How to Create a Good Shipment Tracker

Introduction

To get accurate and complete tracking information with Ship24, it’s important to create trackers using the right parameters. This guide explains how to optimize your tracker setup to avoid outdated, missing, or irrelevant events.

Why Accurate Tracking Parameters Matter

Providing the right data improves your tracking results because:
Tracking numbers may be reused by the same courier over time.
Multiple couriers can use identical tracking numbers.
Courier auto-detection isn’t always perfect, especially when tracking number patterns aren't very specific (e.g. only digits).
Some couriers may temporarily return incorrect tracking data.

By defining clear parameters, you help Ship24 deliver more accurate results.

Required and Optional Tracker Fields

Below is a breakdown of each field you can include when creating a tracker, and why it matters:

Tracking Number (Required)

Always use the actual tracking number, not an order or reference number.
Reference numbers are often reused or non-unique.
Order numbers typically don’t return any tracking results.

Courier Code(s) (Optional, but highly recommended)

You can provide up to three courier codes to guide Ship24 in where to look first.
This helps disambiguate tracking numbers shared across couriers.
It improves speed and relevance of results.

Ship24 also supports auto-detection, which means it can still return results from other couriers — especially useful when a last-mile service provider (LMSP) takes over the delivery.
Need a courier code? Browse the full list here: Ship24 Courier Codes


Destination Post Code (Optional, but required for some couriers)

Some couriers require the destination postcode to return tracking data.
To check whether it’s needed, refer to the is_destination_postcode_required field in the Ship24 Couriers list.

Omitting this for certain couriers may result in no data returned.


Destination Country Code (Optional, but recommended)

This helps Ship24 identify the correct delivery path and ignore unrelated events.
If a courier reports delivery to a country not matching the one you provide, those events are discarded.
In rare cases, this field is mandatory. Check is_destination_country_code_required in our courier list.

Entering the wrong destinationCountryCode may result in missing or no tracking data.

Shipping Date (Optional, but powerful for relevance filtering)

This field defines the expected starting point of the shipment.
Ship24 uses it to exclude irrelevant events that:
Occur too early (more than 10 days before)
Or too late (more than 30 days after)

If the shippingDate is incorrect, valid events might be filtered out.


Advanced Option: restrictTrackingToCourierCode

If you want to limit tracking strictly to certain couriers, set restrictTrackingToCourierCode to true.
What it does:
Ship24 will only retrieve events from the couriers you provide in courierCode.
Events from other couriers (including LMSPs) will be ignored.

When to use:
You’re confident about who handles the shipment.
You want to avoid mixing events from similarly formatted tracking numbers.

Use with caution. If the couriers listed are incorrect or miss the LMSP, Ship24 might return no tracking data at all.

Summary: Best Practices for a Good Tracker

Field	Required	Recommendation
Tracking Number	Yes	Always use the actual tracking number
Courier Code(s)	Optional	Add up to 3 when known
Destination Post Code	Optional	Required for some couriers
Destination Country Code	Optional	Helps ensure event accuracy
Shipping Date	Optional	Filters out irrelevant events
restrictTrackingToCourierCode	Optional	Use only when you want strict courier control

Updated on: 19/06/2025