In order to start collaborating with a Supplier on an order the order must be present within Shipwell. Note suppliers cannot create an order within Shipwell at this time and instead it must be done by the customer via one of four supported methods: 1) API integration, 2) order importer within Shipwell, 3) SFTP flat file delivery of order importer file, and 4) manual Purchase Order entry.
API Integration Order Creation
The best way to create orders within Shipwell is via an API integration as it provides real-time alignment with your ERP or WMS and Shipwell to make sure data is most efficiently present and aligned with your other systems. Learn more about implementing an API integration to create purchase orders here.
Order Importer Order Creation
An efficient way of creating orders if you do not have an API connection submitting orders within Shipwell is to leverage the Order Importer. If leveraging this via the Shipwell site, you do this by select ‘+ Import’ while on the Orders Dashboard.
Then, you should download the ‘Order Importer’ file by selecting ‘Download CSV Template’. Within the template there is a link to the Order Importer Instructions along with a sample template. Make sure to delete the reference to the Order Importer Instructions from the downloaded template and fill out the importer file. Here are some important order importer tips to remind you about:
Order Importer File Reminders:
The order importer can be leveraged for orders that are accessed by suppliers, but it can also import orders in the same file for orders that are only visible by your users.
The Order importer can be used to create and update orders within Shipwell. However, when doing updates the update is done in entirety for the order so you should present all line items that you want part of the updated order.
The maximum number of Order Importer rows should be no greater than 5,000 rows within the .CSV file.
The .CSV importer must leverage UTF8 format and in programs like Microsoft Excel there are more than one .CSV export with UTF8 being one of the options.
This same order importer file format is leveraged if submitting your order import file via SFTP. If seeking to leverage SFTP delivered order imports then contact your Customer Success Manager and they will provide you more details on what is needed for setting this up.
Manual Order Creation
Creating a new order via manual order creation within the Shipwell web interface is done by going to the ‘Orders’ tab and select ‘Add Order’. There is the option to choose ‘Purchase Order - Supplier Access’ and ‘Purchase Order - No Supplier Access’. Choose ‘Purchase Order - Supplier Access’ if looking to create a purchase order that is accessible by the supplier identified on it. This also supports the back-and-forth collaboration process around the order. Alternatively, if ‘Purchase Order - No Supplier Access’ is selected then it will be the same order creation process as within Shipwell today for orders which only the customer can create and view.
If creating an order with a supplier on it then you will be directed to the following page, where you will complete the standard order information.
The Supplier Collaboration Portal is a separate but integrated offering within Shipwell. If interested in learning more about the Supplier Collaboration Portal, reach out to your Customer Success Manager.