You can connect your store to your own real-time tax and shipping calculation systems. Note: The Real-Time Links feature is only available in Merchant Standard and Professional plans.

When a customer is about to place an order in your store, the system will call CGI scripts which you specify. The available information about the order (which will include shipping address and the list of items) will be sent to the CGI scripts in the Merchant Solutions order format. The scripts should return a numeric value in the HTTPS response headers: Tax-Charge or Shipping-Charge. Please note that tax calculation will be performed before shipping calculation.

If the script returns HTTPS headers Tax-Error or Shipping-Error, the value of this field will be displayed in an error message to the customer. For instance, if you return Shipping-Error: Cannot Ship UPS to Guam, the customer will be notified and will have to choose another shipping method. Please see below for important notes about the information your script should extract. 

Setting up real-time scripts

Your scripts should be designed to extract required information, and only return errors for required keys when information is not available, or is invalid. Software on the receiving end should be set up to ignore unrecognized keys. 

Here's an example script which you can modify. We will add new keys to this format as required to support new features.

Note: If you require firewall restrictions on access to your web server, add the IP ranges for real-time integrations.

Set up real-time tax and/or shipping calculation

1. Sign in to your My Services page.
2. Click the Store link.
   
3. Go to Real-Time Links.
   
4. Go to Real-Time Link Settings.
   
5. Under Tax & Shipping Calculation:
   • If you wish to use combined tax and shipping calculation systems:
     1. Enter the URL of your real-time script in the Shipping & Tax URL field.
     2. If you wish to be notified if there is a communication error, enter a valid email address in the Error Notification field.
     3. From the If my server is unreachable pull-down menu, choose to Accept orders or Reject orders.
        
     4. Click the Update button.
        
     5. Click the Done button.
        
   • If you wish to use separate tax and shipping calculation systems:
     1. Select the Use Separate Tax URL checkbox.
     2. Enter the URLs of your real-time scripts in the Shipping URL and Tax URL fields. Note: You do not have to utilize both. If you wish, you can utilize just one and use your settings in the Manage Taxes page or your settings in Shipping Manager for the other.
     3. If you wish to be notified if there is a communication error, enter a valid email address in the Error Notification field.
     4. From the If my server is unreachable pull-down menu, choose to Accept orders or Reject orders.
        
     5. Click the Update button.
        
     6. Click the Done button.
        
6. Return to Store Manager and publish your Order Settings.
   

Note: If you utilize a real-time script for taxes, you'll see this message in the Manage Taxes page:

Similarly, if you utilize a real-time script for shipping, you'll see this message in the Shipping Rates page in Shipping Manager: