What is DataBridge

Modified on Fri, 28 Nov at 1:39 PM

“DataBridge” can refer to a few different things depending on the context — it’s a common name used in tech for integration or data-transfer tools.

Since you’ve mentioned Dispatch Science and 2Ship in past conversations, here’s what it likely means in your context ?

In Dispatch Science

DataBridge is a middleware or synchronization tool that connects Dispatch Science with external systems (like ERPs, CRMs, or eCommerce platforms).
It’s used to import and export data such as:

Orders
Customers
Drivers
Routes
Status updates

Essentially, it “bridges” data between Dispatch Science and other applications — allowing for automation and reducing manual entry.

For example:

You can configure DataBridge to pull new orders from a customer’s API or FTP site and automatically create them in Dispatch Science.
It can also push updates (like delivery status or POD info) back to the external system.

Technically speaking

It typically:

Runs as a background service or scheduled process
Uses API calls, file-based transfers (CSV/XML), or webhooks
Has configurable triggers (“Run every 15 minutes”, “On file detected”, etc.)
Logs execution results (success, failure, error messages)

Would you like me to show a short example of how DataBridge might be configured for a workflow — like importing orders from an FTP file into Dispatch Science?

? Scenario

A customer exports a CSV file named orders.csv to an FTP folder every 15 minutes.
You want DataBridge to automatically:

Detect the file,
Read the order details,
Create the orders in Dispatch Science,
Move the processed file to an “archive” folder.

⚙️ DataBridge Configuration Example

1. Connection Setup

Source:

Type: FTP
Host: ftp.customer.com
Username: customer_user
Password: ••••••
Folder: /outgoing/orders/

Destination:

Type: API
Endpoint: https://api.dispatchscience.com/orders
Authentication: API Key (e.g., ds-api-key-123)

2. Trigger

Mode: Timer
Frequency: Every 15 minutes
Condition: New file detected matching orders_*.csv

3. File Mapping

CSV columns → Dispatch Science fields

CSV Header	Dispatch Science Field	Example Value
OrderNumber	order.externalId	104512
PickupName	pickup.contactName	“ABC Supplies”
PickupAddress	pickup.address.street	“123 Queen St W”
DeliveryName	delivery.contactName	“John Doe”
DeliveryAddress	delivery.address.street	“456 King St E”
Pieces	items.count	3
Weight	items.weight	15
ServiceLevel	serviceLevel.code	“BOXTRUCK”
Reference	reference	“PO-9283”

4. Transformation Rules (optional)

If ServiceLevel = blank → default to “STANDARD”
Convert date/time from MM/DD/YYYY → ISO format (YYYY-MM-DD)

5. Post-Processing

On success → move file to /archive/processed/
On error → move file to /archive/error/ and send an email alert

6. Logs / Monitoring

Each run shows a log entry:


[2025-11-11 14:00] File orders_20251111.csv detected.
[2025-11-11 14:00] 12 orders processed successfully.
[2025-11-11 14:01] File moved to /archive/processed/.

? Summary

So in essence:

DataBridge acts like a connector and scheduler
It automates repetitive data exchanges
It uses triggers, mapping, and rules to ensure data flows cleanly between systems