PDAdmin Help

Add-Ons Print Topic

The Rate Add-Ons integrate with PDshopPro & PDAdmin to provide real-time (live) shipping rates. When enabled, during checkout the actual shipping charges for the order are retrieved from UPS, USPS, or the InterShipper service.

Installation:
The Rate Add-Ons are not included with the purchase of PDshopPro (unless otherwise noted). After you purchase the Add-On, Unzip the contents of the rate add-on zip file to your computer. Using your FTP software, upload all the files to their respective directories on your web server. For example, upload all add-on files in the "includes" directory to your PDshopPro "includes" directory. If you have other add-ons, you may need to overwrite existing files (some files are shared, it is okay to overwrite older add-on files).

The Add-Ons may require activation or you may need to establish a special account, see below.

UPS Rate Add-On:
You will need to Activate the Add-On using PageDown Technology's UPS Online Tools Licensing & Registration wizard. Click on the "Activate" button to start the process and follow the onscreen instructions. You will need your PageDown Technology account number (found in your order confirmation email). During the Activation process you will also need to know the URL to PDAdmin (ex. http://yoursite.com/admin/), your PDAdmin username & password.

USPS Add-On:
To use the USPS add-on you will need to register with the USPS and obtain an XML WebTools User ID and Password. Registration is free, but must be done with USPS (United States Postal Service) before using or testing this add-on. Register at http://www.usps.com/webtools/.

After your receive your XML Webtools User ID and Password from USPS, you will be required to test the add-on. The USPS does not allow you access to the "live" production rate servers until you have successfully tested the interface. You can test the interface by selecting "Test Mode" in the USPS setup in PDadmin. Test mode does not produce accurate rates, the rates are fictitious and are designed for testing purposes only. Once you have successfully tested, you will need to contact the USPS Internet Customer Care Center (ICCC) by telephone or email (icustomercare@usps.com) and they will activate your user ID and password so that you have access to the production server. See your emails from the USPS for instructions on activating your user ID.

InterShipper Add-On:
To use this Add-On you must subscribe to the InterShipper service. InterShipper is a 3rd party service that provides instant, real-time shipping rates. Please contact InterShipper before using this Add-On.

Testing the Add-Ons:
To test the Add-Ons, simply use the "Shop Rates" button on each Add-On setup page. For the UPS/USPS Add-Ons, you can click the "Show XML Response" box to display more detailed error messages if you do not receive rates. In most cases, problems with the Add-On are associated with incorrect account numbers, addresses, weights, or you did not install or activate the Add-On.

Setting up Services/Carriers:
For a UPS, USPS, or other InterShipper service to appear during checkout, you must setup each service in PDAdmin. From the PDAdmin menu, click on "Shipping" and click “New Carrier/Service" to create a carrier/service. Enter a name and select the appropriate "real-time" method. Repeat this step for each service you want to make available to your shoppers. Or, you can click on "Import Services" from the Add-On setup page (this process will add ALL available services for you automatically).

Error Handling:
For each Add-On you can specify how to handle errors. For instance, if an error occurs while processing rates, or the rate cannot be retrieved for a service/carrier, or the service is not available between your default Address/Zip code and the shopper's. If you select "Your Rate", the default settings for that service under "Your Rate" will be used. You can also specify if the rate should be shown as "Unavailable" or just hidden.

If you receive a "Some Rates were not available" message during the checkout process, this can mean that one or more of the services you setup as "carriers" is not available for your package (based on the "Default address" you entered in PDAdmin and the "Shipping address" you entered during checkout). To troubleshoot rate related issues, use the "Shop Rates" button on the Add-On's page; duplicate the same conditions for your checkout session and see the error messages as reported by the services.