Initial Setup DPD
This guide walks you through the initial setup of the DPD Shipping Connector in Business Central step by step. After completion, you can start creating DPD shipping labels right away.
Prerequisites
Before you begin, make sure you have the following:
- [x] DPD Customer Account β An active business customer account with DPD
- [x] Delis ID β Your DPD username (obtained from your DPD account manager)
- [x] Password β Your DPD password
- [x] merchantCENTRAL Hub β The merchantCENTRAL Hub app must be installed
- [x] DPD Connector β The app "AD merchantCENTRAL Shipment DPD" must be installed
Sandbox vs. Production Access
DPD offers a sandbox mode for testing. Make sure to activate this first before working with real shipments! The sandbox URL is automatically set when you enable sandbox mode.
Step 1: Open Setup Page
There are three ways to open the DPD setup page:
Option 1 β Via Search:
- Press ++alt+q++ (or the search field in the top right)
- Type DPD Shipment Setup
- Click on the search result
Option 2 β Via the merchantCENTRAL Dashboard:
- Open the merchantCENTRAL Dashboard
- Navigate to Shipping Providers
- Click on DPD
Option 3 β Via the Shipping Providers List:
- Open the Shipping Providers list
- Find the entry DPD
- Click Open Setup in the action bar
Automatic Initial Creation
When the setup page is opened for the first time, an empty record is automatically created. You don't need to create anything manually.
Step 2: Enter API Credentials
In the API Credentials section, enter your DPD credentials:
2.1 API Base URL
The standard URLs are:
| Environment | URL |
|---|---|
| Production | https://public-ws.dpd.com/services/ |
| Sandbox | https://public-ws-stage.dpd.com/services/ |
Recommendation: Start with Sandbox
Always start with the sandbox environment. To do so, enable the Sandbox Mode field β the URL will automatically switch to the sandbox address.
2.2 Credentials
| Field | What to Enter? | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Delis ID | Your DPD Delis ID / username | ALTENBRAND |
| Password | Your DPD password (displayed masked) | *** |
| Message Language | Language for API error messages | de_DE |
Password Security
The password is stored encrypted in Business Central IsolatedStorage β not as plain text in the database. After entry, it is only displayed as ***.
Step 3: Test Connection
Before proceeding, test the connection:
- Click Test Connection in the action bar
- Business Central sends an authentication request to the DPD LoginService
-
On success, a message appears:
β Connection successful. Customer UID:
XXXXXX, Depot:0190 -
The fields Customer UID and Depot in the Authentication Cache section are automatically populated
Connection Failed?
Possible causes:
- Wrong Delis ID or password β Check your credentials
- Wrong URL β Make sure the API Base URL is correct
- Firewall/Proxy β The BC server must be able to reach
public-ws.dpd.com(port 443) - Account locked β Contact your DPD account manager
β Further help: Troubleshooting
Step 4: Enter Shipper Address
In the Shipper Address section, enter your shipper address. This will be printed as the sender on every DPD label.
| Field | Description | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Shipper Name | Company name (line 1) | ALTENBRAND Datentechnik GmbH |
| Shipper Name 2 | Additional line (line 2, optional) | Shipping Dept. |
| Shipper Street | Street | Am Brunnenfeld |
| Shipper House No. | House number | 1 |
| Shipper Post Code | Postal code | 86511 |
| Shipper City | City | Schmiechen |
| Shipper Country Code | Country code (ISO-2) | DE |
| Shipper Contact Name | Contact person | Max Mustermann |
| Shipper Email | Email address | versand@altenbrand.de |
| Shipper Phone | Phone number | +49 8206 96200 |
Required Fields
The fields Shipper Name, Shipper Street, Shipper House No., Shipper Post Code, Shipper City, and Shipper Country Code are mandatory. Without this information, no label can be created.
Step 5: Configure Default Settings
In the Default Settings section, set default values that will be pre-filled for each new shipment:
5.1 Default Product
| Product | Code | When to Use? |
|---|---|---|
| DPD Classic | CL |
Standard domestic shipping (1β2 business days) |
| DPD Express 8:30 | E830 |
Guaranteed delivery by 8:30 AM on the next business day |
| DPD Express 12:00 | E12 |
Guaranteed delivery by 12:00 PM on the next business day |
| DPD Express 18:00 | E18 |
Guaranteed delivery by 6:00 PM on the next business day |
| DPD International Express | IE2 |
International express shipping |
| DPD ParcelShop | PL |
Delivery to a DPD ParcelShop |
| DPD Mail | MAIL |
Letter shipments |
| DPD MAX | MAX |
Large parcels up to 31.5 kg |
Recommendation
For most business customers, DPD Classic (CL) is the right choice. This product is suggested by default.
5.2 Paper Format
| Format | Description |
|---|---|
| A4 | Standard printer paper β label is printed on a DIN A4 sheet |
| A6 | Half-page β suitable for thermal printers or special label holders |
| A7 | Small format β for compact label printers |
5.3 Output Format
| Format | Description | Usage |
|---|---|---|
| Standard PDF file | Standard laser printers or PDF viewers | |
| ZPL | Zebra Programming Language | Zebra thermal printers (directly via TCP/IP or USB) |
Which Format?
If you use a standard office printer β choose PDF. If you have a Zebra thermal printer β choose ZPL.
5.4 Default Weight
Enter a default weight in grams that will be pre-filled for new shipments (e.g. 1000 for 1 kg). This weight is only used when no weight is specified on the item.
Step 6: Configure Tracking URL
In the Tracking section, a default URL for shipment tracking is pre-configured:
https://tracking.dpd.de/status/%1
The placeholder %1 is automatically replaced with the DPD parcel number. This URL is used in shipping confirmations sent to customers.
Customization Usually Not Required
The default URL works for all DPD shipments in Germany. You only need to modify the URL if you use your own tracking service.
Step 7: Set Up Incoterm Mapping (International Shipping Only)
If you ship internationally, set up the Incoterm mapping:
- Click Incoterm Mapping in the action bar
- A list opens where you can assign DPD-specific customs values to each BC shipment method code
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| Shipment Method Code | BC shipment method code (e.g. DAP, DDP) |
| Description | Automatically populated from the shipment method table |
| DPD Incoterm | DPD Incoterm (DAP, DDP, EXW) |
| DPD Payment Term | Customs payment terms |
| DPD Clearance Cleared | Customs clearance status |
β Details: International Shipments
International Shipping Only
If you ship exclusively within Germany, you can skip this step.
Setup Complete β
After these steps, your DPD Connector is ready to use. You can now:
- Create Labels β Create single or multiple shipping labels
- Create Return Labels β Generate return labels for customers
Checklist
Use this checklist to ensure everything is set up correctly:
- [ ] Delis ID and password entered
- [ ] Test Connection successful (Customer UID + Depot displayed)
- [ ] Shipper address complete (Name, Street, Postal Code, City, Country)
- [ ] Default product selected (e.g. CL for DPD Classic)
- [ ] Paper format selected (A4, A6, or A7)
- [ ] Output format selected (PDF or ZPL)
- [ ] Default weight entered
- [ ] Optional: Incoterm mapping for international shipping configured