Shipment preparation using network resource identifiers in packing lists
Example embodiments provide a Shipment Preparation System (“SPS”), which facilitates the preparation of shipments, such as by producing shipping labels. In one embodiment, the SPS is configured to receive shipment preparation information from a bar code or other machine-readable data block in a packing list. The shipment preparation information identifies a uniform resource identifier (“URI”) that identifies a code module that is remote from the SPS. The SPS then communicates with the remote code module in order to obtain information for the preparation of the shipment and/or for transmission of information about the preparation of the shipment. Obtaining information for the preparation of the shipment may include receiving an address to use for printing a label. Transmitting information about the preparation of the shipment may include posting an indication that a label has been printed, a shipment is ready for pick up, or the like.
1. A method in a shipment preparation computing system, comprising:
facilitating preparation of a shipment of an order, by:
receiving shipment preparation information from a bar code in a packing list, the shipment preparation information including a network resource identifier that identifies a code module that is remote and separate from the shipment preparation computing system, wherein the network resource identifier identifies a shipping protocol and is configured to cause the shipment preparation computing system to execute a shipment preparation module and to provide a portion of the network resource identifier to the shipment preparation module, the portion of the network resource identifier identifying shipment information and post-back information;
communicating, based on the shipment information identified by the network resource identifier from the received shipment preparation information from the bar code, with the remote code module to obtain information for the preparation of the shipment of the order; and
communicating, based on the post-back information identified by the network resource identifier from the received shipment preparation information from the bar code, with the remote code module to cause the remote code module to persistently store in a data repository status information about the preparation of the shipment of the order; and
initiating the shipment of the order based on the shipment preparation information received from the bar code in the packing list.
2. The method of claim 1 wherein communicating with the remote code module to obtain information for the preparation of the shipment of the order includes receiving from the remote code module shipment information that includes an indication of at least one of: a destination shipping address; an order number; information about one or more items in the order, including at least one of a quantity, a part number, a stock-keeping unit, a color, a size, a weight, and/or a price; a preferred shipping method; a package type; a package size; and/or a shipping carrier.
3. The method of claim 1 wherein the remote code module is operated by an entity that is a shipping carrier and that does not operate the shipment preparation computing system, and wherein communicating with the remote code module to cause the remote code module to persistently store in the data repository status information about the preparation of the shipment of order includes transmitting to the shipping carrier information about the preparation of the shipment, the transmitted information including a shipment status including at least one of: the shipment being ready for pickup by the shipping carrier, the shipment not being ready for pickup by the shipping carrier, a vehicle type, and/or an amount of space needed in a vehicle.
4. The method of claim 1 wherein initiating the shipment of the order includes printing a shipping label that includes at least some of the information obtained from the remote code module.
5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
posting information about the preparation of the shipment of the order to the remote code module, based at least in part on the post-back information.
6. The method of claim 1 wherein the shipment preparation information from the bar code in the packing list specifies one or more item shipment actions defined by a shipping protocol, and further comprising:
performing the specified one or more item shipment actions defined by the shipping protocol.
7. The method of claim 1 wherein communicating with the remote code module to cause the remote code module to persistently store in a data repository status information about the preparation of the shipment of the order includes causing the remote code module to store the status information in a database communicatively coupled to the remote code module.
8. A computer-readable storage medium storing a computer program that, when executed, causes a shipment preparation computing system to perform a method comprising:
facilitating preparation of a shipment of an order, by:
receiving shipment preparation information from a machine-readable data block in a packing list, the shipment preparation information including a network resource identifier that identifies a code module that is remote and separate from the shipment preparation computing system, wherein the network resource identifier identifies a shipping protocol and is configured to cause the shipment preparation computing system to execute a shipment preparation module and to provide a portion of the network resource identifier to the shipment preparation module, the portion of the network resource identifier identifying shipment information and post-back information;
communicating, based on the shipment information identified by the network resource identifier from the received shipment preparation information from the machine-readable data block, with the remote code module to obtain information for the preparation of the shipment of the order;
communicating, based on the post-back information identified by the network resource identifier from the received shipment preparation information from the machine-readable data block, with the remote code module to cause the remote code module to persistently store in a data repository status information about the preparation of the shipment of the order; and
initiating the shipment of the order based on the shipment preparation information received from the machine-readable data block in the packing list.
9. The computer-readable medium of claim 8 wherein the machine-readable data block is a two-dimensional bar code in the packing list, and wherein receiving the shipment preparation information from the machine-readable data block includes scanning the bar code to obtain the shipment preparation information.
10. The computer-readable medium of claim 8 wherein the shipment preparation information identifies the remote code module by including a uniform resource identifier that identifies the remote code module, and wherein communicating with the remote code module includes communicating with the remote code module based on a protocol and a network address included in the uniform resource identifier.
11. The computer-readable medium of claim 8 wherein the shipment preparation information includes indications of one or more items for the order, and wherein initiating the shipment of the order based on the shipment preparation information includes causing a person to prepare a package by providing instructions to the person that specify one or more items of the order to be placed in the package.
12. A shipment preparation computing system, comprising:
a processor; and
a memory, communicatively coupled to the processor,
wherein the computing system is configured to perform a method comprising:
receiving shipment preparation information from a machine-readable data block read by a scanning device, the shipment preparation information including a network resource identifier that identifies a code module that is remote and separate from the shipment preparation computing system, wherein the network resource identifier identifies a shipping protocol and is configured to cause the shipment preparation computing system to execute a shipment preparation module and to provide a portion of the network resource identifier to the shipment preparation module, the portion of the network resource identifier identifying shipment information and post-back information;
communicating, based on the shipment information identified by the network resource identifier from the received shipment preparation information from the machine-readable data block, with the remote code module to obtain information for the preparation of the shipment of an order; and
communicating, based on the post-back information identified by the network resource identifier from the received shipment preparation information from the machine-readable data block, to cause the remote code module to persistently store in a data repository status information about the preparation of the shipment of the order.
13. The system of claim 12 wherein the machine-readable data block does not include any human-readable information that describes the order.
14. The system of claim 12 wherein facilitating the preparation of the shipment of the order includes initiating printing of a shipping label that includes at least some of the information obtained from the remote code module.
15. The system of claim 12 wherein the shipment preparation information identifies the remote code module by indicating a network-accessible file that includes an indication of the remote code module.
16. The system of claim 12 wherein the shipment preparation information identifies the remote code module by indicating a code module configured to provide an indication of the remote code module.
17. The system of claim 12 wherein the machine-readable data block is displayed as part of a packing list.
18. The system of claim 12 wherein the shipment preparation information includes indications of one or more items for the order.
19. The system of claim 12 wherein the computing system is further configured to perform a method comprising:
posting information about the preparation of the shipment of the order to the remote code module, based at least in part on the post-back information.
20. The system of claim 12 wherein the shipment preparation information specifies one or more item shipment actions defined by a shipping protocol and wherein the computing system is further configured to perform a method comprising:
performing the specified one or more item shipment actions defined by the shipping protocol.