Download Packing Instructions

Overview

Fetch the generated Packing Instructions (PI) file for an order after optimization has produced it—typically within a few minutes of submission.

HTTP method

GET

Authentication

API key (see API Authentication)

Success

Binary file (PDF or Excel per lane rules)

Note

Webhooks (recommended): Set up Webhooks and subscribe to packing_instructions.ready (see Webhook events). When the event arrives, download the PI—no need to poll blindly.

Polling: If you poll this URL instead, expect 400 responses until the PI exists (see Errors (4xx)). Use exponential backoff, keep the interval compatible with API rate limits, and avoid tight loops.

Request

Endpoint

GET

{base url}/api/v1/orders/download-packing-instructions/

Query parameters

Parameter

Type

Description

order

String

Required. Your shipment reference or Alpha ID. Whitespace-only values are rejected.

Responses

Success (200 OK)

What you receive

The response is streamed bytes of the packing instructions file. The format (PDF or Excel) is determined by the lane’s PO or CO business rules (packing_instructions_file_format, default PDF), not by a query parameter.

Standard download headers apply:

Header

Role

Content-Type

Derived from the filename (often application/pdf or Excel MIME type).

Content-Disposition

attachment with a suggested filename for browsers and HTTP clients.

Save the raw response to disk, forward it as an attachment, or stream it to your users unchanged.

Example (curl)

curl -sS -H "Authorization: Api-Key YOUR_KEY" \
     "BASE_URL/api/v1/orders/download-packing-instructions/?order=YOUR_REF" \
     -o packing_instructions.pdf

Replace BASE_URL with your environment base URL (see API Base URLs).

Tip

Do not parse a successful 200 body as JSON—there is no wrapper object or URL-in-JSON payload.

Errors (4xx)

Errors return JSON. Typical cases:

HTTP

Meaning

What to do

400

No matching order for order in your API key scope

Fix the identifier or confirm the order belongs to your tenant

400

Order exists but PI not generated yet

Wait and retry; contact support if it exceeds ~10 minutes

403

Bad or missing API key

Fix Authorization header

Order not found (400) 

{
  "order": [
    "No order found matching the provided reference."
  ]
}

Shipments that belong to other API customers are invisible; you see the same message as for a typo—by design.

PI not ready yet (400) 

{
  "order": [
    "Packing instructions not available yet, please try after couple of minutes. If not ready within 10 minutes, reach out to our support team"
  ]
}

Optimization may still be running. Retry after a short pause.

Invalid or missing API key (403)

No JSON body is guaranteed; ensure the Authorization: Api-Key … header is present and valid.