createConsignments

This method allows you to create one or more consignments without allocating them (if, for example, you are shipping to store and first need to create the parent pallet).

This process is the equivalent of using Create Consignment in the Delivery Manager GUI (refer to Creating a Delivery).

Note

It is assumed that you have worked through Creating your first Request to a Service and are familiar with the Properties needed to Call or Create a Consignment.

How to submit a request

Proceed as follows:

If you have not already done so, open a new project using the WSDL ConsignmentService.xml.
Create a new request under createConsignments.
Enter the authorisation for the request.
Create one or more consignments. As a minimum, the following must be specified for each consignment:
1. The consignmentLevelDetailsFlag.
2. The consignmentValue if the consignmentLevelDetailsFlag is set to true. However, if this flag is set to false, then the parcelValue is required instead (refer to the Parcels Array).
3. The consignmentWeight if the consignmentLevelDetailsFlag is set to true. However, if this flag is set to false, then the parcelWeight is required instead (refer to the Parcels Array).
4. The maxDimension if the consignmentLevelDetailsFlag is set to true. However, if this flag is set to false, then it is calculated automatically from the dimensions of each parcel (refer to the Parcels Array).
5. The orderNumber.
6. The parcelCount.
7. 'n' items in the Parcels Array if 'n' is the parcelCount.
8. The recipientAddress.
9. The recipientName.
10. The senderAddress.
11. The senderCode.
12. The senderName.
Click to submit the request.

Note

If you are using any form of performance reporting, specifically Ops Reporting and Delivery Intelligence, and you want to view customer delivery data, you should add the committedDeliveryWindow parameter to your API call when creating your consignments (see the following example).

<committedDeliveryWindow xsi:type="ns2:DateRange">
<from xsi:type="xsd:dateTime">2020-11-24T18:30:00.000Z
</from>
<to xsi:type="xsd:dateTime">2020-11-25T18:30:00.000Z</to>
</committedDeliveryWindow>

Tip

For information about adding a second recipient address for billing purposes, see createAndAllocateConsignments.

You know that creation has been successful once a Consignment Code (starting with DMC) has been returned. You can then verify the allocation in the GUI by searching for consignments with a status of Unallocated.

