Overview
DHL Express is the global courier. The Automize DHL connector covers shipment creation + tracking, rates, scheduled pickups, address validation, and product (service tier) listing via DHL Express MyDHL API.
- Regions: Global. Account scoping is per-country DHL Express Account Number.
- Plans: DHL Express Business + EasyShip accounts get API access. Contact DHL local rep to onboard.
Setting up the connection
Auth type: HTTP Basic.
- Apply for DHL Express API access at developer.dhl.com → Get Access.
- Receive API Key + Secret + your DHL Express Account Number.
- In Automize, open Settings → Connectors → DHL → Add connection. API Key as username, Secret as password. Pass account number on each request.
Find your credentials at https://developer.dhl.com/.
Rate limits
DHL enforces per-account limits – varies by contract. Connector retries with backoff.
Data model
Shipping primitives:
Account ─── Shipments ── Tracking Events
Pickup Schedules
Products (service tiers: Express, Worldwide, etc.)Available operations
7 operations available. Click any row to jump to its detail.
| Operation | Category | What it does |
|---|---|---|
| Cancel Pickup | General | Cancel a scheduled pickup |
| Create Shipment | General | Create a new shipment |
| Get Rates | General | Get shipping rates |
| List Products | General | List available DHL products |
| Schedule Pickup | General | Schedule a courier pickup |
| Track Shipment | General | Track a shipment by number |
| Validate Address | General | Validate a shipping address |
Operations
Cancel Pickup
Cancel a scheduled pickup
| Parameter | Required | Type | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
Dispatchconfirmationnumber dispatchConfirmationNumber | Yes | text |
Tips
- dispatchConfirmationNumber. Cancellable up to ~1 hour before pickup window.
Create Shipment
Create a new shipment
| Parameter | Required | Type | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
Plannedshippingdateandtime plannedShippingDateAndTime | Yes | text | |
Pickup pickup | Yes | text | |
Productcode productCode | Yes | text | |
Accounts accounts | Yes | text | |
Customerdetails customerDetails | Yes | text | |
Content content | Yes | textarea |
Tips
- Full shipment object – origin + destination + contents + product code.
- Returns shipment ID + tracking number + label (base64).
Get Rates
Get shipping rates
| Parameter | Required | Type | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
Customerdetails customerDetails | Yes | text | |
Accounts accounts | Yes | text | |
Plannedshippingdateandtime plannedShippingDateAndTime | Yes | text | |
Unitofmeasurement unitOfMeasurement | Yes | text | |
Content content | Yes | textarea | |
Productcode productCode | Yes | text |
Tips
- customerDetails + accounts + plannedShippingDateAndTime + unitOfMeasurement (metric/imperial) + content.
- productCode optional – leave blank to get all available products.
List Products
List available DHL products
No input parameters.
Tips
- Returns service tiers available to your account (Express Worldwide, Domestic Express, etc.).
Schedule Pickup
Schedule a courier pickup
| Parameter | Required | Type | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
Plannedpickupdateandtime plannedPickupDateAndTime | Yes | text | |
Accounts accounts | Yes | text | |
Customerdetails customerDetails | Yes | text | |
Shipmentdetails shipmentDetails | Yes | text |
Tips
- plannedPickupDateAndTime + accounts + customerDetails + shipmentDetails.
- Returns dispatchConfirmationNumber for cancellation reference.
Track Shipment
Track a shipment by number
No input parameters.
Tips
- shipmentTrackingNumber + optional levelOfDetail (all-checkpoints, last-checkpoint-only).
Validate Address
Validate a shipping address
No input parameters.
Tips
- Verify address before creating shipment. Returns cleaned address + service availability.
FAQ
- Why does my shipment fail with 'invalid product code'?
- Product codes are country-pair-specific. List Products for your origin to discover valid codes. Common: P (Express Worldwide), D (Domestic Express).
- Customs forms?
- International shipments need full content declarations + HS codes. DHL generates the customs documents from your Create Shipment payload.
- MyDHL API vs older DHL XML?
- Connector uses MyDHL API v2 (REST). Legacy XML API is deprecated. New builds should use v2.