Control integrates with FedEx's ShipManager and UPS' WorldShip programs.

Both of these software are available (free) from the FedEx and UPS respectively, though they may have stipulations for providing it. Contact your shipping representative to obtain the software. Cyrious is not able to assist in obtaining this software and will not be able to install the link without the software already installed.

The process for the user works like this:

• In WorldShip/ShipManager, you enter the order number (or order and line item if you ship separately).
• The contact and shipping information for that order populates the fields.
• The shipping person completes the rest.
• When the order is shipped, the tracking number and cost is put back into a UDF in Control.

The setup process uses these (simplified) steps:

• In SQL Server, create a limited rights user in Cyrious for shipping access.
• In SQL Server, create temporary tables and views for access to the remote information.
• In Worldship/ShipManager, create a link to the Control Database.
• In Worldship/ShipManager, map the Control fields to the shipping program fields. This mapping can be done at the order level (to use the order's shipping address) or the line item level (to use the line item's shipping address).
• In Worldship/ShipManager, map the result fields that are filled in after shipping back into Control fields (tracking number and cost, mostly).

Currently, there is one known issue with the process in Control version 4.x.

When the shipping data is written back into Control there is no mechanism for Control to know that the order is changed. If it already has a copy of the order cached in memory, the shipping information won't be seen because the copy being viewed doesn't have it. If all copies of the order are closed (including any dashboards) and the order is then loaded the information will be there.

Unfortunately, if the user with an outdated cached copy edits and saves the order, it may rewrite the record without the tracking information resulting in this information being lost (though it is still in the shipping program).

With Control 5.0, Provisions have been made to provide the shipping program with a mechanism to tell Control that is needs to reload those orders.

For a detailed description on the process of how UPS and FedEx interact with Control, click the following links:

• ups_integration_process
• fedex_integration_process

Contributor: Team Cyrious

Date: 08/2010

Version: Control 4.x