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FedEx offers an API that lets you do some pretty interesting things such as getting ship rate estimates, checking service availability, the all important printing shipping labels, and more.
I’m hoping this short guide will get you up and running with the FedEx API as quickly as possible.

Let’s get started.

First you’ll want to peruse the various API solutions on FedEx’s website and decide what will meet your needs. There is also a FAQ that may help you. If you have simple needs, you may find that your solution is as simple as downloading their desktop software. For most capabilities however you will want to access their web services directly.

I recommend choosing the FedEx Ship Manager Direct method of interfacing which is basically a secure URL you post XML to and it then returns XML to you. This gives you simplicity, and the ability to use any programming langauge from any OS. The rest of this guide assumes you will use this method.

The next step in this process is to go register with FedEx to use their API. The registration is free but I guess they just like to feel in control of their API
To register go to this address: https://www.fedex.com/cgi-bin/shipapiDownload.cgi?link=4&first=y
For the question Communication path to FedEx?, choose FSM Direct.
For the question Data Format?, choose XML tools.
(This registration is only for development for yourself or your company. If you want to resell your FedEx solution, you’ll have to register somewhere else on the site.)

Also go ahead and email their support team (websupport@fedex.com) with your FedEx account number and kindly ask them to add your account to their test server. (That’s where you will be connecting to.) Also ask them for the correct URL to connect to. (I get the impression that they don’t want this URL published anywhere.)

Now you are ready to start programming. Go here to get the documentation you will need. Specifically you’ll need the overview and the XML Transactions Guide. You’ll also want the FSM Direct Manual which is not listed on the documentation page.

To see some FedEx API programming in action continue on to Part 2 where I show you how to make a Python script to look up shipping costs.

[tags]FedEx, FedEx API, Shipping, Automation[/tags]