabilities and business needs.
MachShip API
Our API provides the most comprehensive and flexible way to integrate with MachShip. It's a RESTful API that gives you programmatic access to all platform features, allowing you to build a completely customized integration.
Capabilities:
- Full platform functionality
- Real-time processing
- Custom business logic
- Advanced error handling
- Dangerous goods support
- Webhook support
- No additional fees
While the API offers the most flexibility, it does have some considerations:
- Requires development resources
- Higher implementation complexity
- Longer development time
The API is best suited for:
- Custom software platforms
- Real-time integration needs
- Complex business logic
- Full control requirements
- Dangerous goods handling
Flat File Via Printer App
The flat file integration method offers a simpler approach using our printer application to monitor and process CSV or XML files. This method is particularly valuable when you want automation but don't have the resources for API integration.
Capabilities:
- Simple implementation
- Automated file processing
- Basic data mapping
- Folder monitoring
- No additional fees (if self setup)
However, there are some limitations to consider:
- No dangerous goods support
- Limited error handling
- Basic field mapping only
- Less flexible
This method works best for:
- Simple data export capabilities
- Limited IT resources
- CSV/XML file generation
- Folder-based automation
- Basic integration needs
Note, if you are looking to do a flat file integration, but are shipping dangerous goods, or need advanced data mapping then please refer to our custom integration section - we have the capabilities to build such integrations in house.
Supported Integration
For businesses using common platforms like popular eCommerce systems or ERPs, our pre-built integrations offer a quick path to implementation. These integrations are maintained by MachShip and designed to work with standard workflows.
Capabilities:
- Quick setup
- Standard workflows
- Platform-specific features
- Managed updates
- Full support
Supported integrations have a setup and monthly support fee to cover the time taken to setup and maintain the integration.
This option is ideal for:
- Common platforms (e.g. eCommerce, ERPs etc)
- Quick implementation needs
- Standard workflows
- Minimal technical requirements
Custom Integration
For businesses with unique requirements or complex workflows, our custom integration service combines the flexibility of API integration with the support of our development team.
Capabilities:
- Tailored solution
- Complex workflows
- Specific requirements
- Enterprise features
- Full support
- Regular maintenance
While this provides the most tailored solution, it involves:
- Higher setup costs
- Monthly support fees may apply
- Longer implementation
- Requires detailed requirements
- Platform-specific development
Method Comparison
This matrix compares how each integration method handles various implementation factors:
| Factor | API | Flat File | Supported | Custom |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Implementation effort | High | Medium | Low | High |
| Technical expertise needed | High | Medium | Low | Medium |
| Flexibility | High | Medium | Medium | High |
| Setup cost | Free | Free | Paid | Paid |
| Monthly fees | None | None | Yes | Yes |
| Maintenance effort | Medium | Low | Low | Medium |
| Dangerous goods support | Yes | No | Varies | Yes |
| Error handling | Advanced | Basic | Moderate | Advanced |
| Development time | Long | Short | Short | Long |
| Integration support | Self | Basic | Full | Full |