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Initial Setup

This guide walks you through the complete setup of the Hermes Shipment Connector step by step.

Prerequisites

Before you begin, make sure that:

  • [x] AD merchantCENTRAL Hub is installed and active
  • [x] You have your Hermes API credentials (Partner ID, Client ID, Client Secret)
  • [x] Your company's sender address is known

API Credentials

You can obtain the credentials from your Hermes contact or via the Hermes Business portal. For testing, you can first request sandbox credentials.

Step 1: Open Setup

  1. Open the Search (Alt+Q) in Business Central
  2. Type Hermes Setup
  3. Select Hermes Setup Card from the results

Step 2: Select Environment

Environment When to Use
Sandbox For testing — no real shipments, no costs
Production For live operations — real labels, real shipments

Recommendation

Always start with the Sandbox environment. Only switch to Production once all tests are successful.

  1. Set the Environment field to Sandbox
  2. The API Base URL is automatically set to https://api-sandbox.2mdc.de/

Step 3: Enter Partner ID

  1. Enter your Partner ID in the corresponding field
  2. The Partner ID identifies you as a shipper to Hermes

Step 4: Configure Credentials

Enter Client ID

  1. Click the Client ID field (shows "Not configured" in red)
  2. In the input dialog: Enter your OAuth2 Client ID
  3. Click OK
  4. The field now shows "Configured" in green

Enter Client Secret

  1. Click the Client Secret field (shows "Not configured" in red)
  2. In the input dialog: Enter your OAuth2 Client Secret
  3. Click OK
  4. The field now shows "Configured" in green

Security Note

Credentials are stored encrypted and cannot be viewed in plain text after entry. If lost, you must request new credentials from Hermes.

Step 5: Test Connection

  1. Click the Test Connection action (in the ribbon under "Process")
  2. On success: Message "Connection successful" ✓
  3. On failure: Check Client ID, Client Secret, and the selected environment

Troubleshooting

Common error causes:

  • 401 Unauthorized: Client ID or Client Secret is incorrect
  • 403 Forbidden: The credentials do not have permission for the selected environment
  • Timeout: Network issue or API not reachable

Step 6: Fill in Sender Address

Fill in all sender address fields:

Field Example
Sender Name Mustermann GmbH
Street Industriestraße
House No. 42
Post Code 90402
City Nürnberg
Country Code DE
Email shipping@mustermann.de
Phone +49 911 1234567

Step 7: Configure Default Formats

Parcel Class & Product

Setting Recommendation
Default Parcel Class Choose the size you ship most frequently
Default Product PARCEL for standard doorstep delivery

Label & Document Formats

Setting Thermal Printer Laser Printer
Label Format ZPL 100×150mm PDF A6
Doc Format ZPL2 PDF
Retoure Label Format PDF A6 PDF A6
Retoure Doc Format PDF PDF

Step 8: Enable Tracking (Optional)

  1. Set Tracking Enabled to Yes
  2. Set the Poll Interval (recommended: 60 minutes)

The system will now automatically query the status of open shipments from Hermes.

Step 9: Register License

  1. Click Register Demo in the ribbon
  2. Complete the registration wizard (company data, contact person)
  3. After successful registration, the license status shows Demo (yellow)

Step 10: Activate Connector

  1. Set the Active field to Yes
  2. The connector is now ready for use

Checklist Before Activation

Make sure all requirements are met:

  • ✅ Connection test successful
  • ✅ Sender address complete
  • ✅ Label formats configured
  • ✅ License registered (at least Demo)

Next Steps

After setup, you can: