Using a different carrier? See Package Tracking.

Introduction

Zembula connects to Australia Post through an API key that you create in the Australia Post Developer Centre. Zembula uses the key only to look up tracking. It never creates shipments or changes anything in your Australia Post account.

One connection covers both Australia Post parcels and StarTrack consignments.

This guide covers registering with Australia Post, creating the API key, and connecting it in the Zembula platform. You enter the credentials in Zembula yourself.

Who can do this

You need a current Australia Post eParcel contract, or a StarTrack contract with Premium and/or Express products. If you only need tracking, tell Australia Post when you register: it can give you access to its Tracking API only.

You register with Australia Post yourself. Australia Post asks the account holder to complete the registration form, so Zembula can't do it for you.

In Zembula, only account Admins can connect Australia Post. Other users can open the Package Tracking page, but they can't change it.

Before you go live

Australia Post allows 10 tracking calls a minute for each API key.

Each time a shopper opens an email with a tracking image, Zembula can ask Australia Post for that parcel's latest scans. If many shoppers open at once, some opens can go over the limit. Zembula treats that as Australia Post being briefly unavailable, not as an unknown tracking number.

Keep this limit in mind when you plan large sends. Talk to your Zembula team before you use Australia Post tracking in a big campaign.

Register with Australia Post

Go to the Australia Post Developer Centre and register for the Shipping and Tracking APIs.
When the form asks for your eCommerce Partner, choose Zembula.
Submit the form. Australia Post then emails you the information you need to create a production API key.

Create the API key

Follow the steps in Australia Post's email to create a production API key. A test key won't work: Australia Post only accepts test keys in its test environment.
Give the key a name, then create a secret. Australia Post uses this secret as your API password.
Select Services in the left-hand menu and check that Track Items is one of the key's services.
Copy the API key and the API password.

Keep the API password private. Don't send it by email or chat. You enter it yourself in the Zembula platform in a later step.

Find your account number

Zembula also needs your charge account number. It isn't a password. Australia Post sets its length:

Australia Post accounts: 10 digits. If yours is shorter, add leading zeroes. For example, 1234567 becomes 0001234567.
StarTrack accounts: 8 digits, with no leading zeroes.

Zembula doesn't add the zeroes for you, so type the number in this form.

Connect Australia Post in Zembula

In the Zembula platform, open Data Sync → Integrations and select the Data integrations tab.
Click Set up on the Package Tracking tile. If Package Tracking is already set up, the button reads Open instead.
If Package Tracking is off, click Turn on. The page shows Setting up the builder source… and then Use INTERFACES › Package Tracking in the builder.
Under Carriers, find Australia Post and click Add.
The row lists API key and API password. Click Paste a key next to API key. The Paste your Australia Post keys dialog opens.
Paste the API key into the API key field and the API password into the API password field. Then type your account number in the Account number field.
Click Connect.

The button reads Verifying… while Zembula saves your credentials. The Australia Post row then reads Connected — starts answering within the hour.

Zembula doesn't check your key with Australia Post when you connect. If the key, the password or the account number is wrong, tracking won't show. Test it before you use it in live content:

Add INTERFACES › Package Tracking to a draft image in the builder.
Turn on Simulate.
Preview the image with a real Australia Post or StarTrack tracking number.

The Status section of the Package Tracking page also lists anything that needs attention.

If you also use order data

Package Tracking can also read fulfillments from your connected order data. In this release, order data and carriers can't run together.

If your order data is live, the Australia Post row reads Connected — waiting: carriers and order data can't run together until the next release.
To switch, click Use Australia Post instead and confirm. This turns order data off and Australia Post on. Content that sends only an order ID then shows your fallback.

Use it in your content

In the builder, add INTERFACES › Package Tracking to your image. Send the parcel's tracking_number and its carrier with every request.

Zembula doesn't work out the carrier from the tracking number, so always send the carrier. A carrier value that contains any of these names goes to Australia Post:

Australia Post, AUSTRALIA_POST, AusPost or Aus Post
StarTrack, Star Track or STAR_TRACK

Case doesn't matter.

What shoppers see

The image shows the latest scan Australia Post reports when the image loads.

Status: the stage of the latest scan, such as In Transit, Out for Delivery or Delivered. Australia Post doesn't send scan codes, so Zembula reads each scan's description. A scan Zembula can't place shows as In Transit.
No delivery estimate: Australia Post's tracking doesn't include one. The estimate stays empty while the parcel moves. After delivery it reads Delivered, with the delivery time. Don't build content that needs an Australia Post delivery date.
Consignments with several items: these show In Transit until every item is delivered. This includes StarTrack consignments.
Awaiting collection: shows as Ready for Pickup, with the pickup city and state.
Tracking link: opens the parcel on auspost.com.au. StarTrack numbers use the same link.

Where your credentials are kept

The API key and the API password are saved as encrypted secrets. They can't be read back: the platform only shows their last four characters. They're listed under Data Sync → Secrets & Configs, and they can only be sent to Australia Post's API (digitalapi.auspost.com.au).

Your account number isn't a password, so it's saved as a config that belongs to this connection, not as a secret.

To change your key, open the Package Tracking page, find the Australia Post row and click Replace key next to the key you're changing.

More detail: Shared Secrets and Configs.