Introduction

United Parcel Service, Inc. (UPS) is an American multinational shipping & receiving and supply chain management company.

Configuration UPS with your UltraCart Account

To add UPS as a shipping carrier, navigate:
Main Menu → Configuration → (Checkout) Shipping

You will be presented with a list of available Shipping Carriers. Select the checkbox for UPS.

Once the checkbox is selected, UPS will appear in within the ‘Shipping Config’ menu, click on UPS to view the UPS configuration section:

Connecting to UPS via OAuth

You will need to authenticate with UPS by clicking on Authorize Production and Authorize Sandbox buttons that appear in each Column above the Account Number fields.

The Account Number field is populated by completing the OAuth step after clicking the appropriate ‘Authorize’ button.

You’ll then configure the remaining ‘Sender’ field with your company details, as you configured it when you created your UPS account.

UPS Shipper Configuration – Field Reference

Field Name	Section	Notes	Default Value / Example

Field Name	Section	Notes	Default Value / Example
Account Number	Production Environment	Required UPS account number.	(e.g., 1234567)
Sender Attention Name	Production Environment	Contact person’s name.	Joe Sample
Company Displayable Name	Production Environment	Name shown on shipping labels.	UltraCart
Sender Company	Production Environment	Company name.	UltraCart
Sender Address Line 1	Production Environment	Street address.	123 Address Way Road
Sender Address Line 2	Production Environment	Additional address line (optional).	(blank)
Sender City	Production Environment	City of sender.	Atlanta
Sender State	Production Environment	State/province abbreviation.	GA
Sender Postal Code	Production Environment	Postal/ZIP code.	30319
Sender Country	Production Environment	Country selector dropdown.	United States
Sender Phone Number	Production Environment	Contact phone number.	770-527-2373
Sender Fax	Production Environment	Optional, for International GAA shipments.	(blank)
Sender Email	Production Environment	Optional, for International GAA shipments.	(blank)
Label Format	Production Environment	Dropdown format type.	ZPL
Label Size	Production Environment	Dropdown label size.	4x6
Account Number	Test Environment	Test account number for sandbox authorization.	(blank)
Sender Attention Name	Test Environment	Contact person’s name.	(blank)
Company Displayable Name	Test Environment	Name shown on test labels.	(blank)
Sender Company	Test Environment	Company name.	(blank)
Sender Address Line 1	Test Environment	Street address.	(blank)
Sender Address Line 2	Test Environment	Additional address line (optional).	(blank)
Sender City	Test Environment	City of sender.	(blank)
Sender State	Test Environment	State/province abbreviation.	(blank)
Sender Postal Code	Test Environment	Postal/ZIP code.	(blank)
Sender Country	Test Environment	Country selector dropdown.	(blank)
Sender Phone Number	Test Environment	Contact phone number.	(blank)
Sender Fax	Test Environment	Optional, for International GAA shipments.	(blank)
Sender Email	Test Environment	Optional, for International GAA shipments.	(blank)
Label Format	Test Environment	Dropdown format type.	ZPL
Label Size	Test Environment	Dropdown label size.	4x6
Web Service Environment	General Settings	Environment selection.	production
Rate Schedule	General Settings	Frequency of rate updates.	daily
Billing Option	General Settings	Who pays for shipping.	Shipper
Quantum View Notification	General Settings	Checkbox to enable UPS Quantum View.	Enabled (checked)
Signature Required When Value	General Settings	Dollar value threshold for signature required.	$ ___ (blank by default)
Include Clearance Entry Fee	Customs	Adds UPS clearance entry fee.	Checked
Merchant Paid Duties	Customs	Shipper pays duties.	Unchecked
Upload Paperless Document	Customs	File upload field.	No file chosen
Upload Document Type	Customs	Document type for upload.	Authorization Form
Valid Paperless Document Formats	Customs	Accepted file formats for upload.	.bmp, .doc/.docx, .gif, .jpg, .pdf, .png, .rtf, .tif, .txt, .xls/.xlsx

FAQ

Question: What if I do not have an authorized UPS account connection?
Answer: If you are not Authenticated with UPS, then UltraCart will estimate with standard list rates for shipments originating in the US or destined for the US only.

Question: Can I test UPS shipping rates without affecting my live account?
Answer: Yes. Use the Test Environment section and click Authorize Sandbox. This allows you to validate configuration and test rate responses without charging your live UPS account.

Question: What does the Billing Option field control?
Answer: The Billing Option determines who pays for shipping charges. For example, choosing Shipper means your UPS account will be billed. Other billing options (such as Recipient or Third Party) may be available depending on your UPS account setup.

Question: What is the purpose of the Quantum View Notification checkbox?
Answer: Enabling Quantum View Notifications allows UPS to send shipment status updates directly to your customers, improving visibility and reducing support requests.

Question: How does the Signature Required When Value setting work?
Answer: This setting lets you automatically require a signature if the order’s declared value is greater than or equal to the specified dollar amount. For example, entering $250 ensures that any order over $250 will require a customer signature upon delivery.

Question: Do I need to upload paperless documents for every shipment?
Answer: Paperless document uploads are only required for international shipments where customs clearance forms (such as a Commercial Invoice or Authorization Form) are needed. For domestic shipments, this setting can be left unused.

Question: What file formats are supported for paperless document uploads?
Answer: Supported formats include: .bmp, .doc/.docx, .gif, .jpg, .pdf, .png, .rtf, .tif, .txt, .xls/.xlsx. Make sure your UPS account is enabled for paperless documents before uploading.

Question: How are label format and label size used?
Answer: These settings determine the type and dimensions of the shipping label generated. The most common settings are ZPL format with a 4x6 size, which works with most thermal printers used in fulfillment environments.

Troubleshooting

Problem: Authentication failed with UPS.
Solution: Verify that your UPS account number, username, and password are correct. If you recently changed your UPS account credentials, update them in UltraCart and reauthorize.

Problem: No shipping rates are being returned.
Solution:

Confirm that the Web Service Environment is set correctly (production vs. test).
Ensure that you are using a valid UPS account for the shipping origin country.
If unauthenticated, only shipments originating in or destined to the US will return standard list rates.

Problem: Paperless document upload rejected.
Solution: Make sure the uploaded file is in an accepted format (.pdf, .docx, .jpg, etc.) and that your UPS account is enabled for Paperless Invoice. If unsure, contact UPS to confirm your account permissions.

Problem: Label size or format does not print correctly.
Solution:

Ensure your thermal printer supports the selected label format (e.g., ZPL).
Verify that the Label Size matches your printer media (commonly 4x6).
If printing from PDF, ensure scaling is disabled in your print dialog.

Problem: Signature required not triggering on high-value orders.
Solution: Double-check the value entered in Signature Required When Value. If blank, no threshold is enforced. Enter a numeric value (e.g., 250) to ensure orders above that amount require a signature.

Next Steps

Once you have completed your UPS shipper configuration, you may want to review related shipping setup guides to ensure your store supports all the carriers you need:

Tip: Most merchants configure multiple carriers (UPS, FedEx, USPS) to ensure competitive rates and reliable service options for their customers.