How it works

Follow these 4 simple steps to alert your team when packages remain in transit too long

tracktor icon

Connect Tracktor fulfillment tracking
This starts monitoring packages the moment they enter transit.
When a carrier marks a package as "In Transit" (picked up and moving through their network), Tracktor notifies MESA to begin tracking the shipment.
Time to complete: 1 minute

Set your delay threshold
This defines how long a package can be in transit before you want to investigate.
After a package enters transit, the workflow waits your specified time period before checking if it's been delivered. This prevents false alarms for packages that are moving normally through the carrier's network. Adjust the delay based on your typical shipping zones and carrier SLAs. Common thresholds: • 24-36 hours: For local/regional same-day or next-day shipments • 48-72 hours: For standard 2-3 day ground shipping • 96-120 hours: For cross-country or economy shipping • 168+ hours: For international shipments
Time to complete: 2 minutes

Verify package is still delayed
This checks whether the package actually delivered during the delay period.
After waiting your specified delay period, the workflow retrieves the latest tracking status from Tracktor and filters to only continue if the package hasn't been delivered yet. If it was delivered, the workflow stops without sending an alert.
Time to complete: 1 minute
email icon

Configure delay notification email
This alert gives you the order details and tracking info needed to proactively reach out to the customer or investigate with the carrier.
When a package is confirmed as delayed, the workflow sends an email with essential details: order number, carrier name, and tracking number. You can customize who receives the alert and what information is included. What to configure: • Recipient: Change to your fulfillment team's email, a shared inbox, or multiple recipients (comma-separated) • Subject line: Customize to match your urgency level or include carrier name • Message content: Add customer email, shipping address, order value, or days in transit
Time to complete: 3 minutes

Make it your own

Customize this workflow even further:

Send alerts to Slack instead of email
Replace the email step with a Slack notification to alert your operations channel immediately. This keeps your team informed in real-time and allows for collaborative troubleshooting directly in Slack.
Escalate based on order value or product type
Add a filter before the email step to check the order total or product tags, then route high-value orders or time-sensitive products (like perishables) to different recipients or channels.
Automatically send a proactive customer email
Add a second email step that sends directly to the customer with a friendly message acknowledging the delay and providing the tracking link. This reduces support tickets by showing you're on top of the situation.
Track delays for carrier performance analysis
Log each delayed shipment to a MESA Data Table. Over time, you can analyze which carriers perform poorly in specific regions, helping you optimize your shipping strategy and negotiate better rates.

Frequently asked questions

What is a template?
Templates are pre-made workflows by our team of experts. Instead of building a workflow from scratch, these have all the steps needed to complete the task.
Can I personalize a template?
Yes! Every step can be customized to meet your exact requirements. Additionally, you can even add more steps and make it more sophisticated.
Are templates free?
Yes! Our entire library containing hundreds of templates are free to use and customize to your exact needs.

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