Learn About Shipment Tracking Using a Test Slug
Plans: All plans Platforms: All platforms
AfterShip facilitates tracking for over 1100 carriers, streamlining shipment monitoring for users. If you're unsure how AfterShip aids in tracking shipments, you can create a test shipment using a designated test slug and tracking number. This allows you to familiarize yourself with how we share details for each checkpoint and update post-purchase Estimated Delivery Dates (EDDs). This guide will walk you through the necessary steps.
Be careful while creating test shipments because they do use your shipment quota.
Note: You can use a test shipment imported by CSV or API. The below-given steps explain how to create one directly in AfterShip admin.
Log in to your AfterShip account > Go to Tracking dashboards > Shipments and click Add shipment
Tracking numbers follow a predefined format: Status code - Update frequency (in mins) - Test number
Below are some test tracking numbers you can experiment with:
ITOD-3-6436426452526
ITE-3-65653653231564
ITAD-3-76542345665
ITFD-3-234657687643
TOD-3-765423454567
ITD-3-3456787654345
TD-3-234567654654
D-3-234567654654
The letters at the start of the shipment number will cause the test shipment to generate different statuses for you to see. Below are the explanations of which statuses each one will create:
ITOD: Info received - In transit - Out for delivery - Delivered
ITE: Info received - In transit - Exception
ITAD: Info received - In transit - Available for pickup - Delivered
ITFD: Info received - In transit - Fail attempt - Delivered
TOD: In transit - Out for delivery - Delivered
ITD: Info received - In transit - Delivered
TD: In transit - Delivered
I: Stay in Info received
T: Stay in In transit
O: Stay in Out for delivery
F: Stay in Failed attempt
D: Stay in Delivered
A: Stay in Available for pickup
E: Stay in Exception
The post-purchase Estimated Delivery Date (EDD) for test shipments will be generated using the Carrier EDD. This value will be updated in each status to reflect both the Carrier EDD and the post-purchase EDD.
The next number tells the system how quickly you want it to update the shipment status. So if you select ITOD as the status code and add the number “3”, it will change the status from “Pending“ to “Info received” to “In transit” to “Out for delivery” and then to “Delivered” every 3 mins. You can choose any frequency between 1 and 20 minutes.
The last part is just a string of numbers that will act as the shipment number. Enter a random set of better 6-16 numbers.
Now, you should be able to create your own test shipment number.
After entering the shipment number, mention “testing-courier” as the carrier slug
Now, if you want to provide other details, go ahead. Otherwise, skip this part to save yourself some time. This won’t cause any errors
Click Save shipment
Again, go back to the Shipments page and click on the test shipment (created with the test tracking number and slug) to check how we show details to you
Always use the testing slug testing-courier when creating a test shipment. It is crucial to input this slug because the tracking will not auto-update otherwise.
A test shipment number can only be used once. We shared a few test tracking numbers above with you, just as an example. If you've used any of them and are seeing the final status, it means some another AfterShip user has already tried it. So, replace the last part of the test tracking number with another random string of 6-16 numbers or a-z alphabets and try again.
CURL：
API description
API: POST https://api.aftership.com/v4/trackings
Payload:
Still have questions about shipment tracking? Discuss them with our chat support team.
Overview
AfterShip facilitates tracking for over 1100 carriers, streamlining shipment monitoring for users. If you're unsure how AfterShip aids in tracking shipments, you can create a test shipment using a designated test slug and tracking number. This allows you to familiarize yourself with how we share details for each checkpoint and update post-purchase Estimated Delivery Dates (EDDs). This guide will walk you through the necessary steps.
Be careful while creating test shipments because they do use your shipment quota.
Steps to use a test slug
Note: You can use a test shipment imported by CSV or API. The below-given steps explain how to create one directly in AfterShip admin.
Log in to your AfterShip account > Go to Tracking dashboards > Shipments and click Add shipment
Important info
Tracking numbers follow a predefined format: Status code - Update frequency (in mins) - Test number
Below are some test tracking numbers you can experiment with:
ITOD-3-6436426452526
ITE-3-65653653231564
ITAD-3-76542345665
ITFD-3-234657687643
TOD-3-765423454567
ITD-3-3456787654345
TD-3-234567654654
D-3-234567654654
Status codes
The letters at the start of the shipment number will cause the test shipment to generate different statuses for you to see. Below are the explanations of which statuses each one will create:
ITOD: Info received - In transit - Out for delivery - Delivered
ITE: Info received - In transit - Exception
ITAD: Info received - In transit - Available for pickup - Delivered
ITFD: Info received - In transit - Fail attempt - Delivered
TOD: In transit - Out for delivery - Delivered
ITD: Info received - In transit - Delivered
TD: In transit - Delivered
I: Stay in Info received
T: Stay in In transit
O: Stay in Out for delivery
F: Stay in Failed attempt
D: Stay in Delivered
A: Stay in Available for pickup
E: Stay in Exception
EDD Value
The post-purchase Estimated Delivery Date (EDD) for test shipments will be generated using the Carrier EDD. This value will be updated in each status to reflect both the Carrier EDD and the post-purchase EDD.
Update frequency
The next number tells the system how quickly you want it to update the shipment status. So if you select ITOD as the status code and add the number “3”, it will change the status from “Pending“ to “Info received” to “In transit” to “Out for delivery” and then to “Delivered” every 3 mins. You can choose any frequency between 1 and 20 minutes.
Test number
The last part is just a string of numbers that will act as the shipment number. Enter a random set of better 6-16 numbers.
Now, you should be able to create your own test shipment number.
After entering the shipment number, mention “testing-courier” as the carrier slug
Now, if you want to provide other details, go ahead. Otherwise, skip this part to save yourself some time. This won’t cause any errors
Click Save shipment
Again, go back to the Shipments page and click on the test shipment (created with the test tracking number and slug) to check how we show details to you
Notes:
Always use the testing slug testing-courier when creating a test shipment. It is crucial to input this slug because the tracking will not auto-update otherwise.
A test shipment number can only be used once. We shared a few test tracking numbers above with you, just as an example. If you've used any of them and are seeing the final status, it means some another AfterShip user has already tried it. So, replace the last part of the test tracking number with another random string of 6-16 numbers or a-z alphabets and try again.
API sample
CURL：
curl --location --request POST 'https://api.aftership.com/v4/trackings' \
--header 'aftership-api-key: xxx' \
--header 'Content-Type: application/json' \
--data-raw '{
"tracking": {
"slug": "testing-courier",
"tracking_number": "ITOD-3-qwertyuiop12345"
}
}'API description
API: POST https://api.aftership.com/v4/trackings
Payload:
{
"tracking": {
"slug": "testing-courier",
"tracking_number": "ITOD-3-qwertyuiop12345"
}
}Still have questions about shipment tracking? Discuss them with our chat support team.
Updated on: 21/06/2024
Thank you!