Developer Account FAQs

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How do I upgrade to Production?

To upgrade to a Production account, contact Pitney Bowes at either ClientSupportTechServices@pb.com or ShippingAPIBusinessDevelopment@pb.com.

Before I go live on Production, must each of my shippers send PB a label?

Only the developer needs to submit a label for certification. If you are the developer, submit the label to your implementation manager.

What are the differences between Sandbox and Production?

The Sandbox environment is a replica of the Production environment. The labels produced are identical to Production labels, except:

  • The label indicia are marked VOID so they cannot be used for shipping.

  • The parcel tracking numbers are fake and cannot be used for tracking. To test the Track a Package API in Sandbox, use a Production label.

  • No information about parcels is sent to the carriers.

  • Charges for parcels in the Sandbox are fictitious.

  • The shipping charges in the Sandbox may not accurately reflect the Production shipping charges.

  • The environments use different base URLs. See API Environments.

  • The environments have different Merchant Portals.

Can I use Shipper IDs from Sandbox in Production? And vice versa?

No, a Shipper ID from one environment cannot be used in the other. The two environments have distinct sets of shippers.

The shippers in the Production environment use real money, and their Shipper IDs identify the postage accounts from which postage is deducted to print their shipment labels.

Where do I indicate my developer ID when making an API call?

When you make an API call, the system obtains your developer ID from your OAuth token, which is generated from your developer account’s API key and secret. When you use your OAuth token, the system knows which developer you are.

For most API calls, this is all the information needed. However, for some API calls, especially those related to merchant accounts, you must also explicitly pass the developer ID in a path parameter. When that is the case, the documentation for the API call tells you so.

To create an OAuth token, see Generate OAuth Token.

Is the OAuth token reusable?

Yes, it is reusable for 10 hours, after which it expires and you must generate a new one. It is suggested that you use an OAuth token for as long as possible instead of taking the extra time to generate it with each API call.

To create an OAuth token see Generate OAuth Token.

Can I have more than one OAuth token active at a time?

Yes, but it is best practice to have as few active as possible to avoid slowing down processing for all users.

Do my API key and secret work with my developer ID only?

Yes. Pitney Bowes creates the API key and secret specifically for your developer ID. They work only with your developer ID.

Also, keep in mind that your Sandbox key and secret work only with the Sandbox environment, and your Production key and secret work only with the Production environment. For more information on environments, see API Environments.

Can I generate an OAuth token using my email address?

No. To generate an OAuth token you must use your developer account’s API key and secret. See Generate an OAuth Token.

Can I get a no-charge Production account so I don’t have to pay to test in Production?

Not at this time.