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How to generate ShipStation API keys

How to generate ShipStation API keys, add them to Acenda, and regenerate them when they expire.

To connect ShipStation to Acenda, you generate an API Key and Secret in ShipStation and add them to your ShipStation integration in Acenda.

Before you start: This article assumes you already have a ShipStation integration in Acenda. If you're setting one up for the first time, start with the How to connect ShipStation as a fulfillment provider. For a general overview of fulfillment providers, see How to connect a fulfillment provider.

Generate an API Key in ShipStation

  1. Log in to your ShipStation account. On shipstation.com, choose ShipStation from the Login menu, not ShipStation API (that is a separate developer site).

  2. Go to Settings > Account > API Settings.

  3. Choose V1 API under Select API Version. Acenda's ShipStation integration uses the V1 API, not V2.

  4. Click Generate API Key.

  5. Choose a key expiration: 3 months, 6 months, or 12 months. Acenda recommends 12 months, with a calendar reminder to regenerate the key before it expires.

  6. Click Generate. ShipStation shows your new API Key and Secret Key once.

  7. Copy both now and store them securely — ShipStation won't show the secret again, and if you lose it you'll need to generate a new set.

Add the key to your ShipStation integration in Acenda

  1. Click CHANNELS > Integrations in the sidebar.

  2. Find ShipStation under Fulfillment Providers and click Edit (or + New if you haven't added it yet).

  3. Open the Settings tab, then the Authorization tab.

  4. Paste the API Key and API Secret ShipStation generated for you into the matching fields.

  5. Click Save.

Note: This Key/Secret pair is for ShipStation's V1 API. If your account is instead set up for ShipStation's newer V2 API, the Authorization tab will show different fields. Contact Acenda Support if you're not sure which one your integration uses.

What happens if your keys are missing or invalid?

If the API Key or Secret saved in Acenda is missing, mistyped, or no longer valid in ShipStation — including when a key expires — new orders stop flowing to ShipStation and tracking updates stop coming back into Acenda. Acenda doesn't send you an advance warning before a key expires, which is why the calendar reminder above matters.

Confirm your connection is healthy

  • In ShipStation: the API Settings page lists each key's Created Date and Expiration. A key past its expiration date is no longer valid.

  • In Acenda: go to CHANNELS > Integrations. If the ShipStation connection is unhealthy, you'll see a red warning icon next to it — hover over it and it reads Connection Unhealthy. Click Edit to open the integration and update your keys.

  • After you save new keys, give it until Acenda's next sync with ShipStation to clear. The red icon and the Connection Unhealthy message should go away on their own once that happens — you don't need to do anything else.

Troubleshooting & FAQ

  • Why is it still unhealthy right after saving? Give it a little time for the next sync between Acenda and ShipStation. It doesn't update instantly.

  • Why does Acenda still show unhealthy after I generated a new key in ShipStation? Regenerating a key in ShipStation doesn't update Acenda automatically. You still need to paste the new API Key and Secret into the Authorization tab in Acenda and click Save.

  • Why is it still failing after I pasted the key? Check for an extra space before or after the value, and make sure the API Key and API Secret weren't swapped between fields.

  • What if I generated a V2 key instead of V1? Make sure Select API Version was set to V1 API before you clicked Generate. A V2 key won't work in the Authorization fields this article covers.

  • Why is only some ShipStation activity failing (for example, orders aren't importing) while everything else looks fine? This can mean the API key is valid but missing a permission in ShipStation, rather than being invalid. Contact Acenda Support so Acenda support can confirm which permission is missing.

Still stuck? Contact Acenda Support and let Acenda support know your subscription ID or integration name.

Related: ShipStation integration

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