Experience Using Connector for USPS Web Tools API

[EmmettBlake]

I was asked to evaluate feasibility of creating a bot to manage address changes.
The high level request included using post office address validation APIs.
I found this object and it looked like a big win.

When I went to the USPS web page for APIs I found the following terms of use.

Is USPS API free?

Yes, all the USPS postal address APIs are completely free to use after account registration. The APIs are to be used exclusively for shipping and mailing services as written in the USPS terms of service. In other words, you can't use them for bulk address validation, database cleansing or record management.

I also saw on their website a statement of the same credential is being used concurrently USPS would disable it. I think this suggests we would need to get separate USPS IDs for each Bot.

We all want to be respectful and compliant with terms of use.

I was hoping learn from other RPA experience.

1. Does USPS  monitor volume / frequency of transactions?
2. Examples of types of work people have successfully used this object for while being compliant with USPS terms of service?
3. Examples of work that was identified as being non-compliant?
4. Did you have to register multiple USPS IDs for multi bot implementations of a process? 

@KyleStrumberger
I see you submitted the object. Can you address any of my questions

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Emmett Blake
Automation Developer
TMHP
America/Chicago
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[ewilson]

Hi @EmmettBlake,

1. As far as I know, yes the USPS monitor usage of their APIs.
2. One example would be something like a chatbot handling scheduling for a delivery or even a purchase. In this case, the chatbot utilizes a dedicated Digital Worker for address validation. This falls within the USPS ToS because the call to the Address API is transactional.
3. Something that would be non-compliant, based on their terms, would be taking an entire days worth of scheduling or reservations from #2 above and trying to validate them all at once (i.e. a "batch"). I haven't purposely tried to push the limits of their terms, so I can't say how responsive they are to violations, but ultimately we should all work within the ToS of any service we use.
4. The number of IDs would depend on the use case. If you're looking at a multi bot solution, I'd assume you would need multiple IDs, but I'd suggest reaching out their Internet Customer Care folks and see what they think.

Cheers,
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Eric Wilson
Director, Integrations and Enablement
Blue Prism Digital Exchange
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