How to configure Whistl (WHISTL) in techSHIP [Guide]

The Whistl integration supports:

• Void

• Label References

Information to be Provided

The following credentials and data points are mandatory to connect to Whistl. Ensure you have these items available before starting the setup:

Obtain the department identifier from Whistl if one applies to your account. Confirm whether your credentials are for the test or production environment.

For techTRACK configuration, obtain the account-specific Tracking API Key (static access code) from Whistl. This is an optional Baseline Account credential and is separate from the API username and password used to create shipments.

Specifications and Constraints

Operational Details

Whistl processes parcel shipments using the service selected for the shipment. Confirm the services and shipment lanes available to your account with Whistl before configuring service selection.

For international shipments, provide the applicable customs details and item-level product information, including descriptions, quantities, values, weights, countries of origin, and harmonized codes.

• Recipient address: Provide a recipient contact name, first address line, city, postal code, and country.

• International sender address: Provide a sender contact name, first address line, city, postal code, and country.

Configuring a Baseline Account

A Baseline Account serves as the fundamental connection point between techSHIP and the carrier's system. It acts as a template that holds the credentials and fundamental properties required to process shipments.

The techSHIP AI Assistant is available from the Carrier page for supported Carrier configuration tasks. For detailed conceptual information and advanced configuration, refer to 📄 techSHIP AI Assistant: Overview & Availability [Information].

Adding a Carrier

Before adding an account, you must ensure the Carrier entity is available for your location.

1. Click My Carriers from the left menu under the Carriers category.

2. Click Add Carrier.

   

3. Select the desired Carrier.

You may encounter additional messages depending on the carrier status or your plan:

• Subscription Required (⭐): If the carrier has a star icon, you will see a message stating "To use this carrier, a subscription upgrade is required." Press Contact to Upgrade to proceed.

  

• Carrier Suspended: If the carrier has not been used for an extended period, you will see a message stating “This carrier is currently on hold...” Click Request Assistance to reactivate it.

  

• Setup Fee Waived: If a carrier from the same carrier group is already installed in your location, you can add this carrier without incurring additional fees.

  

4. If needed, update the carrier Name.

5. Click Add Carrier.

   

If the purchase confirmation appears, complete the following steps:

• Review the purchase notice and any applicable charge information.

• Optionally enter a PO Number.

• Select I am authorized to complete this purchase on behalf of my organization.

• Click Purchase to confirm the Carrier addition.

Once the Carrier is added, you will be automatically redirected to the Carrier page to continue setting it up.

6. Enter the Code of the Carrier as it appears in your host system.

The Code of the Carrier must match exactly the value defined in the host system. Any discrepancy (including casing or extra spaces) may prevent the carrier from working correctly.

7. Click Save.

   

If your facility utilizes the centralized Pickup Schedule, we highly recommend adding this new carrier to your calendar now. While not required to process labels, this ensures accurate induction metrics for your Insights dashboards. To learn more, see 📄 Understanding the Centralized Pickup Schedule & Expected Induction Logic [Information].

Adding a Baseline Account

From the Carrier page, click Add Account to create a new Baseline Account.

You will be redirected to the Baseline Account page to complete the setup.

Entering incorrect values will prevent the system from generating shipping labels.

General Tab

In the General tab, define the administrative properties:

• Name: Enter a descriptive name for the account.

Enter a descriptive name based on unique properties. E.g.:

• Carrier Name - Account Number (CarrierX - 123456789)

• Carrier Name - Consolidator Name (CarrierY - MyConsolidator)

• Carrier Name

• Usage: Select the most suitable option:

  • Test: Used for sandbox or onboarding purposes.

  • Production: Used for live shipping.

Keep the Status field set to its default Active value. An account must be Active to remain fully editable. For detailed conceptual information on account statuses, refer to 📄 How to Inactivate and Activate a Carrier Baseline Account [Step-by-Step Guide].

Carrier Tab

Setup

Configure the following fields in Setup:

• Username: Enter the API username provided by Whistl.

• Password: Enter the password associated with that API username.

• Account number: Enter the Whistl account number for this Baseline Account.

• Department id: Enter the department identifier when one applies to the account.

• Tracking API Key: Enter the static access code assigned to this specific Whistl account for techTRACK configuration. Each account has its own key. The field is optional, masks the configured value, and can be updated or cleared.

Sender address

Configure the default sender details in Sender address:

• Sender name and Sender company: Enter the sender contact and company names.

• Address 1, Address 2, City, State/province, Zip, and Country: Enter the sender address, including the second address line and state or province where applicable.

• Email: Enter the sender email address. This field is required.

• Phone: Enter the sender phone number when applicable.

Labels Tab

Supported formats: PDF, PNG, and ZPL.

Use a supported format for the Baseline Account's label configuration.

Finalizing the Setup

Once you have entered the required information, click Save.

After you save the Baseline Account, check whether the Registration tab or a registration status badge is available.

If neither is available, the Carrier does not use this Registration workflow in techSHIP. If registration is still pending, open the Registration tab and press Registration, then complete 📄 How to Register a Carrier Baseline Account [Step-by-Step Guide] before creating shipments.

