Preserve store inventory while routing orders

Protect store inventory while prioritizing rejected and expedited orders across a store network.

Use this template when stores fulfill online orders but must retain inventory for walk-in demand. The example prioritizes rejected and expedited orders, then relaxes the safety stock requirement in stages.

The design uses two routing groups:

Routing group	Purpose	Example schedule
Regular store routing	Process new and rejected order items.	Every 15 minutes
Unfillable store retry	Recheck order items after inventory has had time to change.	Every 6 hours

Replace the schedules, queues, shipping methods, and safety stock values with settings approved for your HotWax Commerce Omnichannel Order Management System (OMS).

Prepare the configuration

1. Create a facility group that contains every store eligible for online fulfillment.

2. Map the Shopify shipping methods used for standard and expedited orders.

3. Confirm the queues used for new, rejected, and unfillable order items.

4. Confirm the inventory buffers that stores must retain.

Build the routing rule ladder

Use the same five routing rules in each routing described in this template.

Sequence	Filters	Sort	Allow partial allocation	Unavailable items
Routing rule 1	Select the eligible store Group. Set Safety stock to 15.	Inventory balance	Off	Next rule
Routing rule 2	Select the same Group. Set Safety stock to 10.	Inventory balance	Off	Next rule
Routing rule 3	Select the same Group. Set Safety stock to 5.	Inventory balance	Off	Next rule
Routing rule 4	Select the same Group. Do not add a safety stock filter.	Inventory balance	Off	Next rule
Routing rule 5	Select the same Group. Do not add a safety stock filter.	Inventory balance	On	Queue

Select the target queue in routing rule 5. The ladder first protects the largest store buffer, then broadens facility eligibility, and permits a split only as the final attempt.

The numbers in this template are examples. Set Safety stock from your store demand, replenishment frequency, and inventory policy.

Configure regular store routing

Create Regular store routing, set its schedule, and keep it in Draft. Add the routings in this sequence:

Sequence	Routing	Filters	Sort
1	Rejected expedited orders	Select the rejected item Queue. Include next-day, two-day, and three-day values in Shipping method.	Shipping method, then Order date
2	Rejected standard orders	Select the rejected item Queue. Include the standard value in Shipping method.	Order date
3	Expedited orders	Select the new order item Queue. Include next-day, two-day, and three-day values in Shipping method.	Shipping method, then Order date
4	Standard orders	Select the new order item Queue. Include the standard value in Shipping method.	Order date

Add the five-rule ladder to every routing. Check the shipping method sort order so the fastest service appears first.

Configure the unfillable retry

Create Unfillable store retry with a less frequent schedule. Add these routings:

Sequence	Routing	Filters	Sort
1	Unfillable expedited orders	Select the unfillable Queue. Include next-day, two-day, and three-day values in Shipping method.	Shipping method, then Order date
2	Unfillable standard orders	Select the unfillable Queue. Include the standard value in Shipping method.	Order date

Add the five-rule ladder to both routings. In the last routing rule, return unavailable items to the queue used by your retry policy.

Activate and validate the groups

1. Review the order of the routings in both groups.

2. Review the five routing rules in every routing.

3. Confirm that the last rule targets the intended queue.

4. Change the routings and routing rules to Active.

5. Click Save in each routing group.

6. Change each saved routing group to Active.

7. Test one standard order, one expedited order, and one rejected order through Test drive, if the feature is available.

8. Open History after the first scheduled execution and review the result.

If store demand varies by location, add weeks of supply to the first routing rule instead of relying only on a fixed safety stock value.