
You can do this by filling out this form. Please keep in mind that this is my first CodeProject article, so go easy! :) USPS Web Toolsīefore you can use this library, you will need to get a USPS Web Tools ID. (This library will work in ASP.NET Web applications also.) The USPS Web tools are fairly easy to integrate, but I wanted to create a reusable component that I could use in future projects.
USPS COM WEBTOOLS WINDOWS
I was in need of a library that would integrate the USPS Web Tools into my Windows form application.
USPS COM WEBTOOLS CODE
I will post them here on The Code Project when I am finished, but you can check this Web site until then for updates and to contact me directly. The DHL version should be the next one I release. We recommended the Postal Service consider the feasibility of implementing API services offered to external customers by its competitors and foreign posts, assign a responsible organization to review the Web Tools API customer usage data, and define functional requirements and implement the API management tool as planned.UPDATE: I am working on a FedEx, UPS and DHL version of this tool. Management stated that they are in the process of defining functional requirements and plan to have this tool implemented by October 2017. This tool offers monitoring capabilities that have the ability to track customer usage information and performance metrics. In 2017, the Postal Service procured an API management tool that should enhance governance over its external APIs. Without a process in place to analyze customer usage data, the Postal Service may not have information readily available to make decisions regarding future API demands or to determine whether or not to retire APIs. This occurred because management did not agree on which group was responsible for reviewing and making decisions about the captured usage data. We also identified that, while the Postal Service collects customer API usage data, it is not currently using that information to plan for future needs.


The Postal Service has not conducted a comparative analysis of its API offerings against competitors and foreign posts, therefore, it may be missing opportunities for creating additional APIs to improve the customer experience. Examples include APIs for locating post offices, estimating duties and taxes for shipments, and allowing customers to select a delivery address. Our benchmarking analysis identified several APIs offered by competitors and foreign posts that the Postal Service should consider offering to external customers. Overall, the Postal Service has taken measures to establish governance over its external Web Tools API services.īased on our benchmarking, the Postal Service offers more external APIs to its customers than its major competitors do however, opportunities still exist to enhance its API services. The Postal Service also maintains an inventory of all external Web Tools APIs and user guides, and has an automated process to collect customer usage data.
USPS COM WEBTOOLS SOFTWARE
Defined processes exist for customers to register online in order to gain access to the APIs, and the Postal Service follows their internal software development process for implementing new APIs.


We determined that the Postal Service Web Tools APIs are configured and generally managed in accordance with Postal Service standards and industry best practices. Our objective was to determine if Postal Service APIs were configured and managed in accordance with Postal Service standards and industry best practices, and if opportunities exist to enhance API services. As the Postal Service strives to achieve the USPS Future Ready goals of improving the customer experience and investing in digital platforms, APIs can provide more automated services to meet customer needs. In 2016, these APIs processed over 46.4 billion requests (an average of about 3.8 billion each month) for over 70,000 customers. This is possible because companies can use Postal Service APIs to seamlessly retrieve shipping and tracking information and display that information on their websites automatically, saving its customers time and effort.Ĭurrently, the Postal Service offers 34 external APIs to its customers. For example, ecommerce companies can help their customers track orders shipped by the Postal Service directly from their own websites. Postal Service’s Web Tools Application Programming Interfaces (API) provide a means for web developers and customers to integrate online Postal Service information and services into their websites.