From the Carrier page, you can now see the Baseline Account listed with the administrative status Active. The Active status is separate from the account's registration status.

The Baseline Account configuration is now saved. You can continue with Configuring a Client Account below to assign the Baseline Account to a specific Client.

Configuring a Client Account

Adding an Account

Before adding a Client Account, ensure that the Client has been created. For instructions creating a Client, see: 📄 10 - How to create a Client profile [Step-by-Step guide].

1. Click Clients from the left menu under the Clients section.

2. Click the Edit icon for the desired Client.

   

3. Click Add Accounts.

   

4. Optionally, use the Search box to search by Baseline Account Name or Carrier.

5. Select the Baseline Accounts that will serve as the foundation for your new Client Accounts.

6. Click Add Accounts.

   

   A toast notification will confirm the accounts were successfully assigned. Click the Refresh icon if recently added accounts are not displayed.

   

7. Click Edit on each newly created account.

   

8. Configure the available options in each tab (except Carrier).

   

For complete instructions on configuring this settings, see 📄 How to configure the Billing Account General Options tab [Step-by-Step guide].

Carrier Tab

Setup

• Service code: Select the Whistl service to use for this Client Account, or select [Use Order] to use the service specified on the order.

• Override WMS Service Code: Enable this option when the configured Service code must take precedence over the service received from the Integrated system.

• Currency: Select the currency for shipment values. An order-level Currency takes precedence over this setting.

• Terms of sale: Select the default terms for international shipments. Order-level Terms of sale take precedence when provided.

• Category Of Item: Select the default customs item category. An order-level Category Of Item takes precedence when provided.

• Default contents description: Enter the description to use when a contents description is not supplied on the order or package.

• Importer VAT number: Enter the default importer VAT number for international shipments when applicable. An order-level Bill-to VAT number takes precedence when provided.

Sender address

• Sender name and Sender company: Enter the sender contact and company names for the Client Account.

• Override sender address: Enable this option to use the Client Account's sender address instead of the Baseline Account address. Complete Address 1, Address 2, City, State/province, Zip, Country, Email, and Phone as applicable.

Specifying Rate Shopping Service Codes

Rate Shopping is not supported by the Whistl integration. Select a specific Service code for the Client Account or use the service specified on the order.

Label References

Whistl supports two label references. Configure Reference 1 and Reference 2 in the Client Account's General tab, under Labels.

For a comprehensive guide on how to use label references, see: Using order References in your labels [Step-by-Step guide].

Finalizing the Setup

Once you have entered the required information, click Save.

With the account configured and requirements verified, you can now proceed to process orders as described below.

Configuring an Order

The steps described in this section are not required for carrier setup, and they are offered as an optional review if further order-level configuration is required.

Follow the UI Navigation steps in 📄 05 - How to edit an order’s information - [Step-by-Step guide], using the carrier-specific values provided in this guide.

In the order's Carrier tab, configure the following fields when shipment-specific values are needed:

• Service code: Select the Whistl service for the shipment when service selection is taken from the order.

• Contents description: Enter the shipment contents description. A package-level description takes precedence; otherwise, this value takes precedence over Default contents description.

• Currency: Select the currency for shipment values, overriding the Client Account's Currency.

• Residential Delivery: Specify whether the recipient address is residential.

• Terms of sale: Set the terms for the international shipment, overriding the Client Account default.

• Category Of Item: Set the customs item category for the international shipment, overriding the Client Account default.

• Insurance: Enable this option to include an insurance value in the international customs declaration.

• Declared value: Enter the insurance value when Insurance is enabled.

• Bill-to IOSS number: Enter the IOSS number when applicable to the international shipment.

• Bill-to VAT number: Enter the VAT number when applicable to the international shipment. This value takes precedence over Importer VAT number.

Click Save to apply the order-level changes. After the Order is updated, continue with the standard shipping workflow.

Troubleshooting

• Authentication failure: Review Username, Password, and Account number in the Baseline Account's Carrier tab. Confirm that the credentials belong to the account and environment being used.

• Invalid or missing service: Review Service code in the Client Account's Carrier tab. If [Use Order] is selected, supply a valid Whistl service on the order. Review Override WMS Service Code if the service received from the Integrated system should be replaced.

• Shipment address validation: Complete the recipient contact name, first address line, city, postal code, and country on the order. For international shipments, also review the sender details in the Baseline Account or the Client Account when Override sender address is enabled.

• Unsupported label format: Review the label configuration in the Baseline Account's Labels tab and use PDF, PNG, or ZPL.

• Missing label references: Review Reference 1 and Reference 2 in the Client Account's General tab, under Labels. If a configured reference uses order data, confirm that the corresponding order value is populated.

• Tracking credential check: When configuring techTRACK, verify that Tracking API Key in the Baseline Account's Carrier tab belongs to the same Whistl account as Account number. A saved masked value confirms that the field is configured; it does not confirm successful tracking authentication.