Predictika · courier shipment quotes

An AI sales agent's courier quote, checked before it goes out

An AI sales agent prepares a courier shipment quote with its service, lane, piece size and weight, declared value, delivery options and the published surcharges. Before it goes out, the agent sends it to Predictika, which checks it against a declarative model of the carrier's published Rate Guide and returns a verdict, every reason and the figures it computed.

Scope: Purolator Express and Ground courier shipments within Canada and from Canada to the United States: service availability, special handling, dangerous goods, declared value, residential, Saturday, signature and Healthcare Plus charges. See everything this validator covers

This validator models courier shipments under the Purolator Rate Guide (rates effective September 1, 2025), not just the scenarios shown below.

  • Services — Express, Express 9AM, 10:30AM, 12PM and Evening, and Ground, Ground 9AM, 10:30AM and Evening, within Canada; to the United States only the Express, 9AM, 10:30AM and 12PM and Ground services the Rate Guide lists, so a service offered only within Canada is caught on a U.S. lane.
  • Special handling per piece — Flat Package ($2.00), Additional Handling ($23.50), Oversized ($27.60), Residential Delivery Heavyweight ($50.00), Large Package ($99.00) and Over Maximum Limit ($1,000.00, needs a person to confirm); the highest one applies, using the piece weight, longest side, overall size (length plus twice the width plus twice the height) and packaging.
  • Other charges — Dangerous Goods (Fully Regulated $65.00, Limited Quantity $14.00), declared value (4.75% of the declared value above $100, maximum $5,000), Residential Delivery ($4.65, not on Evening services), Saturday Service ($25.00), Adult Signature Required ($8.00, within Canada), Signature Required (Residential) ($6.20) and Healthcare Plus ($10.00 per piece, a contractual service that needs a person to confirm).
  • Weight basis — a quote rated on scale weight is blocked when the piece's cubic weight is greater (cube factor 12.4 pounds per cubic foot, or 15 for Express shipments that travel by air).

Any courier shipment of these services is in scope — not only the scenarios pictured here. Not covered: the base rate from the zone and weight tables (which need the origin-specific Zone Guide), the monthly fuel surcharge, taxes, Beyond Point, Multipiece and customs charges, international and import services, Collect, Third Party and other administrative charges, and Purolator Freight.

The AI sales agentBuilds the courier quote from the conversation and says it is ready.
Predictika validatorChecks every rule at once and returns the verdict, each finding, and the computed figures.

7 scenarios in 3 groups · each group runs from the agent’s first attempt to the outcome · click one to switch

What the agent proposes

The AI sales agent says

Illustrative agent statement. The validator receives the structured request below.

Proposing agent: AI sales agent (scripted)

Before sending, the agent must call Recorded run

Predictika validator


      

        
        
        
      

      
Waiting for the call.

      
    

  

  
  

    
Where rules-based CPQ gets it wrong
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Our assessment of what a typical rules-based CPQ (product rules, price rules and validation rules, as in Salesforce CPQ) does with the same cases. It is a judgment about effort and reliability, not a claim that nothing can be built.

    
What the validator caughtTypical rules-based CPQPredictika
A surcharge that depends on weight, longest side, overall size, packaging and address type togetherOnly with care
Each piece measure is a separate rule and the rule that wins is the one with the highest dollar value, so someone has to keep the order of six rules in step with every tariff change.		All the measures travel with the quote and the highest applicable surcharge is computed on every call.
Services that exist only within CanadaOnly with care
One rule per service and per destination, repeated for every service the guide offers on one lane but not the other.		The service and lane are checked against each other in the same call.
Scale weight versus cubic weightOnly with workarounds
Cubic weight is a calculation from three dimensions and a cube factor that changes with the air network; a product-rule engine has no natural place to hold it and compare it with how the quote was rated.		Dimensions, weight and the cube factor are computed and compared on every call.
Surcharges the quote states versus the Rate GuideOnly with care
The stated figure is a free-entry number; comparing it with the sum of several published charges needs a calculation someone has to write and keep up.		The stated and computed totals are compared on every call.
Every problem returned in one answerOnly with workarounds
Rules tend to fire as a step is completed, so a rep often fixes one error and meets the next.		All findings come back together, whatever order the choices arrived in.

  

  

    
What this validator catches: findings from its test cases
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Every rule is checked on every call, in any order the choices arrive; one problem never hides another. Blocking findings stop the quote; approval findings need a person to sign off; everything else is computed.

