Mainfreight Package Type Mapping Support
Mainfreight supports receipt of package data by validating a defined list of seven legal package codes, each code corresponding to specific package types. Because Pacejet operates with multiple carriers, the package types used in Pacejet must be mapped to the legal package codes that are specific to individual carriers. This article describes how standard package types used in Pacejet are mapped to support this carrier's package codes.
Package List in Pacejet
The Pacejet records under Lists-->Package define a set of valid packages which can be used to rate and ship with carriers like Estes. Each package record includes a unique Number as a short-hand identifier, a Description which is displayed in some packing workflows in Pacejet, and a Type which is used for features like mapping to carrier-specific packages. Each Package record also includes default attributes such as Description, Type, Dimensions, and other details. The set of Package records in Pacejet are used by multiple packing methods to support rating and shipping workflows.
Packing Workflows Capture Package Details
One of the simplest packing methods in Pacejet is Item packing. With an Item Packing workflow users simply enter a list of packages that represent handling units for the shipment. Each row represents a handling unit and packages are selected from the drop-down list (pulled from the Lists --> Package). Additional workflow steps not covered here can be used to describe item contents of each package, set classification, declared value, or other data for a shipment. The field identified as Package in the UI below is also referred to as the Description from the package's setup list.
Handling Unit Type
To rate and ship with this carrier, the Type field corresponding to appropriate Package records recorded in a Pacejet packing process is mapped to a valid carrier packaging code. All package codes used by this carrier are supported by Pacejet. If a package is not specified during a packing process in Pacejet, the default type sent to the carrier is PLT.
How Package Type Mapping Works
The Pacejet integration with the carrier evaluates each Package Type for all the packages recorded in a shipment and looks for a match in the mapping list. If a match is found, the corresponding package code is sent to the carrier. If no match is found, the connector sends the default code for the Pacejet package type of "PALLET" to the carrier.
Package types other than Box or Pallet may not be used by some Pacejet functionality such as predictive packing.
Package Code Mapping
Mainfreight Package Code |
Pacejet Package Type |
|---|---|
BDL |
BUNDLE |
BOX |
BOX |
CRT |
CRATE |
CTN |
CARTON |
DRM |
DRUM |
PLT |
PALLET (default) |
ROLL |
ROLL |
Packages and the Bill of Lading
Pacejet recommends use of one of our standard Bill of Lading templates in our Self-Service Shipping Paperwork over carrier-specific BOLs for reasons including:
Consistency across multiple carriers
Flexibility to easily customize the data on the document
The Pacejet Bill of Lading document, for an example shipment, shown below illustrates how the rows on the Bill of Lading represent the handling unit details recording in packing. While the Package Type is not displayed by default on the example template below (e.g. Pallet), the descriptions and other details are present.
Pacejet does provide an option to use the carrier-specific Estes bill of lading if required. This format is returned from the Estes API in PDF format from the data passed during the shipping transaction and printed by Pacejet. One unique data element in this BOL is the display of a sub package type for products on each handling unit. The default sub package type can be configured with carrier settings.
Carrier Settings for Mainfreight
Pacejet supports several advanced configuration options with the Mainfreight integration, including settings for managing the package type mappings described in this article. Advanced configuration options are setup by editing records under Setup --> Carrier Settings in Pacejet.
Carrier settings can be set as global defaults by leaving the Site and Facility set to "All". Alternatively, individual Site/Facility records can be created to affect settings for specific use cases. Setting values are entered in XML format and should be inserted after the <Settings> tag but before the </Settings> tag.
Learn more about this in the article: How to Use Carrier Settings.
Learn more about Estes specific carrier settings in the article: How to Use Carrier Settings with Mainfreight