Troubleshooting guide to resolve inventory synchronization errors
Inventory synchronization issues can occur at multiple stages, leading to discrepancies in stock levels across platforms. Accurate inventory synchronization is crucial to prevent underselling or overselling for retailers. This document aims to provide detailed steps to diagnose and resolve issues related to inventory synchronization between ERP systems, HotWax Commerce, and Shopify.
During the process of importing an inventory file via SFTP, connection failures may occur, resulting in only a portion of the file being processed. This incomplete processing can lead to an invalid file status, causing discrepancies in inventory levels.
Navigate to Your SFTP File Path
Access your SFTP server using your preferred SFTP client such as Filezilla.
Check the File with Import Date and Time
Locate the file by its import date and time to identify the specific file that was partially processed.
If the File is Failed, Reimport the File
If the file is placed in the failed folder, re-upload the file to the SFTP server.
Ensure a stable connection during the reimport process to avoid partial processing.
The inventory file might be placed in an incorrect SFTP path, preventing HotWax Commerce from accessing and processing the file. This misplacement can result from user error or misconfiguration in the SFTP client or ERP system.
Check the File Path and Location
Verify the SFTP file path where the inventory file should be located.
Consult the User Manual
Refer to the HotWax Commerce User Manual for detailed instructions on setting up the correct file path.
Sometimes inventory synchronization to Shopify fails because of an issue on Shopify's end. This can happen when the scheduled job in Shopify is not running due to errors, maintenance, or other interruptions.
Wait for the Shopify Job to Run
Verify if there are any scheduled maintenance or downtime announcements from Shopify.
If the issue is temporary, wait for the job to resume.
Monitor Shopify Job Status
In Shopify, check the job logs and status updates for inventory synchronization tasks.
HotWax Commerce relies on two main jobs for inventory synchronization to Shopify: Update Recent Inventory Changes and Hard Sync Job. These jobs might fail or may not be scheduled correctly, leading to synchronization issues.
Ensure Jobs are Scheduled
In HotWax Commerce, navigate to the Inventory page in the Job Manager App
Verify that Update Recent Inventory Changes and Hard Sync Job are scheduled as per your preferred frequency.
Check Job Status
Look into the job pipeline to ensure these jobs are not marked as failed.
Re-run the jobs if necessary.
Ensure Process Uploads to eCommerce Job is Running
Go to the Miscellaneous page in the Job Manager App.
Verify that the Process Uploads to eCommerce job is running to process all uploaded files to Shopify.
If the Shopify shop does not have the necessary write permissions configured, synchronization attempts from HotWax Commerce will fail. This often happens if the access scope is mistakenly set to Read Only.
Navigate to the Shopify Shop Page
In HotWax Commerce, use the hamburger menu to go to the Shopify Shop page.
Select the Relevant Shopify Shop
Choose the specific Shopify shop where the issue is occurring.
Check Access Scope in Shopify Config
In the Shopify configuration section, verify the access scope settings.
Update Access Scope
If the access scope is set to Read Only, click on the pencil icon to edit the configuration.
Change the access scope to Read and Write permissions.