    
1The declared value of $5,100.00 is above the maximum of $5,000.00 that Purolator accepts for liability purposes.
2Adult Signature Required is offered only for shipments within Canada.
3Signature Required (Residential) applies only to shipments delivered to a residential area.
4The Rate Guide offers this service only within Canada; to the United States it lists Express U.S., Express U.S. 9AM, 10:30AM and 12PM, and Ground U.S.
5Healthcare Plus is a contractual, fee-based service; a person should confirm the customer has it in their agreement with Purolator.
6Healthcare Plus can be applied only to Express, Express 9AM, Express 10:30AM and Express 12PM; it is not available on Express Evening or on Ground services.
7A piece over the maximum limit (more than 150 pounds, more than 165 inches in overall size, or a longest side over 108 inches) may be refused by Purolator; if accepted it carries the $1,000.00 per piece surcharge, so a person should confirm it first.
8The Rate Guide matrix marks Limited Quantity dangerous goods as not applicable together with a Residential Delivery Heavyweight or Large Package piece; a person should confirm with Purolator how this piece is handled.
9The quote is rated on scale weight, but a piece measuring 7,776 cubic inches has a greater cubic weight than its 10 pounds at the cube factor of 12.4 pounds per cubic foot, and the charge is based on the greater weight.
10The quote is rated on scale weight, but a piece measuring 4,224 cubic inches has a greater cubic weight than its 31 pounds at the cube factor of 15.0 pounds per cubic foot, and the charge is based on the greater weight.
11The quote states published surcharges of $4.65 but the Rate Guide items add up to $52.15.
12The longest side must be entered first; a width of 10 inches or a height of 6 inches is longer than the longest side of 8 inches.
13The declared value of $6,000.00 is above the maximum of $5,000.00 that Purolator accepts for liability purposes.

  

  

    
Scenarios and results
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The recorded result of the validator for each scenario on this page: the request the AI agent sent, the verdict, and every finding, in the order they appear above.

    
1. Heavy residential parcel: A heavy residential parcel with a declared value

    
The agent's request. Please quote a Purolator Ground shipment to Canada: 1 piece weighing 80 pounds, measuring 40 x 24 x 20 inches, delivered to a residence. The declared value is $500.00. The quote is rated on scale weight and states published surcharges of $28.40. It is ready to send.

    
Verdict: Blocked.

    
    
      
  • Rated on scale weight but cubic weight is greater. The quote is rated on scale weight, but a piece measuring 19,200 cubic inches has a greater cubic weight than its 80 pounds at the cube factor of 12.4 pounds per cubic foot, and the charge is based on the greater weight.
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  • Stated surcharges differ from the Rate Guide. The quote states published surcharges of $28.40 but the Rate Guide items add up to $78.40.
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2. Heavy residential parcel: The agent resubmits after fixing the errors

    
The agent's request. Please quote a Purolator Ground shipment to Canada: 1 piece weighing 80 pounds, measuring 40 x 24 x 20 inches, delivered to a residence. The declared value is $500.00. The quote is rated on cubic weight and states published surcharges of $78.40. It is ready to send.

    
Verdict: Allowed.

    
    
      
  • Charge summary. Published surcharges on this shipment total $78.40. Base rate and fuel surcharge are not included.
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3. Regulated equipment to the U.S.: Regulated equipment on Express Evening to the United States

    
The agent's request. Please quote a Purolator Express Evening shipment to the United States: 2 pieces of 30 pounds each, measuring 18 x 12 x 12 inches, delivered to a business address. The outer container is not corrugated cardboard. It contains fully regulated dangerous goods. The declared value is $6,000.00. The quote is rated on cubic weight and states published surcharges of $350.00. It is ready to send.

    
Verdict: Blocked.

    
    
      
  • Service not offered to the United States. The Rate Guide offers this service only within Canada; to the United States it lists Express U.S., Express U.S. 9AM, 10:30AM and 12PM, and Ground U.S.
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  • Declared value above the maximum. The declared value of $6,000.00 is above the maximum of $5,000.00 that Purolator accepts for liability purposes.
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4. Regulated equipment to the U.S.: The agent resubmits after fixing the errors

    
The agent's request. Please quote a Purolator Express Evening shipment to the United States: 2 pieces of 30 pounds each, measuring 18 x 12 x 12 inches, delivered to a business address. The outer container is not corrugated cardboard. It contains fully regulated dangerous goods. The declared value is $5,000.00. The quote is rated on cubic weight and states published surcharges of $302.50. It is ready to send.

