Tracking — what it is and what it consists of

Once an order is packed, the parcel is no longer yours — it is with the carrier. So you do not have to open DHL’s website with a tracking number in hand, the system does it for you: it polls carriers periodically for the status of each shipment and records every change as a separate entry.

Tracking is a window into that log. There are two entries in the side menu, and a third important place outside this section.

Three places

The difference matters more than it may seem. The shipment list shows one status per parcel; order details show the whole journey, entry by entry, with dates. If you need to tell someone when a parcel left, open the order (Shipment on the order card — full history and actions).

The two screens name statuses differently. The same parcel may appear as “No data” in the list and “In transit” in order details. Shipment statuses — nine stages and why you see four explains why.

Step by step — choose the right screen

1. Start with the question you need to answer. It determines where to go — not the other way around.
2. You have a tracking number and want to know whether the parcel arrived. In the side menu, under Warehouse and logistics, select Tracking. The open page is titled Shipment tracking. > There is no menu item called “Shipment tracking” — the item is simply Tracking. Global search also knows two other variants of the same name: Parcel tracking and Shipment Tracking. They all lead to the same place. The search on this screen finds parcels only by tracking number (Shipment list — columns, filters, and what you cannot do there).
3. A customer asks about a specific order and you need dates and events. Do not go to the tracking list — open the order, scroll to the Shipments card, expand the shipment row, and click the parcel number. The Tracking history section opens, entry by entry (Shipment on the order card — full history and actions). > Expand the row by clicking anywhere on the row. The arrow is a small icon without a tooltip, and it is not shown at all for parcels without saved history. From the shipment list, jump there via the Order ID column — the number is a link.
4. Someone needs a file — a label PDF or an invoice. Open Warehouse and logistics → Document tracking (Document tracking — files attached to orders).
5. You want to make the system ask the carrier right now. You cannot. The Refresh icon on either list reloads data from the database only — it sends no request to the carrier (Where statuses come from — polling carriers).
6. The screen is empty and you do not know why. Before treating it as an outage, check whether the parcel is being polled (see missing shipment status update) and whether you have all required permissions (Tracking permissions — the trap of two separate grants).

What is not here

• There is no “refresh at carrier” button. The refresh icon reloads only the view from the database. Statuses arrive when the next poll runs — see Where statuses come from — polling carriers.
• There is no link to the carrier’s website. The system does not store a carrier tracking-page address. Copy the number and paste it on the carrier’s site yourself.
• There are no collection bookings or pickup manifests. None of the connected carriers has implemented pickup booking or a consolidated waybill — do that in the carrier’s portal.
• There are no claims. The system does not manage claims with the carrier.
• There is no export. Neither of these two lists has a download button.

Before looking for someone to blame

Most reports that “tracking does not work” are situations where the system deliberately does not poll a particular parcel. See the article on missing shipment status updates for all of them.