Routing Logic Directives (RLD) built into EPISHIP control shipments through the rate and label manifest processes of the supply chain.
The purpose of this article is to detail the Trailing Window Maximums Rule, a specific Account Holder Rule type, that targets the restriction of shipment label volumes generated over predefined rolling time intervals.
Overview
A rate or label request initiates the creation of a shipment within the platform. Sometimes, to prevent fraud, manage API quotas, or enforce contractual account limits, an Account Holder must be restricted from processing too many shipments within a specific timeframe, according to business rules. This is where the Trailing Window Maximums Rule comes in. The Trailing Window Maximums Rule evaluates the request against historical volume to explicitly limit the maximum amount of shipments that can be sent by an Account Holder across rolling 60-minute, 24-hour, 7-day, and 30-day windows. The Trailing Window Maximums Rule is one rule type applied at the Account Holder level.
Trailing Window Maximums Rule Components
Any number of Trailing Window Maximums Rules can be built to match business objectives. Each rule includes the following components.
Match conditions
Match conditions of criteria operators include the following types: All (AND), Any (OR), None (Not).
Match criteria
1. Sender
Sender fields available for match criteria include the follow properties:
- Sender Name
- Sender Company
- Sender Address 1
- Sender City
- Sender State
- Sender Postal Code
- Sender Country
- Sender Residential
2. Receiver
Receiver fields available for match criteria include the follow properties:
- Receiver Name
- Receiver Company
- Receiver Address 1
- Receiver City
- Receiver State
- Receiver Postal Code
- Receiver Country
- Receiver Residential
3. Package
Package fields available for match criteria include the follow properties:
- Package Type
- Package Quantity
- Declared Value
- Actual Weight
- Package Length
- Package Width
- Package Height
4. Line Items
Line Items fields available for match criteria include the follow properties:
- Line Item SKU
- Line Item HS Code
- Country of Origin
5. Options
Options fields available for match criteria include the follow properties:
- Saturday Delivery
- Cash on Delivery
- Cash on Delivery Amount
- Dropoff Type
6. References
References fields available for match criteria include the follow properties:
- Reference 1
- Reference 2
- Reference 3
7. Rate
Rate fields available for match criteria include the follow properties:
- Carrier
- Service Name
- Total Cost
- Zone
- Estimated Delivery Days
8. Time
Time fields available for match criteria include the follow properties:
- Day of Work
- Time of Day
The match criteria types listed above are used within individual rules or can be combined into a single rule to target specific conditions that include several match criteria.
Limit Execution (Transformation)
The shipment request is evaluated according to the rules defined within the Trailing Window Maximums Rule matched within the account configuration. The functionality available to be included is as follows.
Time Interval Threshold Selection
This configuration dictates the maximum allowable shipments an Account Holder can manifest over specific rolling timeframes. Users can specify distinct maximum thresholds for any of the following trailing windows:
-
60 Minutes: (e.g., Max 100 shipments per hour)
-
24 Hours: (e.g., Max 1,000 shipments per day)
-
7 Days: (e.g., Max 5,000 shipments per week)
-
30 Days: (e.g., Max 20,000 shipments per month)
Once the match criteria are met, the system verifies the Account Holder’s recent shipment history. If the requested shipment causes the account to exceed the specified threshold in any of the defined active time intervals, the request is blocked before a label is generated.
Trailing Window Maximums Rule Use Cases
Usual use cases for Trailing Window Maximums Rules are numerous. Some common use cases include the following:
- Prevent runaway custom API scripts from generating thousands of erroneous, billable labels by capping the 60-minute window.
- Mitigate fraud risks on newly onboarded sub-accounts by heavily restricting their 24-hour and 7-day shipment allowances until trust is established.
- Enforce commercial volume limits or tier-based software subscription plans for specific Account Holders by setting a strict 30-day rolling maximum.