Example Request

<soapenv:Envelope xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance" xmlns:xsd="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema" xmlns:soapenv="http://schemas.xmlsoap.org/soap/envelope/" xmlns:ser="urn:DeliveryManager/services" xmlns:soapenc="http://schemas.xmlsoap.org/soap/encoding/">
   <soapenv:Header/>
   <soapenv:Body>
      <ser:createConsignments soapenv:encodingStyle="http://schemas.xmlsoap.org/soap/encoding/">
         <consignments xsi:type="ser:ArrayOf_tns1_Consignment" soapenc:arrayType="typ:Consignment[]" xmlns:typ="urn:DeliveryManager/types">
          <consignment xsi:type="typ:Consignment" xmlns:typ="urn:DeliveryManager/types">
                      <consignmentLevelDetailsFlag xsi:type="xsd:boolean">false</consignmentLevelDetailsFlag>
                      <orderNumber xsi:type="soapenc:string">T4RE345A</orderNumber>
                      <orderValue xsi:type="xsd:double">100</orderValue>
                      <parcelCount xsi:type="xsd:int">1</parcelCount>
                      <parcels soapenc:arrayType="ns2:Parcel[1]" xsi:type="soapenc:Array">
                         <parcels xsi:type="ns2:Parcel">
                            <cartonId xsi:type="soapenc:string">08K02JTY8</cartonId>
                            <code xsi:type="soapenc:string" xsi:nil="true"/>
                            <destinationReference xsi:type="soapenc:string" xsi:nil="true"/>
                           <dutyPaid xsi:type="xsd:double">0.0</dutyPaid>
                            <number xsi:type="xsd:int">1</number>
                            <originReference xsi:type="soapenc:string" xsi:nil="true"/>
                            <outerConsignmentCode xsi:type="soapenc:string" xsi:nil="true"/>
                            <outerParcelNumber xsi:type="xsd:int">0</outerParcelNumber>
                            <parcelDepth xsi:type="xsd:double">1.0</parcelDepth>
                            <parcelHeight xsi:type="xsd:double">2.0</parcelHeight>
                            <parcelValue xsi:type="xsd:double">20</parcelValue>                         
                            <parcelWeight xsi:type="xsd:double">2.0</parcelWeight>                            
                            <parcelWidth xsi:type="xsd:double">3.2</parcelWidth>
                         </parcels>
                      </parcels>
                      <recipientAddress xsi:type="ns2:Address">
                         <companyName xsi:type="soapenc:string">Acme Limited</companyName>
                         <countryCode xsi:type="soapenc:string">GBR</countryCode>
                         <line1 xsi:type="soapenc:string">2 Acacia Road</line1>
                         <line2 xsi:type="soapenc:string">London</line2>
                         <postCode xsi:type="soapenc:string">FX1 4AT</postCode>
                      </recipientAddress>
                      <recipientEmail xsi:type="soapenc:string">joe.public@acme.co.uk</recipientEmail>
                      <recipientMobilePhone xsi:type="soapenc:string">01211554975</recipientMobilePhone>
                      <recipientName xsi:type="soapenc:string">Joe Public</recipientName>
                       <senderAddress xsi:type="ns2:Address">
                  <companyName xsi:type="soapenc:string">Metapack</companyName>
                  <countryCode xsi:type="soapenc:string">GBR</countryCode>
                  <floor xsi:type="soapenc:string">4th Floor</floor>
                  <line1 xsi:type="soapenc:string">200 Grays Inn Rd</line1>
                  <line2 xsi:type="soapenc:string">London</line2>
                  <postCode xsi:type="soapenc:string">WC1X 8XZ</postCode>
               </senderAddress>
               <senderCode xsi:type="soapenc:string">READING1</senderCode>
               <senderContactPhone xsi:type="soapenc:string">21323545</senderContactPhone>
               <senderEmail xsi:type="soapenc:string">jane.doe@metapack.com</senderEmail>
                      <senderName xsi:type="soapenc:string">Jane Doe</senderName>
                      <specialInstructions1 xsi:type="soapenc:string">Leave in recycling box</specialInstructions1>
                      <transactionType xsi:type="soapenc:string">Delivery</transactionType>
               </consignment>
               </consignments>
      </ser:createConsignments>
   </soapenv:Body>
</soapenv:Envelope>

For an example response and how to process the information, see below.

