> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://www.zippendo.com/docs/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Tracking

> Follow a shipment after dispatch and share the carrier tracking link with your customer.

Tracking starts after you **send** a shipment. The carrier returns a tracking number (and usually a public tracking URL). Zippendo stores those on the parcel, shows them on the shipment and the order, and builds a **Tracking Timeline** from carrier events.

There is no separate Zippendo tracking website for customers. You give them the **carrier** link (or the number) from the dashboard.

<Info>
  The **Tracking** tab appears only when the shipment has a tracking number, tracking URL, label-free code, or QR code. Pending shipments without a booking have no tracking tab.
</Info>

## Where tracking appears

### Shipment overview

Open **Shipments** and click a **Dispatched** row. Scroll to **Package Details**. The **Tracking** column shows the number. The number is a link when the parcel has a tracking URL; the copy button copies the number.

<Frame caption="Package Details shows the tracking number on each parcel">
  <img src="https://mintcdn.com/zippendo/PYkJy9eJDrG1N0mY/images/tutorials/tracking/01-packages-tracking-light.png?fit=max&auto=format&n=PYkJy9eJDrG1N0mY&q=85&s=9aacda297dbe519db60f55727f19f364" alt="Shipment overview Package Details table with a tracking number in the Tracking column" className="block dark:hidden" width="2880" height="1800" data-path="images/tutorials/tracking/01-packages-tracking-light.png" />

  <img src="https://mintcdn.com/zippendo/PYkJy9eJDrG1N0mY/images/tutorials/tracking/01-packages-tracking-dark.png?fit=max&auto=format&n=PYkJy9eJDrG1N0mY&q=85&s=df00c73976bb3ee2dd62efc45552f231" alt="Shipment overview Package Details table with a tracking number in the Tracking column" className="hidden dark:block" width="2880" height="1800" data-path="images/tutorials/tracking/01-packages-tracking-dark.png" />
</Frame>

### Tracking tab

Click **Tracking**. You get two cards:

1. **Tracking Timeline** — current status badge and the event list.
2. **Tracking Information** — **Tracking Number** (copy, or click if it is a link), optional **Tracking Link** (**Track Shipment** or **Track Package**), **Label-Free Code**, and **QR Code** (**Open QR Code**) when the carrier supplies them. Multi-parcel shipments label each block **Package 1**, **Package 2**, and so on.

<Frame caption="Tracking Timeline and Tracking Information on the shipment">
  <img src="https://mintcdn.com/zippendo/PYkJy9eJDrG1N0mY/images/tutorials/tracking/02-tracking-tab-light.png?fit=max&auto=format&n=PYkJy9eJDrG1N0mY&q=85&s=ae7e5009188ecd56d68f973afa179215" alt="Shipment Tracking tab with In Transit badge, event timeline, and tracking number" className="block dark:hidden" width="2880" height="1800" data-path="images/tutorials/tracking/02-tracking-tab-light.png" />

  <img src="https://mintcdn.com/zippendo/PYkJy9eJDrG1N0mY/images/tutorials/tracking/02-tracking-tab-dark.png?fit=max&auto=format&n=PYkJy9eJDrG1N0mY&q=85&s=81ac62c1e9ff2761d78a1cd4970a00fb" alt="Shipment Tracking tab with In Transit badge, event timeline, and tracking number" className="hidden dark:block" width="2880" height="1800" data-path="images/tutorials/tracking/02-tracking-tab-dark.png" />
</Frame>

The note under the numbers is: **Tracking information is provided by the carrier. Use the tracking number or link above to check the current status of your shipment.**

### Order

Open the order → **Shipments**. Each card can show the tracking number as a badge. Use **Details** to open the full shipment **Tracking** tab.

