FAQ |
[This is preliminary documentation and is subject to change.]
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What is a WSDL file?
A: A WSDL file is an XML file which defines how the web service behaves and allows tools to generate code to interact with the web service. See: WSDL
Q: How do I use a WSDL file?
A: You use a tool to create code you can use to interact with the web service.
Q: What version of SOAP should I use?
A: We currently use SOAP 1.2 when testing; using SOAP 1.0 generates a request which is currently rejected by our web server.
Q: What can I do via the web services?
A: You can estimate shipping, create/update an order, get encoded label data, void packages/orders, and close out shipped packages.
Q: What type of label is returned when an order is created?
A: GetLabel, AddOrder, and AddLTLOrder offer the following LabelType options:
None: No label is generated. The order will still be modifiable.
Image: A PNG image is created and encoded as a Base64 string.
ZPL/ZPLIMAGES: A ZPL encoded label will be returned. More Info
Q: How does the closeout work?
A: A closeout marks packages from one or more shipments as being ready to ship. If Purolator is handling customs for a customer then documentation will be printed for the items the packages contain. After the closeout is completed the shipments and packages are no longer modifiable or voidable.
Q: Can I void a package/order and reuse the PackageID/OrderNumber?
A: Yes. Both the PackageID and the OrderNumber must be unique for non-voided packages/orders.
Q: I can create a request, but I get back an "Invalid credentials" error message even though I used the same user name and password I use when logging into the web site! Why isn’t it working?
A: A valid CredentialInfo must also contain a ClientID for the facility you want to ship from.
Q: I replaced the pur: namespace on a sample request but I am getting unexpected results; what went wrong?
A: If you have a namespace of xmlns:pur but the elements in the body don't have this prefix, then they are ignored since they aren't a part of the xmlns namespace. This can cause an "Invalid credentials" error, or generate an exception when parsing the request: <soap:Text xml:lang="en">System.Web.Services.Protocols.SoapException: Server was unable to process request....
Q: What is the Purolator web service URL?
A: Use the Sandbox URL during testing, and the Production URL when you want to ship live packages. Use the URL below for connecting to the web service; you may need to append "?WSDL" when creating a proxy class.
Sandbox: http://sandbox.purolatorshipping.com/WebServices/ShippingServicesV3.asmx
Production: http://www3.purolatorshipping.com/WebServices/ShippingServicesV3.asmx
Q: How do I test the web service?
A: That depends on what problem you are trying to troubleshoot.
As a general rule, you should start with GetZPLInitializationImages(CredentialInfo) when trying to test a connection since that should give you the same result is the same for each customer.
Document (at least) the XML request you sent to the web service, and the response you received. soapUI can be very useful.
Q: How can I see what I sent via the web service?
A: The response you receive will contain the original request (except for CredentialInfo) in the Request field.
If the request was malformed, then you may receive an exception message. In this case you could install packet capture software such as Wireshark or EtherDetect to keep track of the actual network traffic your software is sending to our web service. soapUI can also be useful.
Q: Where can I get the most recent version of this help file?
A: The most recent version should be available from Download. Save the file, right click it, select Properties, and then click the Unblock button.