Example Response

<soapenv:Envelope xmlns:soapenv="http://schemas.xmlsoap.org/soap/envelope/" xmlns:xsd="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema" xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance">
   <soapenv:Body>
      <ns1:createConsignmentsResponse soapenv:encodingStyle="http://schemas.xmlsoap.org/soap/encoding/" xmlns:ns1="urn:DeliveryManager/services">
         <createConsignmentsReturn soapenc:arrayType="ns2:Consignment[1]" xsi:type="soapenc:Array" xmlns:ns2="urn:DeliveryManager/types" xmlns:soapenc="http://schemas.xmlsoap.org/soap/encoding/">
            <createConsignmentsReturn xsi:type="ns2:Consignment">
               <CODAmount xsi:type="xsd:double">20.0</CODAmount>
               <CODFlag xsi:type="xsd:boolean">false</CODFlag>
               <CODPaymentTypeCode xsi:type="soapenc:string">CAS</CODPaymentTypeCode>
               <CODSpecialInstruction xsi:type="soapenc:string" xsi:nil="true"/>
               <CODSurcharge xsi:type="xsd:double">0.0</CODSurcharge>
               <alreadyPalletisedGoodsFlag xsi:type="xsd:boolean">false</alreadyPalletisedGoodsFlag>
               <cardNumber xsi:type="soapenc:string" xsi:nil="true"/>
               <carrierCode xsi:type="soapenc:string" xsi:nil="true"/>
               <carrierConsignmentCode xsi:type="soapenc:string" xsi:nil="true"/>
               <carrierName xsi:type="soapenc:string" xsi:nil="true"/>
               <carrierServiceCode xsi:type="soapenc:string" xsi:nil="true"/>
               <carrierServiceName xsi:type="soapenc:string" xsi:nil="true"/>
               <carrierServiceVATRate xsi:type="xsd:double">0.0</carrierServiceVATRate>
               <cartonNumber xsi:type="soapenc:string" xsi:nil="true"/>
               <cashOnDeliveryCurrency xsi:type="soapenc:string">GBP</cashOnDeliveryCurrency>
               <committedCollectionWindow xsi:type="ns2:DateRange" xsi:nil="true"/>
               <committedDeliveryWindow xsi:type="ns2:DateRange" xsi:nil="true"/>
               <consDestinationReference xsi:type="soapenc:string"/>
               <consOriginReference xsi:type="soapenc:string"/>
               <consRecipientReference xsi:type="soapenc:string"/>
               <consReference xsi:type="soapenc:string"/>
               <consSenderReference xsi:type="soapenc:string"/>
               <consignmentCode xsi:type="soapenc:string">DMC4BY1V6TP9</consignmentCode>
               <consignmentLevelDetailsFlag xsi:type="xsd:boolean">false</consignmentLevelDetailsFlag>
               <consignmentValue xsi:type="xsd:double">20.0</consignmentValue>
               <consignmentValueCurrencyCode xsi:type="soapenc:string">GBP</consignmentValueCurrencyCode>
               <consignmentValueCurrencyRate xsi:type="xsd:double">1.0</consignmentValueCurrencyRate>
               <consignmentWeight xsi:type="xsd:double">2.0</consignmentWeight>
               <custom1 xsi:type="soapenc:string" xsi:nil="true"/>
               <custom10 xsi:type="soapenc:string" xsi:nil="true"/>
               <custom2 xsi:type="soapenc:string" xsi:nil="true"/>
               <custom3 xsi:type="soapenc:string" xsi:nil="true"/>
               <custom4 xsi:type="soapenc:string" xsi:nil="true"/>
               <custom5 xsi:type="soapenc:string" xsi:nil="true"/>
               <custom6 xsi:type="soapenc:string" xsi:nil="true"/>
               <custom7 xsi:type="soapenc:string" xsi:nil="true"/>
               <custom8 xsi:type="soapenc:string" xsi:nil="true"/>
               <custom9 xsi:type="soapenc:string" xsi:nil="true"/>
               <customsDocumentationRequired xsi:type="xsd:boolean">false</customsDocumentationRequired>
               <cutOffDate xsi:type="xsd:dateTime" xsi:nil="true"/>
               <despatchDate xsi:type="xsd:dateTime" xsi:nil="true"/>
               <earliestDeliveryDate xsi:type="xsd:dateTime" xsi:nil="true"/>
