User Manual
Help Center/User Manual/Connect UPS: live rates, labels, and tracking

Connect UPS: live rates, labels, and tracking

Last updated 2026-11-01

Create an app in UPS Developer Kit, paste the OAuth Client ID / Secret plus your 6-digit Shipper Number into Integration, test, and start rating and shipping.

The UPS connector gets live rates, buys labels, and tracks shipments through the UPS API. You need a UPS account with a 6-digit Shipper Number — rates are quoted against that account.

UPS connection steps: app credentials first, then Shipper Number, then a live rate test.

Prerequisites#

  • A UPS account with a 6-digit Shipper Number.
  • Access to UPS Developer Kit to create an app (developer.ups.com).
  • Test and production use separate credentials — start in test mode.

Get your credentials#

  1. In UPS Developer Kit, create an app and note the OAuth Client ID and Client Secret.
  2. Find your 6-digit Shipper Number in your UPS account (it is the account number on your invoices).
  3. For test mode, use the sandbox credentials UPS gives you; for production, use the production app credentials.
Never paste production credentials into a test connection, and never use a test label on a real shipment — test labels are not billable and will not move.

Fill it into Integration#

  1. Open Integration → Connector Marketplace → UPS → New connection.
  2. Client ID / Client Secret: paste the OAuth app credentials. Encrypted at rest, never echoed back.
  3. Shipper Number: your 6-digit UPS account number.
  4. Environment: test first, production after the rate test passes.

Test the connection#

Test runs a real rate quote for a sample parcel (e.g. 1 lb, ZIP to ZIP). A quote coming back means auth, account, and rating all work. If the quote fails, the error tells you which layer broke — see FAQ.

Mapping / pick a template#

UPS needs no order mapping — it works on parcels, not orders. In the connection settings, pick the services you offer (Ground, 2nd Day Air, Next Day Air, etc.) so rate shopping only quotes services you actually ship.

UPS shipping flow: quote, buy label, track — all through Integration.

Activate#

After activation, the connection is available for rate shopping and label buying at ship time. Tracking updates come back automatically (webhook / polling) and land on the shipment.

FAQ#

Auth fails (401)

Client ID / Secret are wrong, or you pasted test credentials into a production connection (or vice versa).

Check the environment switch first, then re-copy the credentials that belong to that environment.

Rate quote fails but auth works

The Shipper Number is wrong, or the account is not enabled for that service.

Verify the Shipper Number on a UPS invoice.

Label bought but tracking never updates

Tracking updates arrive on UPS’s schedule, not instantly.

If nothing arrives in 24 hours, check Runs / Logs for webhook errors.

Related topics

Channel Label Source: Take Labels from the Channel

For channels that issue their own labels (Wayfair-style supplier fulfilment), switch the connection’s Label source to “From channel”: batch shipping then prints the channel label together with its packing slip, and those orders skip the packing station.

Connect Shopify: pull orders in, push fulfillment out

Create a custom app in Shopify Admin, paste the Admin API token into Integration, test, map, activate — orders flow in and fulfillment flows back.

Connect eBay: pull orders in, push fulfillment out

Get your App ID and Cert ID from eBay Developers Program, paste them into Integration, test, map, activate — orders flow in and fulfillment flows back.