Order Updates

Learn how HotWax Commerce synchronizes order updates from Shopify.

Synchronizing Order Updates

Sometimes customers or customer service representatives make changes to Shopify orders that need to be accurately reflected in HotWax Commerce to ensure the fulfillment process meets the customer's requirements. HotWax Commerce can update the following details from Shopify:

• Adding items to an order

• Removing items from an order

• Changing item quantities

• Refunded transactions

To ensure all order modifications are synced accurately, HotWax Commerce has an 'Import order updates from Shopify' job. This job checks the 'updated_at' field of orders in Shopify and compares it to the last run time of the job. If the 'updated_at' time is after the last run time, the job downloads all order details from Shopify, compares it to HotWax Commerce data, and updates any changed fields. The default frequency for the job is every hour, but merchants can change it through the Job Manager App to meet their requirements.

Fig.6 : Configuration of the “Import order updates from Shopify” job in the Job Manager App

Syncing Shopify order tags

Shopify order tags are also included in order updates. This allows merchants to use Shopify Flow, fraud tools, or customer service workflows to update an order's handling instructions after the order is created.

For example, merchants can configure Shopify Flow to apply a HOLD tag when an order needs manual review and an APPROVED tag when the order is ready for fulfillment. HotWax Commerce syncs these tag changes from Shopify so the order management system (OMS) can use the latest tag values when deciding whether an order should remain in brokering or proceed to facility allocation.

HOLD and APPROVED tag flow

1. A customer places an order in Shopify.

2. Shopify Flow evaluates the order against the merchant's review conditions, such as order value, risk level, or product-specific rules.

3. If the order requires review, Shopify Flow adds the HOLD tag. The order remains in the brokering queue and is not allocated to a facility.

4. After a customer service representative (CSR) reviews the order in Shopify, the CSR removes the HOLD tag and adds the APPROVED tag.

5. The 'Import order updates from Shopify' job syncs the updated tags to HotWax Commerce.

6. On the next allocation run, orders with the APPROVED tag become eligible for facility allocation and fulfillment.

If the order does not meet any manual-review condition, Shopify Flow can add the APPROVED tag automatically. In that case, once the order is downloaded and the tag is synced, the order can proceed through the standard allocation process.

When merchants use an approval-based tag flow, the APPROVED tag is required before an order can proceed to allocation and fulfillment. Orders without the required approval tag remain in the brokering queue until Shopify is updated and the tag change is synced.

To learn more about how HotWax Commerce syncs order fulfillment updates with Shopify, read the Shopify integration overview. Read further to learn how HotWax Commerce manages Presell orders and BOPIS orders.