               <endVatNumber xsi:type="soapenc:string" xsi:nil="true"/>
               <fragileGoodsFlag xsi:type="xsd:boolean">false</fragileGoodsFlag>
               <guaranteedDeliveryDate xsi:type="xsd:dateTime" xsi:nil="true"/>
               <hazardCodes xsi:type="soapenc:Array" xsi:nil="true"/>
               <hazardousGoodsFlag xsi:type="xsd:boolean">false</hazardousGoodsFlag>
               <insuranceValue xsi:type="xsd:double">0.0</insuranceValue>
               <insuranceValueCurrencyCode xsi:type="soapenc:string" xsi:nil="true"/>
               <insuranceValueCurrencyRate xsi:type="xsd:double">0.0</insuranceValueCurrencyRate>
               <languageCode xsi:type="soapenc:string">en</languageCode>
               <liquidGoodsFlag xsi:type="xsd:boolean">false</liquidGoodsFlag>
               <manifestGroupCode xsi:type="soapenc:string" xsi:nil="true"/>
               <maxDimension xsi:type="xsd:double">3.2</maxDimension>
               <metaCampaignKey xsi:type="soapenc:string" xsi:nil="true"/>
               <metaCustomerKey xsi:type="soapenc:string" xsi:nil="true"/>
               <moreThanOneMetreGoodsFlag xsi:type="xsd:boolean">false</moreThanOneMetreGoodsFlag>
               <moreThanTwentyFiveKgGoodsFlag xsi:type="xsd:boolean">false</moreThanTwentyFiveKgGoodsFlag>
               <orderDate xsi:type="xsd:dateTime" xsi:nil="true"/>
               <orderNumber xsi:type="soapenc:string">T4RE345A</orderNumber>
               <orderValue xsi:type="xsd:double">0.0</orderValue>
               <parcelCount xsi:type="xsd:int">1</parcelCount>
               <parcels soapenc:arrayType="ns2:Parcel[1]" xsi:type="soapenc:Array">
                  <parcels xsi:type="ns2:Parcel">
                     <CODParcelAmount xsi:type="xsd:double">0.0</CODParcelAmount>
                     <cartonId xsi:type="soapenc:string">08K02JTY8</cartonId>
                     <code xsi:type="soapenc:string" xsi:nil="true"/>
                     <destinationReference xsi:type="soapenc:string"/>
                     <dutyPaid xsi:type="xsd:double">0.0</dutyPaid>
                     <number xsi:type="xsd:int">1</number>
                     <originReference xsi:type="soapenc:string"/>
                     <outerConsignmentCode xsi:type="soapenc:string" xsi:nil="true"/>
                     <outerParcelNumber xsi:type="xsd:int">0</outerParcelNumber>
                     <packageTypeCode xsi:type="soapenc:string" xsi:nil="true"/>
                     <parcelDepth xsi:type="xsd:double">1.0</parcelDepth>
                     <parcelHeight xsi:type="xsd:double">2.0</parcelHeight>
                     <parcelPrintStatus xsi:type="soapenc:string">Not Printed</parcelPrintStatus>
                     <parcelValue xsi:type="xsd:double">20.0</parcelValue>
                     <parcelWeight xsi:type="xsd:double">2.0</parcelWeight>
                     <parcelWidth xsi:type="xsd:double">3.2</parcelWidth>
                     <products xsi:type="soapenc:Array" xsi:nil="true"/>
                     <recipientReference xsi:type="soapenc:string"/>
                     <reference xsi:type="soapenc:string"/>
                     <senderReference xsi:type="soapenc:string"/>
                     <trackingCode xsi:type="soapenc:string" xsi:nil="true"/>
                     <trackingUrl xsi:type="soapenc:string" xsi:nil="true"/>
                  </parcels>
               </parcels>
               <pickTicketNumber xsi:type="soapenc:string" xsi:nil="true"/>
               <pickupPoint xsi:type="soapenc:string" xsi:nil="true"/>
               <podRequired xsi:type="soapenc:string">any</podRequired>
               <properties soapenc:arrayType="ns2:Property[0]" xsi:type="soapenc:Array"/>
               <recipientAddress xsi:type="ns2:Address">
                  <companyName xsi:type="soapenc:string">Acme Limited</companyName>
