How to Integrate a Parcel Tracking System in FlutterFlow

In Firebase Console → Functions, create an HTTP-triggered Cloud Function named getTrackingInfo. The function receives a tracking number and optionally a carrier code. It calls the ShipEngine API: GET https://api.shipengine.com/v1/tracking?carrier_code=fedex&tracking_number={number} with the header API-Key: your_shipengine_api_key. ShipEngine returns a normalized response with status_code (AC=Accepted, IT=In Transit, DE=Delivered, EX=Exception, UN=Unknown), status_description, events array (each with occurred_at, description, city, state, country), and estimated_delivery_date. Store the API key in Cloud Function environment variables — never hardcode it. Deploy this function and note its HTTPS URL.

In Firestore, create a shipments collection with the schema: trackingNumber (String), carrierCode (String), status (String), statusDescription (String), estimatedDelivery (Timestamp), lastUpdated (Timestamp), events (Array of Maps: occurredAt, description, city, state, country), currentLat (Double), currentLng (Double). In FlutterFlow, go to API Manager → Add API Group named TrackingAPI with base URL pointing to your Cloud Function's URL. Add a GET call named trackPackage with a query parameter trackingNumber. When a user submits a tracking number, call this API → on success, write the response data to Firestore shipments/{trackingNumber} using a Backend Call → Create Document or Update Document action.

Create a TrackingDetail page with a Page Parameter named trackingNumber (String). Add a Backend Query on the page pointing to shipments/{trackingNumber} — this loads the stored tracking data. At the top of the page, add a Container with a status badge: bind its text to statusDescription and its background color to a Conditional Value (green for Delivered, orange for In Transit, red for Exception, grey for Unknown). Below the status, add a Text showing estimatedDelivery formatted as a date. For the event timeline, add a ListView bound to the events array using Generate Dynamic Children. Each child is a Row containing a vertical line decoration, a dot icon, and two Text widgets for the description and occurredAt timestamp. Add a FlutterFlowGoogleMap with a single marker bound to currentLat/currentLng to show the last known package location.

Create a second Cloud Function named pollTrackingUpdates triggered by Cloud Scheduler (every 60 minutes). The function queries Firestore for all shipments where status is not Delivered — these are active shipments that need polling. For each, call the ShipEngine tracking API and compare the new status to the stored status. If different, update the Firestore document with the new status, events, and lastUpdated timestamp. This centralized approach means 1,000 users tracking the same shipment results in only one API call per hour, not 1,000. Set the cron schedule to run less frequently during off-peak hours (e.g., every 2 hours between midnight and 6am).

Extend the pollTrackingUpdates Cloud Function to send push notifications when a shipment status changes. When a status change is detected, look up the user's FCM token from their Firestore user document. Use the Firebase Admin SDK: admin.messaging().send({ token: fcmToken, notification: { title: 'Package Update', body: 'Your shipment is now ' + newStatus }, data: { trackingNumber: trackingNumber } }). In FlutterFlow, handle the notification tap — navigate to the TrackingDetail page passing the trackingNumber from the notification data payload. Test by manually updating a shipment's status in Firestore and verifying the notification arrives.