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Section 5: Order Management

This section covers the management of both inbound and outbound orders. Orders are central to ensuring smooth operations within the warehouse management system, facilitating the flow of goods, accurate billing, and timely fulfillment.

Inbound and Outbound Orders​

Orders are categorized as:

  • Inbound Orders: Orders for goods coming into the warehouse (e.g., inventory restocking).
  • Outbound Orders: Orders for goods going out to customers (e.g., sales orders).

Each order contains the following key information:

  • Name: Unique name or identifier for the order.
  • Shipping/Billing Address: Delivery and billing information for outbound orders.
  • External ID: Identifier for tracking orders from integrated platforms.
  • Sales Channel: Platform or sales channel through which the order was placed (e.g., Shopify, Amazon).
  • Sales Channel Order Name: The order name on the sales channel.
  • Sales Channel Order ID: Order ID used by the sales channel.
  • Customer Number: Unique identifier for the customer placing the order.
  • Fulfill Before: Date by which the order should be fulfilled. This date can be calculated based on the sales channel’s settings or defaults to two days if not specified.
  • Notes: Additional comments or instructions for the order.
  • Problem/Problem Note: A note field to flag issues or document any specific problem related to the order.

Adding Order Items​

Order items can be added to an order in several ways:

  1. Individually: Manually add items one at a time via the interface.
  2. CSV Upload: Upload a batch of items using a CSV file.
  3. Integrations: Automatically import order items from external platforms such as SFTP, SellerCloud, Goflow, ShipStation, and Shopify.

Fulfillments and Shelves​

Fulfillments define which shelves the order items will be picked from, specifying the quantities for each item. An order item's quantity can be fulfilled from multiple shelves if necessary, allowing flexibility in item sourcing from within the warehouse.

  • Picking Fees: Fees are calculated per carton, not per item. This allows multiple items to be picked under a single carton fee if they can be packed together without breaking up the carton.

Order Boxes and Box Contents​

Each order has one or more boxes with details about which items go into each box and the quantities.

  • Box Dimensions: Dimensions can often be auto-calculated from item data by clicking the "Magic" button.
  • Attachments and Tracking: Users can upload attachments (e.g., packing lists), tracking information, or images of items as references.
  • Box Contents: Specifies which order items and quantities are packed into each box.

Carrier Rules and Shipping​

Boxes are assigned carrier rules to manage shipping specifics, which include:

  1. Carrier and Service Selection: Choose specific carrier and service types through integrated platforms.
  2. From and Return Addresses: Customizable address fields for each shipment.
  3. Extra Fields: Additional fields can be set, such as third-party billing options (e.g., Amazon or Wayfair payments) and whether to require a signature upon delivery.

Supported carriers include:

  • eShipper
  • EasyPost
  • Others may be added by configuring settings in the Integrations section.

Rate Shopping​

Rate shopping can be applied to boxes individually or configured through a user-defined carrier rule, selecting the best rate based on price, delivery time, and other criteria.

Order and Box Statuses​

The system tracks statuses at both the order and box levels to streamline fulfillment and ensure real-time visibility:

Order Statuses​

  • Open: Order is being processed.
  • Closed: Order has been fulfilled and completed.
  • Problem: Order has issues that require attention.
  • Pending: Order is awaiting further action.

Box Statuses​

  • Printed: Shipping label or documentation has been printed.
  • Ready to Ship: Box is packed and ready for dispatch.
  • Picked: Items for the box have been picked from shelves.
  • Packed: Items have been packed in the box.
  • Dispatched: Box has left the warehouse.

For carriers that support post-dispatch tracking, statuses are updated in real time, showing stages such as:

  • Pending Pickup
  • In Transit
  • Delivered
  • Did Not Deliver
  • Unknown

Additional tracking details provided by carriers will also appear here as applicable, offering users comprehensive visibility into the status and location of orders.

This order management system ensures seamless coordination across all steps, from item addition to fulfillment and shipping, offering both flexibility and control over warehouse operations.

Order management is a crucial component of our warehouse management platform, handling both inbound and outbound orders efficiently. This section will explain the key features and concepts related to order management in our system. 5.1 Order Types

Inbound Orders: Represent incoming inventory from suppliers or returns. Outbound Orders: Represent customer orders to be fulfilled and shipped.

5.2 Order Information Each order contains essential details:

Name: Unique identifier for the order Shipping Address: Destination for outbound orders Billing Address: Address for invoicing purposes External ID: Identifier used by external systems Sales Channel: The platform or marketplace where the order originated Sales Channel Order Name: Order identifier on the sales channel Sales Channel Order ID: Unique ID from the sales channel Customer Number: Unique identifier for the customer

5.3 Fulfill Before Date The "Fulfill Before" date determines the priority of order processing. It can be set:

Automatically by the platform (default is 2 days from order creation) Manually by users Based on rules set for specific sales channels

5.4 Order Notes and Problems

Notes: Additional information about the order Problem: Flag to indicate issues with the order Problem Note: Detailed description of the order issue

5.5 Adding Order Items Order items can be added through various methods:

Manually, one by one Bulk upload via CSV Integrations with external systems (e.g., SFTP, SellerCloud, GoFlow, ShipStation, Shopify)

5.6 Fulfillments and Shelf Allocation Fulfillments specify which shelves the order items will be picked from. An order item's quantity can be sourced from:

A single shelf Multiple shelves, if the required quantity is spread across locations

5.7 Picking Fees Picking fees are charged per carton, not per item. This allows for multiple items to be picked into a single carton without incurring additional fees, as long as they don't need to be separated. 5.8 Boxes and Box Contents Orders are associated with boxes, and box contents specify:

Which order items go into which boxes Quantities of each item per box Box dimensions (can be auto-calculated based on item dimensions)

5.9 Attachments and Tracking Users can:

Upload attachments to orders Add tracking information Take and attach pictures of items for reference

5.10 Carrier Rules and Shipping Boxes are assigned carrier rules, which determine:

Available carriers and service types From and return addresses Special requirements (e.g., third-party billing for Amazon or Wayfair orders) Signature requirements

The platform supports various shipping integrations (e.g., eShipper, EasyPost) which need to be configured in the Integrations section. 5.11 Rate Shopping Rate shopping can occur:

Per box Via user-defined carrier rules that select rates based on price, delivery time, and other factors

5.12 Order and Box Statuses Orders can have the following statuses:

Open Closed Problem Pending

Boxes can have these statuses:

Printed Ready to Ship Picked Packed Dispatched

5.13 Post-Dispatch Tracking For carriers that support it, the system will sync post-dispatch tracking information, including:

Pending Pickup In Transit Delivered Did Not Deliver Unknown

Additional carrier-specific information may also be displayed when available. This comprehensive order management system ensures efficient handling of all aspects of order processing, from receipt to fulfillment and shipping.