                  <countryCode xsi:type="soapenc:string">GBR</countryCode>
                  <floor xsi:type="soapenc:string" xsi:nil="true"/>
                  <line1 xsi:type="soapenc:string">2 Acacia Road</line1>
                  <line2 xsi:type="soapenc:string">London</line2>
                  <line3 xsi:type="soapenc:string" xsi:nil="true"/>
                  <line4 xsi:type="soapenc:string" xsi:nil="true"/>
                  <postCode xsi:type="soapenc:string">FX1 4AT</postCode>
                  <region xsi:type="soapenc:string" xsi:nil="true"/>
                  <streetName xsi:type="soapenc:string" xsi:nil="true"/>
                  <streetNo xsi:type="soapenc:string" xsi:nil="true"/>
                  <streetType xsi:type="soapenc:string" xsi:nil="true"/>
                  <town xsi:type="soapenc:string" xsi:nil="true"/>
                  <type xsi:type="soapenc:string">Business</type>
               </recipientAddress>
               <recipientCode xsi:type="soapenc:string" xsi:nil="true"/>
               <recipientContactPhone xsi:type="soapenc:string" xsi:nil="true"/>
               <recipientEmail xsi:type="soapenc:string">joe.public@acme.co.uk</recipientEmail>
               <recipientFirstName xsi:type="soapenc:string" xsi:nil="true"/>
               <recipientLastName xsi:type="soapenc:string" xsi:nil="true"/>
               <recipientMobilePhone xsi:type="soapenc:string">01211554975</recipientMobilePhone>
               <recipientName xsi:type="soapenc:string">Joe Public</recipientName>
               <recipientNotificationType xsi:type="soapenc:string">N</recipientNotificationType>
               <recipientPhone xsi:type="soapenc:string" xsi:nil="true"/>
               <recipientTimeZone xsi:type="soapenc:string">Europe/London</recipientTimeZone>
               <recipientTitle xsi:type="soapenc:string" xsi:nil="true"/>
               <recipientVatNumber xsi:type="soapenc:string" xsi:nil="true"/>
               <returnAddress xsi:type="ns2:Address">
                  <companyName xsi:type="soapenc:string" xsi:nil="true"/>
                  <countryCode xsi:type="soapenc:string" xsi:nil="true"/>
                  <floor xsi:type="soapenc:string" xsi:nil="true"/>
                  <line1 xsi:type="soapenc:string" xsi:nil="true"/>
                  <line2 xsi:type="soapenc:string" xsi:nil="true"/>
                  <line3 xsi:type="soapenc:string" xsi:nil="true"/>
                  <line4 xsi:type="soapenc:string" xsi:nil="true"/>
                  <postCode xsi:type="soapenc:string" xsi:nil="true"/>
                  <region xsi:type="soapenc:string" xsi:nil="true"/>
                  <streetName xsi:type="soapenc:string" xsi:nil="true"/>
                  <streetNo xsi:type="soapenc:string" xsi:nil="true"/>
                  <streetType xsi:type="soapenc:string" xsi:nil="true"/>
                  <town xsi:type="soapenc:string" xsi:nil="true"/>
                  <type xsi:type="soapenc:string">Business</type>
               </returnAddress>
               <returnEmail xsi:type="soapenc:string"/>
               <returnFirstName xsi:type="soapenc:string" xsi:nil="true"/>
               <returnLastName xsi:type="soapenc:string" xsi:nil="true"/>
               <returnMobile xsi:type="soapenc:string"/>
               <returnName xsi:type="soapenc:string"/>
               <returnPhone xsi:type="soapenc:string"/>
               <returnTitle xsi:type="soapenc:string" xsi:nil="true"/>
               <senderAddress xsi:type="ns2:Address">
                  <companyName xsi:type="soapenc:string">Metapack</companyName>
                  <countryCode xsi:type="soapenc:string">GBR</countryCode>
                  <floor xsi:type="soapenc:string" xsi:nil="true"/>
                  <line1 xsi:type="soapenc:string">200 Grays Inn Rd</line1>
