Acenda API Guide
Use the Acenda API to connect external systems to your Acenda account, including catalog tools, warehouse systems, ERPs, order management systems, and custom integrations.
This guide covers the basics of getting started with the Acenda API, including where to send requests, how to authenticate, where to find full documentation, and how to retrieve and update Ship Advices.
API endpoint
The primary Acenda API endpoint is:
https://api.acenda.io/v1/
All API requests should be sent to this base URL.
Your organization is identified using the following request header:
X-Astur-Organization: your-org-slug
You will also need to include your API authentication token or API key, depending on the endpoint and integration method being used.
API documentation
For complete endpoint details, request methods, parameters, and example responses, please refer to the official Acenda API documentation in Postman.
The Postman documentation should be treated as the source of truth for available endpoints, request formats, and response examples.
Important terminology: Orders vs. Ship Advices
In Acenda, what many platforms call an “order” is referred to as a Ship Advice.
This is because a single customer order may be split into multiple Ship Advices when items are fulfilled from different warehouses or fulfillment locations.
For example:
A customer places one order with three items.
Two items ship from Warehouse A.
One item ships from Warehouse B.
Acenda may create two Ship Advices so each warehouse receives the correct fulfillment instructions.
When building an order or fulfillment integration, use the Ship Advice endpoints to retrieve, acknowledge, and update fulfillment records.
Getting your API key
To authenticate API requests, you will need an API key.
To generate an API key:
Log in to your Acenda admin panel.
Go to Users > API Keys.
Generate a new API key.
Store the API key securely.
Do not share API keys through email, chat, or public code repositories.
Best practice for third-party access
If you are working with outside contractors, agencies, or third-party developers, create a separate API key for each partner.
This makes it easier to:
Limit access by partner
Revoke access when a project ends
Troubleshoot activity by integration
Improve overall account security
Required request headers
Most API requests require headers similar to the following:
Authorization: Bearer your-api-token X-Astur-Organization: your-org-slug Content-Type: application/json
Some endpoints may use a different authentication method or request format. Always confirm the required headers in the Acenda API documentation before building your integration.
Example workflow: Processing Ship Advices
A common fulfillment workflow includes three steps:
Retrieve new Ship Advices.
Acknowledge each Ship Advice after your system receives it.
Add tracking information after fulfillment is complete.
Step 1: Get new Ship Advices
To retrieve new, unacknowledged Ship Advices, send a GET request to the Ship Advice endpoint.
Use the unacked=true parameter to return only Ship Advices that have not yet been acknowledged.
This is important because it helps prevent your integration from repeatedly processing the same Ship Advice.
Example request pattern:
GET /ship_advice?unacked=true
You can also filter results by fulfillment provider or warehouse, depending on your integration requirements.
For example, your request may include filters such as:
fulfillment_provider_id=1 warehouses=1,2,3,4
A properly formatted request should include:
Your API authorization header
Your
X-Astur-OrganizationheaderAny required query parameters
Any fulfillment provider or warehouse filters needed for your workflow
Step 2: Acknowledge the Ship Advice
After your system successfully receives and stores a Ship Advice, you should acknowledge it in Acenda.
Acknowledging a Ship Advice removes it from the unacknowledged queue. This prevents the same Ship Advice from appearing again the next time your integration calls the API with unacked=true.
Only acknowledge a Ship Advice after your system has successfully received it.
If your system fails to save or process the Ship Advice, do not acknowledge it yet. Leaving it unacknowledged allows your integration to retry.
Learn more: Acknowledge Ship Advice Documentation
Step 3: Add tracking information
After the Ship Advice has been fulfilled, send tracking information back to Acenda.
Tracking updates typically include:
Carrier
Tracking number
Ship date
Related Ship Advice identifier
Any additional fulfillment details required by the endpoint
Once tracking is added, Acenda can pass fulfillment updates to the appropriate connected marketplace or sales channel.
Learn more: Add Tracking to Ship Advice Documentation
Recommended Ship Advice workflow
For most integrations, we recommend the following flow:
Call the Ship Advice endpoint with
unacked=true.Save the returned Ship Advice data in your system.
Confirm the data was received successfully.
Acknowledge the Ship Advice in Acenda.
Fulfill the shipment in your warehouse or fulfillment system.
Send tracking information back to Acenda.
Log the API response for troubleshooting.
This approach helps avoid duplicate processing while still allowing your integration to retry if an error occurs before acknowledgment.
Common integration tips
Use these best practices when building against the Acenda API:
Store API keys securely.
Use separate API keys for each partner or integration.
Log request IDs, Ship Advice IDs, and API responses.
Do not acknowledge Ship Advices until your system has successfully received them.
Use
unacked=truewhen polling for new Ship Advices.Build retry logic for temporary API or network errors.
Confirm required headers and request formats in the Postman documentation.
Contact Acenda Support before giving third-party developers broad API access.
Advanced: Automating catalog updates
If you are building a more advanced integration for catalog, inventory, pricing, or product data updates, see our dedicated automation guide:
FAQ: Automating Catalog Updates with the Import & Export API
That article covers more advanced workflows, including:
Importing catalog data into Acenda
Exporting data from Acenda
Previewing files before import
Monitoring background import and export jobs
Downloading error reports
Using profiles to map source columns to Acenda fields
Use that guide if you want to automate recurring catalog updates from an ERP, PIM, warehouse system, vendor feed, or custom script.
Need help?
If you need help generating API credentials, locating your organization slug, understanding Ship Advice workflows, or building an integration, contact Acenda Support.