<Frame caption="Order shipment card with a tracking number badge">
  <img src="https://mintcdn.com/zippendo/PYkJy9eJDrG1N0mY/images/tutorials/tracking/03-order-tracking-light.png?fit=max&auto=format&n=PYkJy9eJDrG1N0mY&q=85&s=c0a9911f2cd212c768c9501c272c3fb8" alt="Order Shipments tab with a dispatched shipment card and tracking number" className="block dark:hidden" width="2880" height="1800" data-path="images/tutorials/tracking/03-order-tracking-light.png" />

  <img src="https://mintcdn.com/zippendo/PYkJy9eJDrG1N0mY/images/tutorials/tracking/03-order-tracking-dark.png?fit=max&auto=format&n=PYkJy9eJDrG1N0mY&q=85&s=4049f8a53857a49cb1cf57689bb5c953" alt="Order Shipments tab with a dispatched shipment card and tracking number" className="hidden dark:block" width="2880" height="1800" data-path="images/tutorials/tracking/03-order-tracking-dark.png" />
</Frame>

### Shipments list

The list search placeholder is **Reference or tracking number**. Paste a tracking number to find the shipment.

<Frame caption="Search Shipments by tracking number">
  <img src="https://mintcdn.com/zippendo/PYkJy9eJDrG1N0mY/images/tutorials/tracking/05-search-tracking-light.png?fit=max&auto=format&n=PYkJy9eJDrG1N0mY&q=85&s=cbb61b75da6fc259914295dfe63518ac" alt="Shipments list filtered to the shipment that matches a tracking number" className="block dark:hidden" width="2880" height="1800" data-path="images/tutorials/tracking/05-search-tracking-light.png" />

  <img src="https://mintcdn.com/zippendo/PYkJy9eJDrG1N0mY/images/tutorials/tracking/05-search-tracking-dark.png?fit=max&auto=format&n=PYkJy9eJDrG1N0mY&q=85&s=96826bf4088ec842d1c7a2712d8de43a" alt="Shipments list filtered to the shipment that matches a tracking number" className="hidden dark:block" width="2880" height="1800" data-path="images/tutorials/tracking/05-search-tracking-dark.png" />
</Frame>

## Status timeline

Events are newest-first. Each row shows the carrier’s description (or raw carrier status), the time, and a location when the carrier sent one. Zippendo maps carrier statuses to these badges:

| Status               | Meaning                                     |
| -------------------- | ------------------------------------------- |
| **Created**          | Label created / registered with the carrier |
| **Awaiting Pickup**  | Waiting for collection                      |
| **Picked Up**        | Carrier collected the parcel                |
| **In Transit**       | Moving through the network                  |
| **Out for Delivery** | On the delivery vehicle                     |
| **Ready for Pickup** | At a pickup point for the recipient         |
| **Delivered**        | Delivered (terminal)                        |
| **Returned**         | Returned to sender (terminal)               |
| **Exception**        | Delivery issue / deviation                  |

**Delivered** and **Returned** are terminal. Zippendo does not move a shipment backwards out of those states.

Right after send, the timeline is often still empty. The empty copy is: **No tracking events yet. Tracking information is polled hourly from the carrier.**

<Frame caption="Empty timeline immediately after dispatch, before the first scan">
  <img src="https://mintcdn.com/zippendo/PYkJy9eJDrG1N0mY/images/tutorials/tracking/06-no-events-light.png?fit=max&auto=format&n=PYkJy9eJDrG1N0mY&q=85&s=2813ae1e8b0fb5ef5fa50a3ffbf8d399" alt="Tracking Timeline showing no tracking events yet, polled hourly from the carrier" className="block dark:hidden" width="2880" height="1800" data-path="images/tutorials/tracking/06-no-events-light.png" />

  <img src="https://mintcdn.com/zippendo/PYkJy9eJDrG1N0mY/images/tutorials/tracking/06-no-events-dark.png?fit=max&auto=format&n=PYkJy9eJDrG1N0mY&q=85&s=38b45f74f9ecf8386179f360c0b0ca17" alt="Tracking Timeline showing no tracking events yet, polled hourly from the carrier" className="hidden dark:block" width="2880" height="1800" data-path="images/tutorials/tracking/06-no-events-dark.png" />
</Frame>

Pull carriers are refreshed about once an hour. Some carriers **push** events (for example Bring Event Cast). Either way, the timeline looks the same.