                  <line2 xsi:type="soapenc:string">London</line2>
                  <line3 xsi:type="soapenc:string" xsi:nil="true"/>
                  <line4 xsi:type="soapenc:string" xsi:nil="true"/>
                  <postCode xsi:type="soapenc:string">WC1X 8XZ</postCode>
                  <region xsi:type="soapenc:string" xsi:nil="true"/>
                  <streetName xsi:type="soapenc:string" xsi:nil="true"/>
                  <streetNo xsi:type="soapenc:string" xsi:nil="true"/>
                  <streetType xsi:type="soapenc:string" xsi:nil="true"/>
                  <town xsi:type="soapenc:string" xsi:nil="true"/>
                  <type xsi:type="soapenc:string">Business</type>
               </senderAddress>
               <senderCode xsi:type="soapenc:string">READING1</senderCode>
               <senderContactPhone xsi:type="soapenc:string">21323545</senderContactPhone>
               <senderEmail xsi:type="soapenc:string">jane.doe@metapack.com</senderEmail>
               <senderFirstName xsi:type="soapenc:string" xsi:nil="true"/>
               <senderLastName xsi:type="soapenc:string" xsi:nil="true"/>
               <senderMobilePhone xsi:type="soapenc:string" xsi:nil="true"/>
               <senderName xsi:type="soapenc:string">Jane Doe</senderName>
               <senderNotificationType xsi:type="soapenc:string">N</senderNotificationType>
               <senderPhone xsi:type="soapenc:string" xsi:nil="true"/>
               <senderTimeZone xsi:type="soapenc:string">Europe/London</senderTimeZone>
               <senderTitle xsi:type="soapenc:string" xsi:nil="true"/>
               <startVatNumber xsi:type="soapenc:string" xsi:nil="true"/>
               <shipmentTypeCode xsi:type="soapenc:string">MERCHANDISE</shipmentTypeCode>
               <shippingAccount xsi:type="soapenc:string" xsi:nil="true"/>
               <shippingCharge xsi:type="xsd:double">0.0</shippingCharge>
               <shippingChargeCurrencyCode xsi:type="soapenc:string" xsi:nil="true"/>
               <shippingChargeCurrencyRate xsi:type="xsd:double">0.0</shippingChargeCurrencyRate>
               <shippingCost xsi:type="xsd:double">0.0</shippingCost>
               <shippingCostCurrencyCode xsi:type="soapenc:string" xsi:nil="true"/>
               <shippingCostCurrencyRate xsi:type="xsd:double">0.0</shippingCostCurrencyRate>
               <signatoryOnCustoms xsi:type="soapenc:string" xsi:nil="true"/>
               <specialInstructions1 xsi:type="soapenc:string">Leave in recycling box</specialInstructions1>
               <specialInstructions2 xsi:type="soapenc:string" xsi:nil="true"/>
               <startVatNumber xsi:type="soapenc:string" xsi:nil="true"/>
               <status xsi:type="soapenc:string">Unallocated</status>
               <taxAndDuty xsi:type="xsd:double">0.0</taxAndDuty>
               <taxAndDutyCurrencyCode xsi:type="soapenc:string" xsi:nil="true"/>
               <taxAndDutyCurrencyRate xsi:type="xsd:double">0.0</taxAndDutyCurrencyRate>
               <taxAndDutyStatusText xsi:type="soapenc:string" xsi:nil="true"/>
               <taxDutyDeclarationCurrencyCode xsi:type="soapenc:string" xsi:nil="true"/>
               <termsOfTradeCode xsi:type="soapenc:string">DAP</termsOfTradeCode>
               <transactionType xsi:type="soapenc:string">Delivery</transactionType>
               <twoManLiftFlag xsi:type="xsd:boolean">false</twoManLiftFlag>
            </createConsignmentsReturn>
         </createConsignmentsReturn>
      </ns1:createConsignmentsResponse>
   </soapenv:Body>
</soapenv:Envelope>

Next Steps

Save the Consignment Code (see the following example).

<consignmentCode xsi:type="soapenc:string">DMC4BY1V6TP9</consignmentCode>

You will need this if this is an outer (parent) consignment and you are going to link inner (child) consignments to it later, for example, when shipping to store.