    
Verdict: Blocked.

    
    
      
  • Service not offered to the United States. The Rate Guide offers this service only within Canada; to the United States it lists Express U.S., Express U.S. 9AM, 10:30AM and 12PM, and Ground U.S.
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5. Regulated equipment to the U.S.: The agent resubmits after fixing the errors

    
The agent's request. Please quote a Purolator Express 12PM shipment to the United States: 2 pieces of 30 pounds each, measuring 18 x 12 x 12 inches, delivered to a business address. The outer container is not corrugated cardboard. It contains fully regulated dangerous goods. The declared value is $5,000.00. The quote is rated on cubic weight and states published surcharges of $302.50. It is ready to send.

    
Verdict: Allowed.

    
    
      
  • Charge summary. Published surcharges on this shipment total $302.50. Base rate and fuel surcharge are not included.
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6. Crate over the limit: One 160 pound crate

    
The agent's request. Please quote a Purolator Ground shipment to Canada: 1 piece weighing 160 pounds, measuring 60 x 30 x 25 inches, delivered to a business address. The quote is rated on cubic weight and states published surcharges of $27.60. It is ready to send.

    
Verdict: Blocked.

    
    
      
  • Stated surcharges differ from the Rate Guide. The quote states published surcharges of $27.60 but the Rate Guide items add up to $1,000.00.
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  • Piece over the maximum limit. A piece over the maximum limit (more than 150 pounds, more than 165 inches in overall size, or a longest side over 108 inches) may be refused by Purolator; if accepted it carries the $1,000.00 per piece surcharge, so a person should confirm it first.
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7. Crate over the limit: The agent resubmits after fixing the errors

    
The agent's request. Please quote a Purolator Ground shipment to Canada: 2 pieces of 80 pounds each, measuring 48 x 24 x 15 inches, delivered to a business address. The quote is rated on cubic weight and states published surcharges of $55.20. It is ready to send.

    
Verdict: Allowed.

    
    
      
  • Charge summary. Published surcharges on this shipment total $55.20. Base rate and fuel surcharge are not included.
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Narration transcript
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The text of the narrated walkthrough, step by step.

    
    
      
  1. Welcome to a demo of Predictika's Validator. An AI sales agent prepares a courier shipment quote with its service, lane, piece size and weight, declared value, delivery options and the published surcharges. Before it goes out, the agent sends it to Predictika, which checks it against a declarative model of the carrier's published Rate Guide and returns a verdict, every reason and the figures it computed.
    2. 
      
  2. I will start with the first request by the agent.
    3. 
      
  3. The agent says. Please quote a Purolator Express Evening shipment to the United States: 2 pieces of 30 pounds each, measuring 18 x 12 x 12 inches, delivered to a business address. The outer container is not corrugated cardboard. The rest of the request is on screen. The quote is rated on cubic weight and states published surcharges of $350.00.
    4. 
      
  4. Before it goes out, the agent calls the validator.
    5. 
      
  5. Blocked, with two findings, all in one answer. The Rate Guide offers this service only within Canada; to the United States it lists Express U.S., Express U.S. 9AM, 10:30AM and 12PM, and Ground U.S. The declared value of $6,000.00 is above the maximum of $5,000.00 that Purolator accepts for liability purposes.
    6. 
      
  6. The validator returned two blocking findings in one answer. A check that reads one field at a time would pass most of this; it shows only when the choices in the quote are checked against each other.
    7. 
      
  7. What this shows: for services that exist only within Canada, a rules-based CPQ is error-prone for this.
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  8. Now the agent resubmits.
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  9. The corrected request. It changes the declared value to $5,000.00 and the stated surcharges to $302.50.
    10. 
      
  10. It calls the validator again.
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  11. Still blocked, with one finding, all in one answer. The Rate Guide offers this service only within Canada; to the United States it lists Express U.S., Express U.S. 9AM, 10:30AM and 12PM, and Ground U.S.
    12. 
      
  12. One finding cleared. Still blocking: service not offered to the United States.
    13. 
      
  13. The agent resubmits once more.
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  14. The revised request. It changes the service to Express 12PM.
    15. 
      
  15. It calls the validator once more.
    16. 
      
  16. This time the validator clears it.
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  17. The earlier finding is cleared, and the validator's total, $302.50, matches the quote.
    18. 
      
  18. Two problems caught in one call, fixed in two passes, and a clean quote. That is the value of Predictika's validator: catching mistakes before they reach the customer. Now you can try the other scenarios yourself.
    19.