Custom Transsmart integration
Appfront builds custom integrations with Transsmart, part of nShift since 2021, that fully automate your shipping process from your webshop, ERP or WMS. Through the Transsmart Web API you notify shipments, automatically select the right carrier, generate labels and feed track & trace back to your systems. You ship faster and with fewer errors, with a single integration to all your carriers at once.
What is a Transsmart integration?
Transsmart is a shipping and carrier management platform that connects your systems to a large number of carriers through one standardised integration. Instead of maintaining a separate API for each carrier, you connect once to Transsmart and select the right carrier for each shipment. Transsmart handles the notification, the label and the status updates.
In practice, a custom integration means: shipments are notified automatically from your webshop, ERP or WMS, including weight, dimensions and item information; carrier select rules choose the cheapest or fastest carrier for each order; labels are generated in the correct format for your printers; and webhooks write track & trace status back to your own system, so customer service and the warehouse see the same information.
Since 2021, Transsmart has been part of nShift and is offered as nShift Transsmart; the product and Web API remain available and continue to be developed. Appfront builds to the OWASP ASVS security standard and tunes carrier rules, label handling and error processing to your actual shipping process, so the integration stays reliable during peak periods and sales.
One integration, all carriers
Through Transsmart you reach PostNL, DHL, UPS, DPD, GLS, FedEx and more with a single integration. You don't need to build and maintain a separate API for each carrier. New carriers can be switched on without reconnecting your system.
Smart carrier selection
Using carrier select rules, the system automatically chooses the cheapest or fastest carrier for each shipment, based on destination, weight and service level. Manual override remains possible whenever an order requires it.
Labels and track & trace
Transsmart generates shipping labels straight away in ZPL, PDF or base64 and harmonises status updates from all carriers into one model. Track & trace feeds back into your webshop and customer service, so everyone sees the same status.
Our development process for Transsmart integrations
We work with a proven method that removes uncertainty early and delivers a stable integration. From an initial analysis of your shipping process, carriers and WMS or webshop integration through to go-live and ongoing maintenance, every step is aimed at an integration that your warehouse and customer service teams can understand and trust.
We map out which carriers you use, which system shipments are notified from, which carrier select rules apply, and whether returns and track & trace feedback are needed.
We design the integration architecture, choose the right authentication for the Transsmart Web API and define an error handling strategy for failed notifications and labels.
Implementation with automated tests, structured logging and monitoring. We test against the Transsmart environment and you see working builds along the way.
Controlled go-live with validation of labels and tracking, followed by ongoing management and further development for each new carrier or shipping flow.
What a Transsmart integration delivers in practice
Every Transsmart integration is tailored to your carriers, shipping flows and adjacent systems. Below are the features we most often deliver for organisations that use Transsmart as part of their shipping process.
Registering shipments via the Web API
Picked and packed orders are automatically registered as shipments with Transsmart, including weight, dimensions, parcels and item information. No more manual entry per package: your WMS or webshop sends the shipment through to the Web API in real time.
Multi-carrier selection
Carrier select rules determine the right carrier for each order based on destination, weight, service level and cost. You optimise for cheapest or fastest, with country-specific preferences and the option to override manually per order.
Generating and printing labels
Shipping labels are available immediately in ZPL, PDF or base64, suited to your label or Zebra printers at the packing station. Includes automatic manifest creation, so the daily handover to the carrier runs smoothly.
Track & trace feedback
Transsmart harmonises the status events of all carriers into one model. We write those statuses back to your webshop and customer service, so customers and staff always see the current delivery status without searching per carrier.
Returns and return labels
Return labels and a returns flow that fits your e-commerce process: included with the shipment or generated on request. The return status feeds back into your system so that the warehouse and customer service can process returns on time.
Webhooks & status processing
Your system receives real-time status updates via webhooks: registered, in transit, delivered or delayed. We set up retry mechanisms and signature validation so no update is lost and you can reliably act on exceptions and delays.
Typical use cases in practice
A Transsmart integration looks very different from one organisation to the next. We see a number of recurring patterns — and for each of them we have a proven setup that takes carrier selection, label handling and track & trace feedback into account.
Webshops & e-commerce
Webshops on Shopify, WooCommerce or Magento that want orders registered as shipments automatically. For each order the system selects the right carrier, prints the label at the packing station and feeds track & trace back to the customer and customer service. See also our e-commerce development and the Sendcloud integration.
Retail & omnichannel
Retailers that ship both online and from stores, with ship-from-store and click & collect. A single integration sends all shipping flows through Transsmart, so branches and the warehouse use the same carrier selection and labels, and delivery status is reflected consistently everywhere.
Fulfilment & 3PL
Fulfilment partners and 3PL providers that ship for multiple clients, each with their own carriers and service levels. Via the WMS we integrate Transsmart so that shipments are registered automatically and the correct carrier rules and labels are applied per client.
Wholesale & B2B
Wholesalers and B2B suppliers that combine pallet shipments, cartons and parcels to business customers. Transsmart selects the appropriate carrier and service level for each order, and the integration with your ERP keeps order status and track & trace in sync with your customer portal.
