Custom DHL Account Shipping

Shipping flexibility is essential in modern logistics, especially when customers prefer to use their own carrier accounts for billing. With the Custom DHL Account Shipping feature in Odoo, you can now charge shipping fees directly to your customer’s DHL account — instead of your own — giving clients full control over shipping costs and improving your customer service offering.

This feature is ideal for B2B sellers, contract manufacturers, or any business that wants to offer more personalized shipping options without absorbing the cost themselves.

Key Features & Benefits:

Use Customer’s DHL Account for Shipping

1. Adds a “Use Customer’s DHL Account” checkbox to the Shipping Options section in the delivery/shipping form.
2. When checked, a field appears to input the customer’s DHL account number.
3. Automatically applies this number during shipment processing for third-party DHL billing.

DHL API Integration for Third-Party Billing

1. The DHL label is generated using the customer’s account, and charges are billed accordingly.
2. Integrates with DHL’s third-party billing APIs, including domestic and international shipments.

Logging and Traceability

1. Logs which DHL account was used for each shipment.
2. Provides transparency for internal tracking and external reporting.

Configurable via System Settings

1. Admin setting to enable or disable customer DHL billing at the system level.
2. Option to allow or restrict this functionality by user role or document type.

Enhanced Filters and Reporting

1. Filter shipments by billing method: System Default vs. Customer DHL.
2. Ideal for reconciling shipping costs across multiple accounts.

Format Validation

1. Enforces DHL’s account number format for accuracy before processing.
2. Prevents errors during label generation and shipment initiation.

Example Use Case:

A corporate client places a large international order and requests the vendor to bill shipping to their DHL account.

The sales/shipping team:

1. Checks “Use Customer’s DHL Account” in the shipping options
2. Enters the customer’s DHL account number
3. Confirms the shipment

The system:

1. Generates a DHL shipping label using the customer’s account
2. Avoids billing the vendor’s DHL account
3. Logs the account used for later reference

This eliminates the need for manual intervention or external shipping platforms.

Summary:

The Custom DHL Account Shipping feature gives businesses the ability to offload shipping charges to their customers’ DHL accounts, improving flexibility, cost management, and customer satisfaction. It seamlessly integrates with Odoo’s shipping flows, works across domestic and international orders, and ensures reliable billing through DHL’s third-party API support.

Perfect for high-volume shippers and businesses offering white-glove logistics or customer-specific shipping preferences.