Customize Interface

ShipGear allows you to customize the way data is translated between Macola source documents (Orders, Customers), your carrier system(s), and ShipGear. Data is translated using field maps and value translations.

Field Maps define fields that are mapped between the carrier system or ShipGear Input fields and your Macola documents.

ShipGear Input fields are like a reverse map from Macola to ShipGear, where you can choose fields from Macola to write to the ShipGear database. That data can then be used in your eNotify email notifications, or viewed and exported in the ShipGear Dashboard.

Value Translations define how values from the mapped fields are translated between Macola and the carrier system or ShipGear; for example, 1ST SAT  in Macola can be translated to mean FedEx Priority Overnight®.

Write-Back is how ShipGear writes freight and tracking information back to Macola source documents, including the use of custom rules to control how and when write-back occurs.  You can set up write-back for each carrier independently.

This combination of field maps, value translations, and write-back settings defines the "Interface". ShipGear comes with a default interface (My Interface) that allows you to begin shipping immediately. You do not need to set up or customize an interface in order to ship. You can also create multiple interfaces for use with different companies if you plan to map user-defined fields that vary between companies.

If you would like more control over how data is automatically translated between Macola and the carrier system or ShipGear, the following sections give you examples of how you can fine tune your interface :

• Map any carrier shipment field to a fixed value or to an available Macola field. You can view a pre-defined list of Macola fields by clicking on the magnifying glass icon next to the Macola Source field.

• Map user-defined fields to the carrier shipment fields.

• Customize value translations for field mappings such as “Ship Via” (in Macola) to “Service” fields (in the carrier system).

• Map Contact Fields to import contact information.

Open ShipGear Exchange and click the Customize Interface button.

To view or customize Field Mapping, Value Translations, and Write-Back settings, select a document from your Interface.

Change the Target

You can map and customize fields for both carriers and ShipGear on the Customize Interface screen. To change the target, select from the Target drop-down list.

Field Mapping

This example shows you how to map a user-defined field (that contains, for example, salesperson information) from the Macola Sales Order to a reference field on a carrier shipment screen.

1. In Customize Interface, select Orders.
2. Select an Input Field group from the left pane. Here, we will choose Reference because we want to map our Progression field to a field on the Reference tab in WorldShip.
3. In the center panel, identify the exact shipment field to map. We selected Reference 4 below.
4. Next, select the Source, on the right-most pane. Our selection will be Macola, so that the value will come from the Macola Orders.
5. Select the Order field to map; here we will select the User Defined 1 field from the Enter Orders/Extra tab. (You could also select a Fixed Value, in which case you would type in a value.)
6. Click Apply to save the field mapping.
   
   
   

Value Translations

Many fields in Macola are mapped by default as part of the basic interface (My Interface). If you want more control over how data is translated from Macola into shipment fields, you can add or customize field mapping and value translations to suit your company's needs.

For example, a common field map is from "Ship Via" in the financial system to a type of service field in the carrier system, such as Domestic Service. You can customize this field map based on the carrier values set up in Macola, as shown in this example.

1. If you are not already there, click Customize Interface (as in Step 1 above) and select the document (Orders, Customers).
2. Click on the Service Input Field group on the left.
3. In the center pane, click Domestic Service.
4. In My Interface, the Source is set to Progression and the source document field (Order field, etc.) is set to Ship Via by default. Click the "Click here to update value translations" link in order to modify or add values.
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
5. The Value Translations dialog shows you the way Shipping Method is currently mapped to the carrier system fields. You can translate the values from the current field to values in the carrier system by making selections from the drop-down lists.
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
6. Click OK and then click Apply to save your changes.