Fulfilment

Fulfilment orders

When an order is placed it is split into one or more fulfilment orders — one for each location that will send something. An order whose items come from two warehouses produces two, and each is picked and shipped independently.

Routing

Routing picks the location for each line, preferring:

  1. A location that can fill the whole order on its own, so the customer gets one parcel.
  2. Otherwise, the fewest locations that can cover it between them.
  3. Between equal options, the location with the lower priority number.

Only locations that are active and marked as fulfilling online orders are considered.

If nothing can cover a line, the fulfilment order is created unroutable rather than silently assigned somewhere with no stock. Unroutable work is visible, not lost.

Picking and packing

A pick list groups everything to pick at one location, ordered by bin location so a picker walks the aisles once rather than criss-crossing them.

Items missing at the shelf are recorded as short-picked. The remainder still ships; the shortfall goes back into routing rather than disappearing.

Shipping

Marking a fulfilment as shipped:

  • Moves the units out of committed — they have left the building.
  • Records the carrier and tracking number.
  • Notifies the customer, if notifications are on.

Partial shipments are normal. A fulfilment order tracks how much of each line remains, and closes only when nothing is left.

Pickup

A pickup order is not shipped. It moves through ready for collection and then collected. The customer is told when it is ready, and collection is confirmed at the counter.

Pickup readiness can be estimated per location — "ready in 2 hours" — and that estimate is what the customer is shown at checkout.

Documents

Three printable documents are produced from the order:

  • Packing slip — what is in the box, with no prices on it.
  • Invoice — the money, including tax and any discounts applied.
  • Shipping label — the address block and the parcel details.

Tracking

Once a tracking number is recorded, the customer can follow the parcel from their order page without contacting you.

Where to find it

Sell → Fulfilment. Printers are configured under Printing.