Tracking can be linked to directly with two different formats:

1. Direct connection from your Web page

This type of connection enables you to insert an HTML form or direct link into your Web page that connects to the ABF Web site.

The HTML form allows your customers to track your ABF shipments by the ABF pro number, bill of lading, purchase order number, customer reference number or pickup confirmation number. An example of the form is provided below with the HTML needed to create the form found in the textarea box.

Example Form:

Shipment#: ABF Pro # Bill of Lading # Purchase Order # Customer Reference # Pickup Confirmation #

Form HTML:

[select all]

<!-- Include this form on your page: --> <FORM METHOD="POST" ACTION="http://www.abfs.com/trace/abftrace.asp"> <TABLE BORDER="0"> <TR> <TD VALIGN="MIDDLE" ALIGN="LEFT">Shipment #:</TD> <TD VALIGN="MIDDLE" ALIGN="LEFT"> <INPUT TYPE="TEXT" NAME="ref" SIZE="22" MAXLENGTH="20"></TD> <TD VALIGN="MIDDLE" ALIGN="LEFT"> <!-- This select statement is optional. If removed, the reference# defaults to the ABF Pro#: --> <SELECT NAME="refType" SIZE="1"> <OPTION VALUE="a" SELECTED="SELECTED">ABF Pro #</OPTION> <OPTION VALUE="b">Bill of Lading #</OPTION> <OPTION VALUE="p">Purchase Order #</OPTION> <OPTION VALUE="c">Customer Reference #</OPTION> <OPTION VALUE="k">Pickup Confirmation #</OPTION> </SELECT> <!-- End of select statement. --> </TD> </TR> <TR> <TD></TD> <TD VALIGN="MIDDLE" ALIGN="LEFT"> <INPUT TYPE="SUBMIT" VALUE="Track Shipment"></TD> <TD></TD> </TR> </TABLE> <!-- Set the following variables: --> <INPUT TYPE="HIDDEN" NAME="strTitle" VALUE="Your Page Title Here"> <INPUT TYPE="HIDDEN" NAME="strReturnLink" VALUE="http://www.abfs.com"> <INPUT TYPE="HIDDEN" NAME="strReturnLinkText" VALUE="Your Return Link Text Here"> <INPUT TYPE="HIDDEN" NAME="blnABFGraphic" VALUE="Y"> <INPUT TYPE="HIDDEN" NAME="blnBOL" VALUE="Y"> <INPUT TYPE="HIDDEN" NAME="blnPO" VALUE="Y"> <INPUT TYPE="HIDDEN" NAME="blnShipper" VALUE="Y"> <INPUT TYPE="HIDDEN" NAME="blnConsignee" VALUE="Y"> <INPUT TYPE="HIDDEN" NAME="blnOrigin" VALUE="Y"> <INPUT TYPE="HIDDEN" NAME="blnDestination" VALUE="Y"> </FORM> <!-- End of form. -->

The direct link allows your customers to track your ABF shipments via a link on your Web page. RefType and Ref are the only required parameters for the link to work. You can modify the look of the resulting ABF tracking page by passing in additional parameters.

Note: Required variables are in Red. All other variables are optional.
Start with this URL:	http://www.abfs.com/trace/abftrace.asp?
Add the following variables:
	Ref	The reference number to track.
	RefType	The reference number type:
		"A" for ABF Pro #.
		"B" for Bill of Lading #.
		"P" for Purchase Order #.
		"C" for Customer Reference #.
		"K" for Pickup Confirmation #.
	strTitle	Title of ABF tracking page.
	strReturnLink	Link to return back to your site.
	strReturnLinkText	Text for your return link.
	blnABFGraphic	"Y" to display ABF graphic.
	blnBOL	"Y" to display BOL numbers.
	blnPO	"Y" to display PO numbers.
	blnShipper	"Y" to display Shipper information.
	blnConsignee	"Y" to display Consignee information.
	blnOrigin	"Y" to display Origin information.
	blnDestination	"Y" to display Destination information.
	Test	"Y" if you are testing and want to get back an example tracking page.
Example:	http://www.abfs.com/trace/abftrace.asp? RefType=A&Ref=011222333&blnBOL=Y&blnPO=Y&blnShipper=Y &blnConsignee=Y&blnOrigin=Y&blnDestination=Y&blnABFGraphic=Y &strReturnLink=http://www.abfs.com&strReturnLinkText=Return To Your Site

Click here for more information on this client to server method.

