ShipBob API Integration

Connect your ShipBob account for automatic fulfillment tracking

Last updated: September 30, 2025

Track your ShipBob fulfillment performance automatically with direct API integration.

What You’ll Accomplish

Connect 3PL Pulse directly to ShipBob’s API to automatically sync orders, shipments, and inventory data. No manual CSV uploads required.

How Direct API Integration Works

Why API Integration Matters

Unlike CSV uploads, API integration gives you:

  • Automatic updates: Data syncs on schedule (hourly, every 4 hours, or daily)
  • Real-time accuracy: Pull fresh data directly from ShipBob’s systems
  • Zero manual work: Set it once, runs forever
  • Complete data: Access all metrics and historical trends

Setting Up ShipBob Integration

Prerequisites

Before you start, make sure you have:

  • Active ShipBob merchant account
  • Admin access to your ShipBob portal
  • ShipBob API credentials (we’ll help you get these)

Step 1: Get Your ShipBob API Credentials

  1. Log in to your ShipBob merchant portal
  2. Navigate to Developer or Integrations section
  3. Generate new API key
  4. Copy the value - you’ll need it in the next step

Step 2: Connect to 3PL Pulse

  1. In 3PL Pulse, go to Integrations
  2. Click Connect ShipBob
  3. Enter your API key
  4. Click Verify Connection
  5. Choose your sync frequency based on your plan

Step 3: Initial Sync

Once connected:

  1. Select historical date range (last 30, 60, or 90 days)
  2. Click Start Initial Sync
  3. First sync may take 5-15 minutes depending on order volume
  4. You can close the page - sync continues in background

Sync Frequency Options

Your sync frequency depends on your pricing plan. See pricing for current plan details.

PlanSync FrequencyBest For
ScoutDailyLow-volume stores, basic monitoring
RadarEvery 4 hoursMedium-volume, active tracking
Command CenterEvery hourHigh-volume, real-time monitoring

How Sync Works

  • Automatic: Runs on schedule without any action from you
  • Incremental: Only pulls new/changed data after initial sync
  • Background: Doesn’t require you to be logged in
  • Reliable: Automatic retry if sync encounters issues

What Data Gets Synced

Order Information

  • Order numbers and dates
  • Customer details
  • Product SKUs and quantities
  • Order status and fulfillment state

Shipment Data

  • Tracking numbers
  • Carrier information
  • Ship dates and delivery dates
  • Shipment status updates

Performance Metrics

All of this data powers your dashboard metrics:

  • Order-to-ship time
  • SLA compliance rates
  • Fulfillment accuracy
  • Shipment delays
  • Historical trends

Monitoring Sync Status

View Sync History

Check your sync status anytime:

  1. Go to Integrations > ShipBob
  2. View recent sync activity
  3. See timestamp of last successful sync
  4. Check how many records were synced

Sync Activity Shows

  • Start time and duration
  • Records synced (orders, shipments)
  • Success/failure status
  • Any errors or warnings

Troubleshooting

Connection Issues

If you can’t connect:

  • Verify API credentials are correct
  • Check that API key is active in ShipBob portal
  • Ensure you have proper permissions in ShipBob
  • Contact support if issue persists

Sync Failures

If a sync fails:

  1. Check sync history for error details
  2. Verify API credentials haven’t expired
  3. Wait 5 minutes and try manual sync
  4. Most issues resolve automatically on next scheduled sync

Missing Data

If data seems incomplete:

  • Check date range of initial sync
  • Verify orders exist in ShipBob for that period
  • Run manual sync to pull latest data
  • Ensure ShipBob orders are marked as “shipped”

Best Practices

For Best Results

  1. Complete initial setup: Sync at least 30 days of historical data
  2. Monitor regularly: Check dashboard weekly even with auto-sync
  3. Set up alerts: Configure SLA breach notifications
  4. Compare periods: Use historical data to spot trends

Sync Timing Recommendations

  • Daily sync: Best for stores with fewer than 100 orders/day
  • 4-hour sync: Best for stores with 100-500 orders/day
  • Hourly sync: Best for stores with 500+ orders/day or tight SLAs

Security & Privacy

How We Protect Your Data

  • API credentials stored encrypted
  • Read-only access to ShipBob data
  • No modifications to your ShipBob account
  • HTTPS/TLS for all API communication

What We Can Access

We only access data needed for performance tracking:

  • ✅ Order and shipment data
  • ✅ Tracking information
  • ❌ Payment information
  • ❌ Customer personal data beyond shipping addresses
  • ❌ ShipBob account settings

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need to disconnect my ShipBob account to make changes?

No. You can update API credentials anytime without disconnecting.

Will this affect my ShipBob account or orders?

No. We use read-only API access. We never modify data in ShipBob.

Can I pause automatic sync?

Yes. Go to Integrations > ShipBob and toggle “Auto Sync” off. You can still run manual syncs.

How far back can I sync historical data?

Up to 1 year of historical data on initial sync.

Does sync consume my ShipBob API rate limits?

Minimal impact. We optimize requests and respect rate limits. Most merchants never hit limits.

Can I sync multiple ShipBob accounts?

Yes, on Command Center plan. Contact support to enable multi-account sync.

Next Steps

After connecting ShipBob:

  1. Sync your Shopify orders to match fulfillment data
  2. Set up SLA tracking for your performance targets
  3. Configure alerts for SLA breaches
  4. Review your performance dashboard

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