FedEx REST Onboarding Requirements and Configuration Guides [Information]

Modified on Tue, 28 Apr at 4:45 PM

This article serves as the central hub for integrating FedEx REST with techSHIP. It details the necessary credentials for onboarding, explains the configuration hierarchy required to start shipping, and outlines operational constraints specific to this carrier.

To review all supported carriers and their specific requirements, see: techSHIP supported Carriers - Master List [Guides List].

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Onboarding Requirements
Configuration Hierarchy and Guides
Carrier Specifications and Constraints
- Label References
- Operational Constraints

Onboarding Requirements

Before configuring FedEx REST in techSHIP, you must gather the required account information and make sure the FedEx account can complete address validation and authentication.

Information to be Provided

The following credentials and data points are mandatory to establish the connection. Ensure you have these items available before starting the setup:

DATA ELEMENT	SOURCE (HOW TO OBTAIN)
Account Number	FedEx account number, as provided by FedEx.
Sender Address	Pickup address for the shipments.

Information to be Provided for Address Validation

The following information is required to validate the FedEx account address:

DATA ELEMENT	SOURCE (HOW TO OBTAIN)
Account Number	FedEx account number, as provided by FedEx.
Customer Name	Customer or company name with which the FedEx account is registered.
Full Registered Billing Address	Full billing address under which the FedEx account is registered.

Information to be Provided for Authentication

To complete authentication, you must have access to one of the following validation methods. Having an additional method available as backup is recommended:

DATA ELEMENT	SOURCE (HOW TO OBTAIN)
SMS	Access to the phone registered for the FedEx account to receive the validation code via SMS.
Phone Call	Access to the phone registered for the FedEx account to receive the validation code via Phone Call.
E-Mail	Access to the email registered for the FedEx account to receive the validation code via E-Mail.
Invoice	A valid invoice set including Invoice Number, Invoice Date, Amount, and Currency.

If you are setting up accounts as Ship-on-Behalf, or do not have access to the phone or email linked to the FedEx account, use the Invoice option to avoid depending on the account holder’s availability.

Configuration Hierarchy and Guides

To establish a valid connection and start shipping, you must complete the mandatory levels in the following order:

Gather Onboarding Requirements ➔

Carrier Baseline Account ➔
Client (Billing) Account

Use the table below to access the detailed configuration guides for each level, by clicking in the blue icons:

LEVEL	COMPONENT	MANDATORY	SCOPE	DESCRIPTION	CONFIGURATION GUIDE
1	Onboarding Requirements		Requirements	You are here.
2	Baseline Account		Carrier	Establishes the core technical connection. Must be created first.
3	(Billing) Account		Client	Connects a specific client to the Baseline. At least one is required to ship.
4	Order Settings		Transaction	Defines advanced service options.

Carrier Specifications and Constraints

This section outlines specific operational behaviors and data limitations inherent to the FedEx REST integration.

Labels

The following table summarizes BOL and label support specific to this carrier:

ITEM	SUPPORTED
Label
References
BOL

The table below specifies the Label References configuration available for FedEx REST. References are configured in the Client (Billing) Account and can be used to print supported order data on the carrier label:

CONSTRAINT TYPE	LIMIT/REQUIREMENT	NOTES
Max. References Supported	4 References	Reference 1, Reference 2, Reference 3, and Reference 4 are available in the Client (Billing) Account.
Reference Type	Required per configured reference	Each reference has a corresponding Reference type field that defines the data mapped to the label reference.
Configuration Scope	Billing Account	Label references are configured in the Client (Billing) Account, not directly in the Baseline Account.

For a comprehensive guide on how to use label references, see: Using order References in your labels [Step-by-Step guide].

Operational Constraints

This section details specific operational rules and limitations imposed by FedEx. These constraints are enforced by the carrier and must be considered when planning your shipping workflow:

Connection and Authentication Constraints

FedEx REST account setup requires successful account registration, address validation, and authentication before the connection can be completed.
Supported authentication methods include SMS, Phone Call, E-Mail, and Invoice.
If you are setting up accounts as Ship-on-Behalf, or do not have access to the phone or email linked to the FedEx account, use Invoice authentication to avoid depending on the account holder’s availability.

During first-time setup, FedEx might not have enabled the account keys or Address Validation Services yet. If processing fails with 1000 - AUTHENTICATION ERROR, try processing later or contact the FedEx representative.

Client (Billing) Account-related Constraints

Label References are configured in the Client (Billing) Account. FedEx REST supports up to 4 references, each with a corresponding Reference type.
Address Validation can affect rates, services, and residential delivery behavior. When enabled, it can also support automatic switching between FedEx Ground and FedEx Ground Home when applicable.
FedEx One Rate requires branded packaging and specific Client (Billing) Account configuration before it can be used.
International document workflows, including CUSMA and Electronic Trade Documents, may require additional Client (Billing) Account or item-level configuration.

Dangerous Goods is not fully available for FedEx REST connections and may require additional Client (Billing) Account configuration. If you ship Dangerous Goods, validate the supported workflow before configuring the account.