Actions17
- Shipping Status Actions
- Confirming Actions
- Labelling Actions
- Shipment Actions
- Barcode Actions
- Checkout Actions
- Deliverydate Actions
- Locations Actions
- Postalcode Check Actions
- Timeframes Actions
Overview
This node interacts with the PostNL API to retrieve the shipping status of a package by its barcode. It is useful for tracking shipments and obtaining up-to-date information about their delivery progress. Typical use cases include e-commerce platforms, logistics companies, or customer service workflows where shipment tracking details need to be fetched automatically.
For example, you can input a shipment's barcode to get its current status, optionally including historical status updates, and receive descriptions in different languages.
Properties
| Name | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Barcode | The unique barcode identifier of the shipment to track. |
| Detail | Boolean option to include old (historical) statuses in the response. |
| Language | Language code for the returned shipment and status descriptions. Options: NL, EN, CN, DE, FR. |
| Max Days | Limits the number of days to search for statuses, improving performance by restricting the range. |
Output
The node outputs JSON data containing the shipment status information retrieved from the PostNL API. This includes current status details and, if requested, historical status entries. The output structure reflects the API response format, typically including fields such as status codes, timestamps, location info, and descriptive text in the selected language.
No binary data output is produced by this node.
Dependencies
- Requires an API key credential for authenticating with the PostNL API.
- The node expects the base URL of the PostNL environment to be configured via credentials.
- No additional external dependencies beyond the PostNL API and n8n's HTTP request capabilities.
Troubleshooting
- Invalid Barcode: If the barcode is incorrect or not found, the API may return an error or empty result. Verify the barcode value.
- Authentication Errors: Missing or invalid API credentials will cause authentication failures. Ensure the API key is correctly set up.
- Language Not Supported: Using an unsupported language code might default to Dutch or cause unexpected results. Use one of the provided options.
- Performance Issues: Setting a very high "Max Days" value may slow down the response. Reduce this value to improve performance.
- Network Issues: Connectivity problems with the PostNL API endpoint will cause request failures. Check network access and API availability.
Links and References
- PostNL Developer Portal
- PostNL Shipment Status API Documentation
- n8n Documentation on Creating Custom Nodes