## Customer tracking links

Copy the **Tracking Number**, click the numbered link, or open **Track Shipment** / **Track Package**. That URL is the carrier’s public page (for example GLS Find parcel), not a Zippendo page.

If you use Shopify or WooCommerce auto-fulfilment, Zippendo can push the tracking number back to the store when the shipment is dispatched — the shopper then sees tracking on the order in the store, not in a Zippendo portal.

Label-free drop-off uses **Label-Free Code** and **Open QR Code** on the same **Tracking Information** card when the carrier issued them.

## Notifications

The dashboard does not send the customer an email or SMS when tracking changes. Carrier products usually notify the recipient themselves.

For **your** systems:

* **Settings → Webhooks** → **Add Webhook**. Under **Tracking**, subscribe to **Tracking Updated**. Zippendo POSTs when a new event is stored.
* **Automations** can start from **Tracking Updated** if you want Slack, an integration, or another action.

<Frame caption="Create Webhook includes Tracking Updated">
  <img src="https://mintcdn.com/zippendo/PYkJy9eJDrG1N0mY/images/tutorials/tracking/04-webhooks-tracking-light.png?fit=max&auto=format&n=PYkJy9eJDrG1N0mY&q=85&s=6cf8095ba85fb4205da54ec699d8d0d8" alt="Create Webhook modal with the Tracking group and Tracking Updated event" className="block dark:hidden" width="2880" height="1800" data-path="images/tutorials/tracking/04-webhooks-tracking-light.png" />

  <img src="https://mintcdn.com/zippendo/PYkJy9eJDrG1N0mY/images/tutorials/tracking/04-webhooks-tracking-dark.png?fit=max&auto=format&n=PYkJy9eJDrG1N0mY&q=85&s=72c696ddb930c3c67afab3c261c268f6" alt="Create Webhook modal with the Tracking group and Tracking Updated event" className="hidden dark:block" width="2880" height="1800" data-path="images/tutorials/tracking/04-webhooks-tracking-dark.png" />
</Frame>

<Tip>
  Test the endpoint with **Send Test** on the webhook row after you save. Payload shape is in the [webhooks quickstart](/docs/quickstarts/webhooks).
</Tip>

## When tracking does not update

<Steps>
  <Step title="Confirm the number">
    Open **Tracking Information**. If there is no number, the send may have failed — check status and [Labels not generating](/docs/knowledge-base/labels-not-generating).
  </Step>

  <Step title="Open the carrier link">
    If the carrier page also has no scans, the parcel has not reached the first scan. Wait for pickup.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Wait for the next poll">
    Pull tracking is hourly. An empty timeline with a valid number is normal for the first hours after send.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Check the carrier connection">
    If the carrier site has events and Zippendo does not after several hours, verify the carrier under **Carriers**. See [Tracking not updating](/docs/knowledge-base/tracking-not-updating).
  </Step>
</Steps>

<Warning>
  Zippendo does not offer a “refresh tracking now” button on the shipment. Do not recreate the shipment just to force a number — that books a second label.
</Warning>

## Next

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Labels and printing" icon="printer" href="/docs/tutorials/labels-printing">
    Buy the label, then view or print it from Documents.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Orders" icon="clipboard-list" href="/docs/tutorials/orders">
    Tracking also appears on the order’s shipment card.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Shipment statuses" icon="badge-check" href="/docs/shipments/shipment-statuses">
    Pending, dispatched, error, and the rest of the booking lifecycle.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Tracking not updating" icon="life-buoy" href="/docs/knowledge-base/tracking-not-updating">
    Checklist when the carrier page is ahead of Zippendo.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>

Field-level: [Carrier tracking webhooks](/docs/how-to/tracking-webhooks) · [Webhooks](/docs/how-to/webhooks)