Understanding Shipping Synchronization

Learning Experience Team

April 28, 2020 02:08

When an Associate places an order, it appears on this page with the status of "Submitted". Once your third-party logistics provider 3PL records the order as shipped, the system removes the order from this list. If needed, you can also force a ship synchronization with your 3PL using XLSX/CSV files and an SFTP.

Automatic Synchronization

Order information and shipping information passes between Corporate Admin and the 3PL. This process records to an XLSX/CSV file. Then, when you or the system triggers a sync, the 3PL looks at the XLSX/CSV and updates it with the shipping information. Finally, the 3PL returns the XLSX/CSV file to Corporate Admin.

Sync Schedule

When the 3PL registers a new order, the system schedules to sync an hour and a half later; any orders coming in during this duration will not trigger another sync. When syncing, the system records all orders that are at least one hour old in the XLSX/CSV file. Any newer orders have to wait for a new sync.

Manual Synchronization

If you are using an FTP site, you have to get the XLSX/CSV with orders from Corporate Admin and enter the shipping information. Corporate Admin will perform a sync through the SFTP site every hour that will:

Place an XLSX/CSV file with submitted orders which haven’t shipped.
Retrieve an updated XLSX/CSV file with shipping information for the orders in the previous sync.

Providing Shipping Information

To manually provide shipping information, do the following:

Connect to your SFTP.
Locate the XLSX/CSV file at From DirectScale.
Copy the XLSX/CSV file to your local machine.
Update the XLSX/CSV file for each shipped order with the following information:

DATESHIPPED - The time listed for DATESHIPPED is in 24-hr format. For example, for Jan 25, 2018, at 12:30 PM, you would change the date to "01/25/2018 12:30:00".

After updating the XLSX/CSV file:

Upload it to the SFTP.
Place the file in the To DirectScale parent folder.

At the next sync, Corporate Admin examines the updated XLSX/CSV file.

If successful, the order updates its shipping status to Shipped. As a result, it will no longer appear in the Inventory/Shipping List in Corporate Admin.

The XLSX/CSV file moves to the archive subfolder in the SFTP.
If unsuccessful, the order’s status remains Submitted and stays in the Inventory/Shipping List in Corporate Admin.

The XLSX/CSV file moves to the error subfolder in the SFTP. You will then need to:
1. Download the erroneous XLSX/CSV file
2. Make the necessary changes
3. Upload it back to the To DirectScale parent folder.

Forcing Ship Synchronization

Select the Warehouse needed to force a sync updating the order list to reflect that warehouse.
Click Synchronize.

The Synchronize button will sync all warehouses regardless of which warehouse you currently have selected.

The system records the information for the shipping orders in the XLSX/CSV file, ready for the 3PL. If you’re using a supported 3PL, forcing an Auto Sync does not alter the sync schedule behavior. When you force a sync, you are triggering the 3PL to schedule a new sync.

Test Orders

When using the Test Merchant, orders created are assigned the Authorization number _TESTCARD_, denoting them as test orders. These test orders will initially appear on the Shipping page. When your shipment syncs, DirectScale has a method that voids these test orders so they will not be sent to your 3PL. Once a test order is voided, it is not voided again during the next sync.