Common Workflows

End-to-end flows that chain V5 endpoints together. Each workflow lists the exact endpoint sequence and what to do with the response between steps.

Courier shipment lifecycle

Create, rate, label, and ship a single courier package. The most common V5 flow — covers ~80% of carrier integrations.

#	Step	Endpoint	What you do
1	Create the shipment	`POST /shipments` with `type: courier`	Send `to_address` + `packages`. Returns `data.id` (the V5 `shipment_id`).
2	List rates	`GET /rates/{shipment_id}`	Pick a `carrier.service_code` (e.g. `canada_post.expedited`).
3	Buy the label	`POST /labels/{shipment_id}` with the chosen `service`	Charges credits. Returns `data.label_url` (PDF) + `data.tracking_code`.
4	Schedule a pickup (optional)	`POST /pickups` with `{ shipment_ids: [...] }`	Only valid for courier shipments (FedEx/UPS/Purolator via Freightcom).

Use an Idempotency-Key header on steps 1, 3, and 4 so network retries can't double-charge or double-book.

LTL shipment booking

Less-than-truckload freight follows the same shape, just with type: ltl and a different cancel endpoint.

#	Step	Endpoint	What you do
1	Create the LTL shipment	`POST /shipments` with `type: ltl`	Returns `data.id`.
2	Get LTL quotes	`GET /rates/{shipment_id}`	LTL carriers (Freightcom).
3	Book with the carrier	`POST /labels/{shipment_id}` with the chosen rate	Returns `data.confirmation_number`.
4	Cancel a booked LTL (optional)	`POST /ltl/{shipment_id}/cancel`	Voids the booking with the carrier. Use instead of `DELETE /shipments/{id}` for LTL.

Batch processing

Group many shipments into a single batch, generate labels for all of them, and drain per-shipment failures.

#	Step	Endpoint	What you do
1	Create the batch	`POST /batches`	Send `{ name, shipment_ids }`. Returns `data.id`.
2	Trigger processing	`POST /batches/{batch_id}/process`	Returns `202`. Label generation runs async.
3	Poll status	`GET /batches/{batch_id}`	Repeat until `data.status != "processing"`. Realistic clients back off (1s → 2s → 4s).
4	Drain errors	`GET /batches/{batch_id}/errors`	Per-shipment failures with the validation problem.

Top up credits, then buy a label

Labels are paid from the account's credit balance. If the balance is low, top up first.

#	Step	Endpoint	What you do
1	Charge the payment method	`POST /credits/top-up` with `{ amount, payment_method_id? }`	`payment_method_id` is optional — defaults to the account's default card. Returns `data.id` (the new transaction).
2	Confirm the new balance	`GET /credits/balance`	Sanity-check that the top-up landed and covers the upcoming label cost.
3	Buy the label	`POST /labels/{shipment_id}` with the chosen `service`	Debits the credit balance.

Always send an Idempotency-Key header on step 1. Top-up retries without a key double-charge.

Classify and approve a product

Customs declarations need a per-product HS code. V5 wraps the TRU classification API so you can ask for a suggested code, optionally verify the manufacturer, then persist the product.

#	Step	Endpoint	What you do
1	Suggest an HS code	`POST /products/classify` with `{ title, description }`	Returns `data.hs_code`.
2	Verify the manufacturer (optional)	`POST /products/verify-manufacturer` with `{ manufacturer, country_of_origin }`	CUSMA / country-of-origin compliance check.
3	Create the product	`POST /products` with the verified `hs_code` and source fields	Persists the row that store imports and later shipment-creation calls reference.

If an existing product enters Manufacturer Failed after import, you can run just step 2 on it and re-call POST /products/{sku}/approve-classification.

Other endpoint-level flows

These don't need a multi-step description — they're single calls or small glue logic.

Quote rates without creating a shipment — POST /rates with shipment details. Returns rates. No shipment row is created.
Validate addresses — POST /addresses/validate before POST /shipments to surface bad zip/postal codes early.
Manage imported orders — POST /orders, GET /orders, PUT /orders/{order_id}. Delete only before linking to a non-voided shipment.
Find drop-off locations — GET /locations. Render the returned branch and partner-site addresses; refresh periodically because the catalog changes.

Idempotency & retry rules

All mutating endpoints (POST, PUT, DELETE) accept an Idempotency-Key header. A retried request with the same key inside 24h returns the original response byte-for-byte. Reusing a key with a different body yields 409 idempotency_conflict. See Errors & Idempotency.