Shipment Tracking¶

LoupeFactory integrates with EasyPost to give you real-time package tracking and delivery status for every shipment you create. This guide covers how to create shipments, connect them to orders, and monitor delivery progress from within the platform.

Creating a Shipment¶

You can create a shipment directly from an order or from the Shipments module.

From an Order¶

The most common workflow is to create a shipment from a confirmed order:

1. Navigate to the Orders module and open the order you want to ship.
2. Click Create Shipment on the order detail page.
3. Verify or update the Ship To address.
4. Select a Carrier (e.g., UPS, FedEx, USPS) from the dropdown.
5. Enter the package weight and dimensions.
6. Click Create Shipment.

LoupeFactory sends the shipment details to EasyPost, which returns a tracking number and a shipping label.

From the Shipments Module¶

You can also create a standalone shipment not tied to a specific order:

1. Navigate to Shipments from the main dashboard.
2. Click New Shipment in the top-right corner.
3. Fill in the recipient address, carrier, and package details.
4. Optionally link the shipment to an existing order using the Order field.
5. Click Create Shipment to generate the tracking number and label.

EasyPost Integration¶

LoupeFactory uses EasyPost as its shipping carrier API. EasyPost connects to all major carriers and provides a unified interface for label generation and tracking.

How It Works¶

When you create a shipment in LoupeFactory:

1. The platform sends the package details and addresses to EasyPost.
2. EasyPost validates the address and returns available carrier rates.
3. LoupeFactory selects the configured carrier and purchases the label.
4. A tracking number is assigned and stored against the shipment record.
5. EasyPost begins polling the carrier for tracking updates.

Supported Carriers¶

EasyPost supports a wide range of carriers. Commonly used carriers in LoupeFactory include:

Contact your LoupeFactory administrator to configure which carriers are available in your account.

Downloading Shipping Labels¶

After a shipment is created, you can download the shipping label directly from the shipment detail page:

1. Open the shipment from the Shipments list.
2. Click Download Label to save the label as a PDF.
3. Print and attach the label to your package.

Tracking Packages¶

Once a shipment is created and the package is in transit, LoupeFactory automatically fetches tracking updates from EasyPost.

Viewing Tracking Status¶

To view the current status of a shipment:

1. Navigate to Shipments from the main dashboard.
2. Find the shipment in the list — the current status is shown in the Status column.
3. Click the shipment to open the detail view and see the full tracking timeline.

Delivery Status Values¶

Each shipment moves through the following statuses as it progresses:

Handling Delivery Exceptions¶

If a shipment enters Exception status, LoupeFactory displays an alert on the shipment detail page with the carrier's exception message. Common causes include:

• Incorrect or incomplete delivery address
• Recipient unavailable for signature
• Package refused by recipient
• Customs hold (for international shipments)

To resolve an exception:

1. Open the shipment detail page.
2. Review the exception message from the carrier.
3. Contact the carrier directly using the tracking number to arrange re-delivery or correction.
4. Update the shipment notes in LoupeFactory to record the resolution steps.

Linking Shipments to Orders¶

Shipments created from an order are automatically linked. You can also link a standalone shipment to an order after the fact:

1. Open the shipment detail page.
2. Click Link to Order in the shipment details panel.
3. Search for and select the order.
4. Click Save.

Once linked, the order status updates to Shipped and the tracking number appears on the order detail page.

Next Steps¶

• Order Management — Create and manage orders that generate shipments.
• Invoicing — Generate invoices linked to fulfilled orders.
• Customer & Supplier Management — Manage the recipient addresses used in shipments.
• Reporting & Analytics — View shipment reports and export delivery data.