Technology we use
We build Transsmart integrations using the official Web API and webhooks, combined with the backend stack that suits you. The precise choice depends on your webshop, ERP or WMS integration and your printing setup — so that your own team can manage or further develop the integration.
Why Appfront for your Transsmart integration?
Appfront has extensive experience building API integrations for a wide range of organisations in the Netherlands. We always start with a thorough analysis of your existing systems and processes. An integration should not only work technically, but also add practical value to the way you work.
For every integration, we write clear documentation and make sure your own team, or any future supplier, can understand and manage it. No black box, just transparent code and clear agreements on monitoring, alerting and maintenance.
You work with a dedicated point of contact who understands both the technical and the functional side. This keeps communication short, prevents misunderstandings and speeds up decisions when choices need to be made during development.
See also our wider services around API integrations, middleware, custom software and web app development. If you ship through multiple platforms, take a look at our other integrations too.
- Experience with the Transsmart Web API and nShift integrations
- Specialists in webshop, ERP and WMS integrations
- Experienced with carrier selection rules, labels and track & trace
- Secure by default: API key rotation, webhook signature validation, scoped permissions
- Structured error handling and retry mechanisms
- Comprehensive logging and monitoring from day one
- Clear documentation your team can read and manage
- A fixed point of contact, no account managers passed around
- Ongoing maintenance and proactive further development
- A way of working aligned with your existing IT landscape
Security and privacy in Transsmart integrations
A shipping integration always processes recipients' address and contact details — which means personal data. Appfront builds to the OWASP ASVS. That includes: API keys stored in secure vaults, webhook signature validation, encryption in transit and regular audits of the shipping and label flows. We deliberately process only the address data needed to register and deliver a shipment.
We document the data flows, carrier integrations and the way address data is stored and passed on, so that your record of processing activities is complete and you can demonstrate compliance with the GDPR. We do not keep address data longer than necessary and only pass it on to the carrier actually performing the shipment.
More on our security approach: information security policy and CVD policy.
- GDPR-compliant data processing and data minimisation
- Encryption in transit (TLS 1.2+) and at rest
- Role-based access and least-privilege principles
- Audit logs with traceable data flows
- Automatic retries and dead-letter queues for shipments
- Monitoring and alerting for anomalies
- Secrets management in line with best practice
- Address data minimisation and disclosure only to the selected carrier
Frequently asked questions about Transsmart integrations
Answers to the questions we receive most often about Transsmart implementations.
A Transsmart integration is a technical link between Transsmart (part of nShift) and another system, such as your webshop, ERP or warehouse management system. Through the Transsmart Web API, shipments are registered programmatically, the right carrier is selected, labels are generated, and track and trace updates flow back into your system. An integration can be simple (one carrier, printing labels) or extensive (carrier select rules, returns, webhooks and status dashboards).
Yes. In 2021, Transsmart merged with Consignor, Unifaun and Webshipper to form nShift, and it is now offered as nShift Transsmart. The product and the Web API remain available and are being further developed under the nShift brand. For your integration, this means we work with the current Transsmart Web API and nShift documentation; existing Transsmart integrations continue to work as normal.
Transsmart gives you access to a large number of carriers through a single standardised integration, including PostNL, DHL, UPS, DPD, GLS, FedEx and TNT. Because the carriers sit behind Transsmart, you don't need to maintain a separate API for each one. With carrier select rules, the system automatically chooses the cheapest or fastest option for each shipment, with the option to override manually.
We integrate Transsmart with webshops (such as Shopify, WooCommerce and Magento), ERP systems, WMS packages and custom applications. Picked and packed shipments are passed to Transsmart including weight, dimensions and item information, and the returned labels, tracking codes and statuses are written back into your own system, so customer service and the warehouse work from a single source of truth.
We work with the official Transsmart Web API and webhooks, combined with the backend stack that suits you: Node.js, Python, PHP, .NET, Ruby or Go. We handle labels in ZPL, PDF or base64, depending on your printer setup. We harmonise status updates into a single model so that updates from different carriers reach your system consistently.
The cost is determined by the complexity of the data flows, the number of systems to connect, the number of carriers and carrier select rules, and the amount of custom work involved in returns, webhooks and status processing. Ongoing management, monitoring and support also affect the total investment. We always provide a clear quote following a no-obligation analysis of your situation.
Yes. When shipping, you process recipients' address and contact details, which is always personal data. Appfront builds to OWASP ASVS: API keys are stored in secure vaults, webhook signatures are validated, data is encrypted in transit, and rights are scoped per integration. We only process the address data needed to ship and document the data flows, so your record of processing activities stays complete and you can demonstrate GDPR compliance.
Yes. Appfront regularly takes over existing Transsmart or nShift integrations, even when they were originally set up by another party. We review the API integration, carrier select rules, label handling and error processing, document the current setup and propose improvements. From then on, we can handle adjustments, extensions and monitoring, including timely API key rotation.
Ready to build your Transsmart integration?
Tell us which carriers you ship with and which webshop, ERP or WMS Transsmart needs to connect to. We're happy to help with carrier select rules, labels, returns and track and trace. In a no-obligation first conversation, we'll sketch out a clear picture of what's possible together. Get in touch to discuss your options.