2. Direct Connection from your server to the ABF server via XML

This type of server to server connection enables you to get tracking information by making a direct call to the ABF server from your server. The ABF server will return an XML document that you can parse to extract the exact information you need. This information can be used to return a dynamic page to your customer, or it can be used to update your own database. The following is the XML data-type definition for the document returned by this type of track:

<ABF>						ABF Track Data Type Definition.
	<SHIPMENTS>					Group of shipments.
		<SHIPMENT>				A single shipment.
			<PRONUMBER>			ABF pro number.
			<REASSIGNMENT>			"Y" if the shipment has been reassigned.
			<PICKUP>			Date the shipment was picked up from the shipper.
			<DUEDATE>			Date the shipment is due for delivery.
			<EXPECTEDDELIVERYDATE>			Expected delivery date for the shipment.
			<APPOINTMENT>			"Y" if the shipment is associated with an appointment.
			<APPTDATE>			Date ABF and the consignee have agreed upon for the shipment to be delivered (arrival notify).
			<APPTTIME>			Time ABF and the consignee have agreed upon for the shipment to be delivered (arrival notify).
			<NOTIFYNAME>			Name of the person ABF contacted to setup an appointment date and time to deliver the shipment (arrival notify).
			<WEIGHT>			Weight of the shipment.
			<PIECES>			Number of pieces within the shipment.
			<SHORTSTATUS>			The 5-character status code of the shipment.
			<LONGSTATUS>			A descriptive summary of the shipment status.
			<OSDEXCEPTION>			Over, short & damage (OS&D) exception code.
			<EXCEPTIONDESCRIPTION>			Description of the OS&D condition of the shipment.
			<LATESTTTECODE>			Current transit time exception (TTE) code.
			<LATESTTTEDESCRIPTION>			Current TTE description.
			<NUMBEROFBOLNUMBERS>			Number of BOL#s associated with the shipment.
			<NUMBEROFPONUMBERS>			Number of PO#s associated with the shipment.
			<DELIVSIGFIRSTNAME>			First name of the delivery signature.
			<DELIVSIGLASTNAME>			Last name of the delivery signature.
			<SHIPPERNAME>			ABF assigned name for the shipper.
			<SHIPPERADDRESS1>			Address line 1 of the shipper/origin.
			<SHIPPERADDRESS2>			Address line 2 of the shipper/origin.
			<SHIPPERCITY>			City of the shipper/origin.
			<SHIPPERSTATE>			State code of the shipper/origin.
			<SHIPPERZIP>			Zip code for the location of the shipper.
			<SHIPPERACCOUNT>			ABF six-digit account number assigned to the shipper.
			<CONSIGNEENAME>			ABF assigned name for the consignee.
			<CONSIGNEEADDRESS1>			Address line 1 of the consignee/destination.
			<CONSIGNEEADDRESS2>			Address line 2 of the consignee/destination.
			<CONSIGNEECITY>			City of the consignee/destination.
			<CONSIGNEESTATE>			State code of the consignee/destination.
			<CONSIGNEEZIP>			Zip code for the location of the consignee.
			<CONSIGNEEACCOUNT>			ABF six-digit account number assigned to the consignee.
			<SFBTPBACCOUNT>			ABF six-digit account number assigned to the third party/SFB.
			<STADESTINATION>			The 3-digit ABF assigned station number.
			<BLINDSHIPMENT>			"Y" if the shipment is a blind shipment.
			<PREPAIDCOLLECT>			"P" if the shipment is prepaid; "C" if the shipment is collect.
			<STAORIGINALPHA>			The 3-character airline code for the origin station.
			<STADESTALPHA>			The 3-character airline code for the destination station.
			<BOLNUMBERS>			Group of BOL#s.
				<BOLNUMBER>		A single BOL# associated with the shipment.
			</BOLNUMBERS>
			<PONUMBERS>			Group of PO#s.
				<PONUMBER>		A single PO# associated with the shipment.
			</PONUMBERS>
		</SHIPMENT>
	</SHIPMENTS>
	<NUMERRORS>					Number of errors associated with request. Must be "0" to return shipment data.
	<ERRORS>					Group of errors. This section will only be returned if NUMERRORS > 0. Click here for a list of possible error codes and messages.
		<ERRORCODE>				Code associated with error.
		<ERRORMESSAGE>				Message assigned to error code.
	</ERRORS>
</ABF>

To call the XML track from your server, you must be using an XML parser. Initialize the parser and set the URL to the following:

Note: Required variables are in Red. All other variables are optional.
Start with this URL:	http://www.abfs.com/xml/tracexml.asp?DL=2
Add the following variables:
	AcctNum	Your abf.com User ID.
	Password	Your abf.com Password.
	RefNum	The reference number to track.
	RefType	The reference number type:
		"A" for ABF Pro #.
		"B" for Bill of Lading #.
		"P" for Purchase Order #.
		"C" for Customer Reference #.
		"K" for Pickup Confirmation #.
	Test	"Y" if you are testing.
Example:	http://www.abfs.com/xml/tracexml.asp?DL=2&AcctNum=999999 &Password=TEST01&RefNum=011222333&RefType=a&Test=Y

Click here for more information on this server to server method.

For more information on XML authoring, parsers, specifications, and additional resources, check out the XML section of the Web Developer's Virtual Library.