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Batch Relay is a provider-neutral fulfillment API for professional photography. It sits between photography commerce, automation tools, and professional print labs. Your application sends one canonical, prepared-media order; Batch Relay validates it, prices it, checks the selected provider’s compatibility, and freezes one fulfillment route before payment and submission. You do not integrate directly with lab-specific product identifiers, XML payloads, or ordering software. Provider-native mappings remain inside Batch Relay adapters.

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How it works

  1. Start with an isolated keyless Test Mode session, a scoped Test API key, or a Live API key.
  2. Send a canonical order with prepared assets, or render a published template into ordinary prepared artwork first.
  3. Preview compatibility and create an immutable quote.
  4. Submit the matching order with an idempotency key.
  5. Track the resulting Batch Relay order while the enabled provider fulfills it.
Each quote and order uses exactly one provider. Batch Relay never splits an order between labs or silently substitutes a product when the selected provider cannot fulfill it.

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What Batch Relay does not do

Batch Relay does not make a template mandatory. If you already have flattened artwork for a standard print, submit the ordinary prepared-media order. Templates are an optional preparation path that produces normal print artwork; they do not create a separate fulfillment product. The managed-ingestion route accepts either an external URL or an existing asset_id. URL input is copied into Batch Relay’s private temporary fulfillment storage; asset_id input reuses already-managed bytes without copying them. Template image slots use stable asset_id references, not arbitrary URLs. Print-order assets use the same source union: provide exactly one external HTTPS url or authorized asset_id. URL bytes are copied and frozen with the quote; asset_id bytes are reused in place. See Managed assets for ownership and retention behavior.

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Provider availability

WHCC is the first hosted fulfillment provider. Richmond Pro Lab is represented in compatibility tooling as preview-only while its production API and product semantics are verified. Selecting a preview provider fails before payment; it does not fall back to another lab.

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Use it from your workflow

The API is designed for custom applications and automation tools. n8n, Zapier, and Make guidance is published as each integration becomes supported; the canonical API contract remains the same underneath.

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Base URL

A Test API key selects Test Mode and the sandbox provider lane. A Live API key selects Live Mode and the production provider lane. The durable API-key record is authoritative, not the key prefix. Start with the Quickstart to validate a prepared order and preview provider compatibility safely.